Within the project "Stronger institutional response to gender-based violence in the AP Vojvodina" (UNTF), implemented by the Provincial Secretariat for Health, Social Policy and Demography in cooperation with the Center for Women's Rights in Kikinda, Autonomous Women's Centre was invited to coordinate the preparation of a guide for coordinated treatment of local services in the prevention and protection of women from violence.

Inter-sectoral working group held its first meeting, at which they discussed the concepts of coordination (domestic and foreign), levels and types of coordination in the local community, as well as content which is to be included in a future guide, bearing in mind the current and future laws and bylaws and examples of "good practices".

We remind that the Council of Europe Convention against Violence against Women states that the goal of this international agreement (Article 1) is to build comprehensive framework, policies and measures for the protection and effective cooperation of all organizations and bodies to adopt a comprehensive approach for eliminating violence against women and to provide support for all victims of violence.

Citing the obligations of the state and the principle of "due diligence" (Article 5) countries commit themselves to opt out from participation in any act of violence against women, and to take the necessary legislative or other measures to prevent, investigate, punish and provide reparation for acts of violence covered by the Convention. Also, countries are committed to the implementation of comprehensive and coordinated policy (Article 7), which should be effective and comprehensive, so they could offer a holistic response to violence against women, placing the rights and needs of women at the center of all interventions, which should be achieved by the effective cooperation of all relevant agencies, institutions and organizations.