More than hundred citizens took a part at the protest against femicide at the Republic Square in Belgrade, which were organized by the Network Women against violence, Autonomous Women’s Center and Women in Black. Organizers and participants requested accountability and systemic response of the state to prevent violence against women.
Autonomous Women’s Center has submitted to the Ministry of Interior amendments to the Draft Law on Police, requiring introduction of emergency barring orders in accordance with the Council of Europe Convention on violence against women.
Beograd, 7/11/2014.Autonomous Women's Center organized an international conference „Implementation of Council of Europe Convention on violence against women – one year anniversary from its ratification in the Republic of Serbia“ on 7th November 2014 in Belgrade. The conference was dedicated to activities on harmonization of the laws and regulations of the Republic of Serbia with the provisions of the Convention (Chapter V – Substantive law and VI - Investigation, prosecution, procedural law and protective measures).
Representatives of Autonomous Women's Center participated in the conference “Improving the protection of survivors and the prosecution of perpetrators of gender-based violence and domestic violence”, which was held on September 30th – October 1st, 2014 in Skopje. The Conference was dedicated to the Council of Europe Convention on Violence against Women, so the main topics includedthe experiences of countries in South East Europe and Turkey in the process of signing and ratifying the Convention.
ASTRA – Anti Trafficking Action and the Autonomous Women’s Centre have launched an initiative that the Republic of Serbia, as a signatory to the European Convention on the Compensation of Victims of Violent Crimes, ratify it. On this occasion, proposals for improvement of the legal framework for the exercise of these rights have been prepared, which were presented at a press conference at the Media Center, on June 30, 2014.
An Android application “BEZBEDNA” (SAFE), by which girls and women in situations of violence can send an urgent message to 4 telephone numbers preset as ‘protectors’, as well as to call police, emergency ambulance, centre for social welfare or SOS helpline, has been presented at the press conference organized by the Autonomous Women's Center.
Representatives of the Autonomous Women's Centre, Praxis and Lawyers’ Committee for Human Rights (YUCOM), members of the ad hoc working group for amending the Draft Law on Free Legal Aid (FLA), have prepared the proposals for amending this Law. In the proposal, it has been suggested how the issues of beneficiaries, providers, managing and financing should be regulated.
Since its re-election, the Hungarian government launched a campaign attacking the credibility of Hungarian NGOs and are striving to gain controlling power over their funding distributed independently from the government.
Autonomous Women's Center has printed a personalized stamp within the second phase of the campaign I sign. Information on the personalized stamp, which is dedicated to the promotion of the Council of Europe Convention on violence against women, will be published in the stamp catalogue. This fact has prompted the interest of philatelists to purchase stamps.
The first set of postcards to remind authorities of the promises made in the previous phase of the campaign I sign, was sent to decision-makers at the national level yesterday. Autonomous Women's Center and partner organizations in Nis, Vranje, Novi Sad, Kikinda, Uzice and Krusevac will continue to call for the responsibility of decision-makers at national and local level in relation to the promised changes to the law and the situation in the field of protection of women from violence.
