Press release
OSCE Presence helps train Albanian police, court officials and civil society groups on new domestic violence law
- Date:
- Place:
- TIRANA
- Source:
- OSCE Presence in Albania, OSCE Secretariat
- Fields of work:
- Rule of law, Policing, Gender equality
TIRANA, 18 September 2007 - The OSCE Presence in Albania helped to educate police officers and court officials, along with civil society representatives, on the country's new domestic violence law in training sessions in Shkodra and Tirana, which ended today.
The courses were organized in co-operation with the Albanian Police Academy, the Albanian Ministry of Justice and the Albanian organization for the protection of women, Gruaja tek Gruaja.
"Justice system actors and civil society alike play an important role in ensuring that women who are victims of domestic violence have access to the new mechanisms of legal redress envisaged in the law," said Maya Goldstein, Senior Judicial Officer at the OSCE Presence. "While the adoption of the new law is an important step, co-operation is essential to guarantee effective protection to victims of domestic violence."
The training courses aimed to raise the awareness of the 140 participants on domestic violence issues and to inform them of the new remedies brought about by the law. Police officers and court officials learned procedures for requesting and enforcing civil protection orders against abusers, while civil society representatives were educated on the provision of free legal assistance to victims of domestic violence.
The seminars were part of the OSCE Presence's activities in the context of the Women's Access to Justice Project. Some 175 judges, prosecutors and lawyers have been trained on the Domestic Violence Law since April 2007.
The OSCE Presence assisted in drafting the Domestic Violence Law, the first of its kind in Albania. The law was proposed by civil society and adopted by the Assembly in December 2006.
The courses were organized in co-operation with the Albanian Police Academy, the Albanian Ministry of Justice and the Albanian organization for the protection of women, Gruaja tek Gruaja.
"Justice system actors and civil society alike play an important role in ensuring that women who are victims of domestic violence have access to the new mechanisms of legal redress envisaged in the law," said Maya Goldstein, Senior Judicial Officer at the OSCE Presence. "While the adoption of the new law is an important step, co-operation is essential to guarantee effective protection to victims of domestic violence."
The training courses aimed to raise the awareness of the 140 participants on domestic violence issues and to inform them of the new remedies brought about by the law. Police officers and court officials learned procedures for requesting and enforcing civil protection orders against abusers, while civil society representatives were educated on the provision of free legal assistance to victims of domestic violence.
The seminars were part of the OSCE Presence's activities in the context of the Women's Access to Justice Project. Some 175 judges, prosecutors and lawyers have been trained on the Domestic Violence Law since April 2007.
The OSCE Presence assisted in drafting the Domestic Violence Law, the first of its kind in Albania. The law was proposed by civil society and adopted by the Assembly in December 2006.
Contact
