Eighty Lebanese judges, prosecutors, lawyers, civil society representatives, and students have started three new HELP (Human Rights Education for Legal Professionals) online courses focused on combating trafficking in human beings, and addressing violence against women and domestic violence.

These courses have been launched in close cooperation with the Ministry of Justice and the National Commission for Lebanese Women. Over the next three months, the participants will benefit from high-level training tailored specifically to the Lebanese context.

Each HELP course is implemented under the guidance of national tutors, delivered in Arabic, and adapted to the Lebanese legal framework to ensure that the content directly meets the needs of participants and their work environment.

Training initiatives like the HELP courses are essential for equipping legal professionals with the skills and knowledge needed to effectively identify, assist, and protect victims.

The course on Violence against Women and Domestic Violence provides practical tools and guidance for legal professionals, with an emphasis on a human rights and victim-centered approach based on the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (Istanbul Convention).

The course on Combating Trafficking in Human Beings examines the most important international and European legal instruments, with a focus on the identification and assistance of victims, investigation, prosecution, sentencing, the principle of non-punishment, and access to compensation. The course also features a module dedicated to technology-facilitated trafficking in human beings.

In the long term, there are plans to include these HELP courses in the annual training programmes for legal professionals within Lebanon's training institutions with the objective to further reinforce a shared Euro-Mediterranean legal space.

The activity is organised within the framework of the South Programme VI, "Strengthening the Euro-Mediterranean legal space for shared prosperity and human security", a joint initiative of the European Union and the Council of Europe cofinanced by the two organiastion and implemented by the Council of Europe.