On July 7, 2021, the Steering Committee of the EU-funded Twinning Project on "Strengthening the capacity of government agencies and local referral mechanisms to ensure the safety and support of victims of domestic violence in Azerbaijan" held its 4th meeting.

The meeting of the Steering Committee was attended by project managers and employees representing the State Committee for Family, Women and Children Affairs, Lithuanian and Austrian project implementing organizations, and executive organizations involved in the project implementation, as well as employees of the EU Delegation to Baku.

Welcoming the participants, Mrs. Sadagat Gahramanova, Deputy Chairman of the State Committee and Project Manager for Beneficiaries declared the meeting open and conveyed the Committee's position on future activities under the project.

Ms. Audra Mikalauskaitė, the Lithuanian project manager, and Ms. Sabine Mandl, the Lithuanian project manager supported the beneficiary's proposals for the project's activities and noted that these proposals needed to be formalized by the European Union.

In turn, Mr. Laurynas Totoraitis, Resident Twinning Advisor of the project, informed the participants about the work done from March to May this year.

Then, Ms. Maryam Haji-Ismayilova, an employee of the EU Delegation to Baku, expressed her views on the report and the Work Plan covering the upcoming period of the project.

In the end, Mrs. Sadagat Gahramanova thanked all the participants and declared the meeting closed.

The purpose of the Twinning project is to strengthen the legal protection and support of victims of domestic violence in the process of compliance with EU standards.