GREVIO has launched the monitoring of the implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on Violence against Women. Having adopted its questionnaire, which it will use in this process, this expert group published a provisional timetable for monitoring the Parties to the Convention for the years 2016 and 2017.
On 4th of March, European Commission proposed for the European Union to ratify the Council of Europe Convention on Violence against Women. The proposal to accede to the Istanbul Convention will be discussed in the European Council and in the European Parliament, whose consent is needed in this process.
Amendments to the Criminal Code developed by the Autonomous Women’s Center have been confirmed by the member of the GREVIO Expert Group, Ms. Vesna Ratković in an analysis on compliance of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Serbia with the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence. This is important recognition of the quality of AWC work, after an acknowledgment given in the Report of the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Mr. Nils Muižnieks.
The Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe, Mr. Nils Muižnieks has welcomed the ratification by Serbia of the Istanbul Convention and (re)commended “tools” developed by the Autonomous Women’s Center to monitor implementation of this international treaty.
The publication on the institutional response to violence against women and domestic violence, which is observed from the perspective of professionals from seven relevant services in 9 cities/municipalities in Serbia (Belgrade, municipality New Belgrade, Pancevo, Backa Topola, Sremska Mitrovica, Krusevac, Uzice, Cuprija, Nis and Leskovac), contains an overview of definitions of the term(s), the data of previous studies on the prevalence of violence, a description of the current legislative, strategic and sub-legal framework, the characteristics of procedures, as well as information about the experiences of women victims of violence in the contact with the institutions.
Autonomous Women’s Center is disappointed by the fact that the Ministry of Justice, with the assistance of the UNICEF, developed a draft Law on Juvenile Criminal Offenders and Criminal Legal Protection of Juveniles, in which the level of achieved rights for the protection of children’s rights is reduced. The proposed draft reduces the list of crimes that will be treated by judges, prosecutors and police officers who have special training in dealing with cases where children are victims. The draft of law also abolishes the current obligation of the state to set up an attorney for the child, the victim of violence, from the circle the lawyers who would represent him/her in the proceedings, leaving the prosecutor's offices and courts that in its own discretion decide whether to give that right to the child.
Draft on the Public Law and Order, in Article 16 Prostitution, completely unfair predicts punishment only for people who are bought into prostitution (mostly women and children), ignoring the fact that people who are using/buying prostitution (mostly man), are also persons that "indulge in prostitution".
Autonomous Women’s Center addressed an appeal to the MPs, members of the Women's Parliamentary Network, to support the amendments for the implementation of emergency barring orders as an independent police authorization.
Autonomous Women Center has delivered to the Ministry of labour, employment, veteran and social affairs, and working group for development of the draft of the Law on financial support to families with children, general and specific comments on the Draft of the Law.
Autonomous Women Center has been revising the proposal of National strategy for gender equality for the period 2016 – 2020 in three areas of interest – violence against women, safety and cooperation with associations, and based on analysis of Strategy and accompanying Activity plan for strategy implementation, including abridged report on evaluation of previous strategic document, AWC developed comments.
