Horizontal Facility - News
Youth in North Macedonia invited to share their vision on justice and equality in drawing and essay competition
The Council of Europe Programme Office in Skopje, is once again marking the European Day of Justice in North Macedonia, this time with a drawing and essay competition, under the slogan “Let’s bring justice closer to the citizens”. This initiative invites children and young people from North...
Final cascade training strengthens lawyers’ expertise on immigration detention
As many as 36 lawyers from the Gaziantep Bar Association deepened their knowledge of European and international human rights standards during the 10th and final cascade training on Detention in the Context of Migration held on 25–26 September 2025 in Gaziantep. Organised under the European Union...
Interactive page dedicated to Democratic Culture in Education on Serbia’s National Education Portal
The Institute for Improvement of Education of the Republic of Serbia, in close partnership with the Council of Europe Office in Belgrade, announced the launch of the dedicated Democratic Culture in Education page on the official National Education Portal. This initiative, led by the Institute for...
Advancing transparency in North Macedonia: Civil servants gain practical skills to implement access to information laws
Strengthening the knowledge and skills of civil servants in North Macedonia, to apply laws related to access to information more effectively, directly contributes to greater transparency, accountability, and democratic governance. To assist this process, a specialised training for civil servants...
Strengthening regional response to environmental crime, corruption and money laundering in the Western Balkans
Environmental crime poses a growing threat to natural resources, governance, and stability in the Western Balkans and beyond. These crimes often thrive on corruption, generating illicit profits that are laundered through cross-border schemes or professional networks. To discuss a co-ordinated...
Call for Proposals: Grants to Prevent Child Trafficking in Roma Community in Serbia
We are pleased to announce the launch of a Call for Proposals for the award of grants aimed at preventing child trafficking in Roma community in Serbia. The objective of this initiative is to support Roma civil society organisations in developing and implementing innovative, community-based...
Albanian judges drive judicial harmonisation with European Court standards
Over 40 judges and senior legal advisors from Albania’s Supreme Court and appeal courts participated in the Judicial Harmonisation Forum to strengthen uniform and coherent judicial practices, in line with the standards of the European Court of Human Rights (The Court). During the two-day forum,...
New tools available for Bosnian-Herzegovinian civil servants to protect rights of LGBTI asylum seekers
Professionals working with asylum seekers in Bosnia and Herzegovina are now better equipped to protect the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and intersex (LGBTI) persons seeking protection in the country. A two-day workshop held in Delijaš on 16–17 September provided 17 participants with...
Improving the pre-release preparation and post-penal support in North Macedonia
North Macedonia is successfully piloting the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) on pre-release preparation and post-penal support. Introduced as a novelty in the 2024, the SOP specifies the course of actions in the process prior to and after the release of sentenced persons. To assist the...
A school where children learn to lead
In the quiet village of Turija in Serbia, “Veljko Dugošević” Primary School hums with more than the sound of lessons. Here, democracy is not just a subject in the textbook- it’s part of daily life. Pupils debate, compromise, take initiative, and share responsibility for their community. Over...
Towards victim-centered justice: Training for judges and prosecutors
Judges and prosecutors from across Montenegro participated in a specialised capacity-building activity on 18–19 September, aimed at improving the justice system’s response to victims of crime. Organised in cooperation with the Judicial Training Centre, the workshop focused on equipping legal...
Global traveling exhibition The Tolerance Project returns to Belgrade with a new edition
The United Nations in Serbia and the Council of Europe Office in Belgrade today opened The Tolerance Project – A Traveling Poster Show at Kalemegdan Fortress, Sava Promenade. This latest Belgrade edition brings a selection of newly added works from the global initiative founded and curated by...
Non-medical prison staff in the Western Balkans to detect timely mental health disorders with violent extremist prisoners
Prison staff and management from the Western Balkans Beneficiaries took a major step forward in strengthening mental health and security in prisons, in line with European standards. The regional workshop in Tirana, Albania, introduced the “Guidelines for Assessment of Mental Health of violent...
Željezničar and Borac players send message against hate speech and violence
Football fans in Bosnia and Herzegovina witnessed something greater than the game last night, when FK Željezničar and FK Borac faced off in Sarajevo. Just before kick-off, the players took to the pitch with a clear message: “We are against hate and violence in sport towards anyone.” This symbolic...
Sustainable rehabilitation in prison and probation systems discussed with authorities in Albania
Albanian prison authorities are committed to ensure the long-term use of newly developed tools for violent extremist offenders and adopt the necessary legislative framework for their application across the penitentiary and probation systems. This commitment was emphasized during recent...
Peer Exchange in Warsaw strengthens European response to SLAPP-s
Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs) pose a growing threat to media freedom and public participation across Europe. They are filed to intimidate, silence, or drain the resources of journalists, media workers, and activists who expose wrongdoing. To strengthen members...
Better education and labour rights for Roma: Council of Europe and NGO Young Roma launch new project in Montenegro
The Council of Europe Programme Office in Montenegro and the NGO Young Roma from Herceg Novi have officially signed an agreement launching the project “ROMA IN: Local Actions for Inclusive Work and Education of Roma in Montenegro”, aimed at strengthening the fight against discrimination, hatred,...
Protecting those who speak out: Journalists and whistle-blowers in focus
Twenty-two lawyers from Bosnia and Herzegovina strengthened their capacity to defend journalists and whistle-blowers by engaging with European human rights standards and local legal practices during a recent two-day gathering held in Bihać. Through case studies from the European Court for Human...
Institutions in Serbia discuss challenges in the enforcement of judgments in family law matters
How can the relationship between a child and the parent with whom the child does not live be maintained, and how can court decisions in family disputes be enforced without delay? This key question was at the centre of a roundtable that brought together representatives of the Constitutional Court,...
New Trauma Informed Therapy brings hope to women prisoners in Albania
For the first time, women prisoners in Albania are benefiting from a structured Trauma-Informed Therapy programme, focusing on mental health, resilience, and dignity in prison rehabilitation. With the support of the EU and Council of Europe and in partnership with the Directorate General of...
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