International standards, national legislation for prevention of domestic violence in Belarus discussed at OSCE/ODIHR seminar

International rule of law standards related to the prevention of domestic violence were the topic of a seminar organized on 6 December 2018 in Minsk for participants from across Belarus.

The seminar was organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and the Institute for Re-training and Continuing Education of Judges and Personnel of Prosecutor’s Offices, Courts and Justice Institutions (IRCE) at the Belarusian State University.  It was the fourth in a series of seminars on rule of law issues organized as part of the two-year, European Union-funded project “Promoting Democratization and Human Rights in Belarus”.

The event engaged 31 participants (18 women and 13 men), including prosecutors from across Belarus, in discussions on international standards and good practice examples on preventing and countering domestic violence. The participants also considered good practice for incorporating international standards into national laws, policies and practice.

“Prosecutors play a crucial role in addressing domestic violence,” said Carolyn Hammer, Rule of Law Officer at ODIHR. “Effective investigation and prosecution is fundamental to the rule of law and protection of human rights.”

Vladimir Moroz, the Institute’s Deputy Director, said: “We consider the seminar an important element of the implementation of the National Action Plan for Gender Equality in the Republic of Belarus for the period from 2017 to 2020. The Action Plan draws attention to the need to include prevention of domestic violence in the training programs for law enforcement officers, lawyers, judges and prosecutors. International seminars like this are an integral part of the advanced training system implemented at the Institute.”

The presentations by ODIHR experts “were highly useful for prosecutors from across Belarus,” he said. “Equally important was the participation of national experts because it introduced the participants to the national dimension in applying international standards and to linking the issues under consideration directly to the activities of prosecutors.”

The rule of law-related activities within the ODIHR project include training some 200 legal professionals through thematic seminars and exchange visits on rule of law and other justice-related issues.