EU-funded Twinning project “Strengthening the capacity of the State Bodies and local level referral mechanisms to provide safety and support to the victims of domestic violence” hosted a rountable with the support of the State Committee for Family, Women and Children’s Affairs on 4-5 November 2020.

The discussions which were held remotely focused on assessment of the local environment for criminalization of domestic violence, as well as the mutual benefits in case of active participation of rural municipalities in Monitoring Groups on gender violence and violence against children, the reasons hindering the participation of rural municipalities in Monitoring Groups, as well as how the inclusion of municipalities could contribute to the work of these groups.

The representatives of the State Committee for Family, Women and Children’s Affairs, heads of several Monitoring Groups and chairs of municipalities from districts of Baku, public associations for combating domestic violence, as well as employees of the prosecutor's offices joined the remote meeting.

The Lithuanian experts, who were leading the discussions, asked numerous questions regarding the activities carried out by Monitoring Groups (MGs) and Family and Children Support Centers (FCSCs) in the fight against domestic violence and analyzed legal and policy framework of MGs and FCSCs.

The purpose of the discussions was to develop a package of amendments to the relevant legislation to support the activities of the Monitoring Groups and FCSCs and to develop a strategy for the inclusion of rural municipalities in the Monitoring Groups and FCSC.

It should be noted that the project funded by the European Union and implemented by Lithuania and Austria in partnership with the State Committee for Family, Women and Children’s Affairs of Azerbaijan, aims to strengthen the capacity of state bodies and local level referral mechanisms to provide safety and support to victims of domestic violence in Azerbaijan.