The Council of Europe has compiled key achievements of its co-operation projects with beneficiary countries. From trainings of professionals, to new policy frameworks that enshrine international standards and best practices, 2023 has been a year of progress and renewed commitment towards advancing gender equality.
The European Programme for Human Rights Education for Legal Professionals (HELP) course on violence against women targeting law enforcement professionals is now available in 16 languages. This online course was developed in 2021 and provides practical guidance for police and law enforcement when dealing with cases of violence against women and domestic violence.
New gender focal points have been added to a network of 300 legal professionals in the Eastern Partnership countries (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Republic of Moldova and Ukraine) contributing to combating and eliminating barriers which women encounter when accessing justice.
Professionals trained in 2023 include social workers, labour inspectors, prison workers, law professors and students, police etc. Civil society has also been supported to campaign against violence against women and to inform the public about the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women (known as the Istanbul Convention).
