First Regional Gender Equality Forum for the Western Balkans
1 April 2022
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Hour(s)
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The first “Regional Gender Equality Forum for the Western Balkans” will be held on April 1 and 2, 2022 in Budva (Montenegro). The forum is organized by the AIRE Center with the support of the United Kingdom Government and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH. The forum will bring together judges of the European Court of Human Rights and judges and experts from the region to discuss the key principles of gender equality established by the practice of the European Court of Human Rights. The President of the European Court, Robert Spano, the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe, Dunja Mijatović, and the Vice-President of the European Court, Siofra O’Leary, will attend the forum.
Info
Date and time:
April 1, 2022; 10:00 a.m. – April 2, 2022; 3:00 p.m.
Venue:
Budva
Pre-registration:
Invitations only
Online:
Online participation is not available, post-event videos available via AIRE Centre YouTube channel
Press information:
Press statements are scheduled for 09:45 a.m.
Agenda
Day 1 – 1 April 2022
10:00 – 10:30
Welcome and Introduction to the Forum
Biljana Braithwaite, Western Balkans Programme Director, the AIRE Centre
Opening Speeches:
Dritan Abazović, Deputy Prime Minister of Montenegro
Ivana Jelić, Judge on the European Court of Human Rights
Steve Arrick, Charge d’Affaires, British Embassy in Montenegro
Slobodan Šarić, Rule of Law Advisor, Legal Reform for Economic Development in the Western Balkans – GIZ GmbH
Moderator: Tijana Badnjar, the AIRE Centre
10:30 – 10:45
Keynote Speech:
Gender stereotyping and sexism in the case-law
of the European Court of Human Rights
Judge Robert Spano, President of the European Court of Human Rights
10:45 – 11:00
Introductory Presentation: Fighting violence against women and girls by promoting gender equality
Dunja Mijatović, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights
11:00 – 12:30
Panel Discussion: Domestic and Gender Based Violence and the ECHR
Introductory presentation by Judge Síofra O’Leary, Vice-President of the European Court of Human Rights
Moderator: Armen Harutyunyan, Judge on the European Court of Human Rights
Panellists: Saadet Yuksel, Judge on the European Court of Human Rights
Mirjana Lazarova Trajkovska, Judge on the Supreme Court of the Republic of North Macedonia
12:30 – 13:45
Lunch
13:45 – 15:10
Panel Discussion: Gender Equality and the ECHR – the interaction between Article 8 and Article 14 ECHR
Introductory presentation by Ivana Jelić, Judge on the European Court of Human Rights
Moderator: Robert Spano, President of the European Court of Human Rights
Panellists: Ledi Bianku, Judge on the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Ksenija Turković, Professor of Law at the University of Zagreb and former Vice-President of the European Court of Human Rights
15:10 – 15:30
Coffee break
15:30 – 16:45
Thematic working groups – Session 1
Domestic and Gender Based Violence and the ECHR
Introduction by Ksenija Turković, Professor of Law at the University of Zagreb and former Vice-President of the European Court of Human Rights
Moderated discussion in smaller groups made up of participants from across the region: The application of ECHR jurisprudence in the region and key challenges in the domestic context, in relation to the topics discussed in the first Panel Discussion.
Moderator: Ledi Bianku, Judge on the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Thematic working groups – Session 2
Gender Equality and the ECHR – the interaction
between Article 8 and Article 14 ECHR
Introduction by Mirjana Lazarova Trajkovska, Judge on the Supreme Court of the Republic of North Macedonia
Moderated discussion in smaller groups made up of participants from across the region: The application of ECHR jurisprudence in the region and key challenges in the domestic context, in relation to the topics discussed in the second Panel Discussion.
Moderator: Ivana Krstić, Professor at the Faculty of Law, Belgrade University
16:45
End of Day One
18:30 – 19:30
Cocktail reception
19:30 – 21:00
Dinner
Day 2 – 2 April 2022
09:30–10:00
Feedback from the Thematic Working Groups
Presentation on the key takeaways from the thematic working groups
Moderator: Ivana Krstić, Professor at the Faculty of Law, Belgrade University
10:00–10:45
Introduction to the Gender Champions in the Judiciary (GCJ Network) and regional scoping study
Introductory presentation by Ivana Jelić, Judge on the European Court of Human Rights
Biljana Braithwaite, Western Balkans Programme Director, the AIRE Centre
Kosana Beker, Gender Equality Expert
Larisa Halilović, Network and Mentorship Specialist
The speakers will explore:
• Key aims, role, membership and structure of the network
• Gender in the judiciary in the Western Balkans
10:45 – 11:00
Coffee break
11:00–12:15
Working Groups – Bringing the network to life
Discussion in smaller working groups of the following questions:
- What do you hope the network will achieve for you over the next 3 years?
- What are the themes and activities that the network should focus on?
- Who are the wider stakeholders that we need to include in the discussions
on gender equality and improving judicial responses? - How do we ensure sufficient motivation for members to take
an active part in the work of the network? - What are the best ways to exchange experience, jurisprudence
and best practice among WB6 judiciaries?
12:15 – 12:30
Break
12:30– 13:00
Plenary session
- Presentation on the key outcomes from the working group discussions
- Summary of next steps
Moderator: Larisa Halilović, Network and Mentorship Specialist
13:00– 13:15
Concluding Remarks
Biljana Braithwaite, Western Balkans Programme Director, the AIRE Centre
Ivana Jelić, Judge on the European Court of Human Rights
13:15
End of the Forum and Lunch
Speakers
Dritan Abazović, Deputy Prime Minister of Montenegro
Ivana Jelić, Judge on the European Court of Human Rights
Steve Arrick, Charge d’Affaires, British Embassy in Montenegro
Slobodan Šarić, Rule of Law Advisor, Legal Reform for Economic Development in the Western Balkans – GIZ GmbH
Robert Spano, President of the European Court of Human Rights
Dunja Mijatović, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights
Síofra O’Leary, Vice-President of the European Court of Human Rights
Armen Harutyunyan, Judge on the European Court of Human Rights
Saadet Yuksel, Judge on the European Court of Human Rights
Mirjana Lazarova Trajkovska, Judge on the Supreme Court of the Republic of North Macedonia
Ledi Bianku, Judge on the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Kosana Beker, Gender Equality Expert
Larisa Halilović, Network and Mentorship Specialist