Judges and prosecutors from across the Republic of Moldova met to discuss ways to further improve women’s access to justice, following the implementation of the mentoring programme for legal professionals in the Eastern Partnership region.
The meeting provided an opportunity to review the programme’s achievements, primarily evidence of how the acquired knowledge is applied in the daily work of judges and prosecutors.
The National Institute of Justice confirmed their continued effort to make gender equality a regular part of training for judges and prosecutors. The mentoring programme has created a group of mentors who promote gender equality within their institutions, from the Superior Council of Magistracy and the Superior Council of Prosecutors, to courts and prosecution offices across the country. By encouraging professionals to learn from each other, build lasting skills and develop stronger communication and empathy, the mentoring programme helps break down barriers that still prevent women’s full access to justice, as highlighted in the Council of Europe Gender Equality Strategy 2024-2029.
One example of this approach came from the Deputy Prosecutor General in the Chisinau Prosecutor’s Office, who works with male colleagues to strengthen understanding of victim-centred approaches, especially in cases of violence against women and domestic violence.
The event concluded with a recognition of the achievements of 26 Moldovan mentors and mentees, who received their certificates for their successful participation to the mentoring programme, making another step forward in building a more gender-sensitive justice system in the Republic of Moldova.
This activity is part of the European Union and the Council of Europe joint programme “Partnership for Good Governance”, co-funded by the European Union and the Council of Europe, and implemented by the Council of Europe, in the framework of the regional project “Women's Access to Justice: implementing Council of Europe gender equality and violence against women standards”.
