Legal professionals, lawyers’ trainees and post graduate law students attended an open online discussion on European and national standards on legal aid and representation, as well as of the rights of trafficking victims enshrined in those standards. During the event organised by the EU and Council of Europe joint action on “Preventing and combating human trafficking in North Macedonia”, the participants were acquainted with the Brochure on legal aid for trafficking victims - a key resource and reference tool, developed to provide information on the standing and legal rights of trafficking victims in judicial proceedings, for those who represent trafficking victims before courts.

“It is crucial for the trafficking victims to be represented by a well-trained and experienced lawyer in judicial proceedings. Good lawyers make sure that the victims’ rights, set out in the European legal instruments and national law are fully implemented. I am grateful for the Council of Europe’s support to build the capacities of lawyers for high-quality defense of trafficking victims” – said Pavlina Zefic, a distinguished lawyer and a Council of Europe trainer on access to compensation for trafficking victims.

Jelena Ristic, co-author of the Brochure and vice-president of the Bar Association stressed the importance of the EU and Council of Europe support in this field taking stock of the capacity building activities for lawyers, implemented in cooperation with the Bar Association.

In October and November 2020, 80 lawyers, lawyers’ trainees and law postgraduate students completed two HELP online courses on anti-trafficking. The aim of the capacity building activities is to create a pool of lawyers who are knowledgeable about trafficking in human beings and who can be appointed timely as legal representatives of trafficking victims in judicial proceedings.

Natasha Boskova, co-author of the Brochure and NGO lawyer experienced in legal representation of trafficking victims, highlighted the importance of access to free legal aid for trafficking victims, and her hope that any procedural dilemmas related to certifying the status of the victims will be soon resolved by the institutions.

The capacity building activities are organised under the action “Preventing and combating human trafficking in North Macedonia”, part of the European Union / Council of Europe programme “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Turkey II”, aiming to assist beneficiaries in South-East Europe to comply with the Council of Europe standards and European Union acquis in the framework of the enlargement process.