As part of the regional project Improving Women’s Access to Justice in Five Countries of the Eastern Partnership, the Justice Academy of Azerbaijan and the Council of Europe organised a training seminar for 18 judges on “Ensuring Access to Justice for Women” in Baku on 31 May 2016.

The training seminar was part of efforts to address some of the prevailing obstacles to women’s pursuit of justice, such as gender stereotypes in the justice system, fear and shame of women victims of gender-based violence to report and/ or provide testimony, or lack of adequate legal aid or legal representation.

Topics that were discussed include international standards on women’s rights and gender equality and, in particular, the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (Istanbul Convention), examples from judicial practice, case law of the European Court of Human Rights on gender equality issues, and main barriers to women’s access to justice in Azerbaijan, including in cases of gender-based violence.