What is the mentoring programme?Mentoring is a methodology aiming to empower legal professionals, judges, and prosecutors, to advance women’s access to justice. Through peer-to-peer learning, mentees are supported by experienced mentors - their peers from the ranks of judges and prosecutors, recruited by judicial training institutions – to explore innovative approaches and address gender-based inequalities they encounter in their practice. By fostering open dialogue and promoting mindset shifts, mentoring can create meaningful change taking a different approach from the one used in traditional classroom teaching.
The mentoring programme is implemented in ___________________
For more information, visit the web page of the Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye regional action on “Women's Access to Justice in the Western Balkans”.
Download the guide for developing a mentoring programme on women’s access to justice for legal professionals in English.
Also available in:
And in the Eastern Partnership Region?The mentoring programme has been implemented in the Eastern Partnership Regions since 202X under the EU and Council of Europe joint programme Partnership for Good Governance.
For more information, visit the web page of the Partnership for Good Governance regional project “Women's Access to Justice: implementing Council of Europe’s gender equality and violence against women standards”.
What are the greatest challenges by women as justice users?
Lack of gender-sensitivity and awareness among legal professionals.
The influence of harmful gender stereotypes and bias in the exercise of legal professions.
Women face many obstacles in accessing justice, despite formal commitments in the Eastern Partnership region, as in most Council of Europe member states. These barriers rarely reflect problems with the content of laws and policies formally upheld but rather from procedures and practices in implementing them.
The initiative targeted Roma women facing multiple forms of discrimination, with a particular focus on survivors of domestic violence. According to one trainer, many participants initially expressed reluctance to seek legal remedies due to a lack of trust in protection mechanisms in the system. By raising awareness about their rights and the justice system, the sessions provided participants with vital knowledge and confidence. One trainer described the experience as "an eye-opening event," highlighting its transformative impact on attendees.
Local lawyers selected as trainers participated in a preparatory programme integrated best practices from similar initiatives and featured guidance from the Zero Discrimination Association on effective communication with the Roma community. The association also shared insights into tackling specific legal challenges, equipping trainers with the skills and sensitivity necessary for meaningful engagement.
The initiative's success has paved the way for sustained efforts to empower women in Türkiye. One trainer reported that local bar associations and municipalities plan to continue organising similar training sessions, ensuring the long-term impact and sustainability of the project.
The training sessions were organised by the joint European Union/Council of Europe projects “Fostering Women’s Access to Justice in Türkiye,” * and the European Union/Council of Europe Joint Programme “Promoting good governance and Roma empowerment at local level (ROMACTED II)”.
*The action “Fostering women's access to justice in Türkiye” is part of the European Union and Council of Europe’s joint programme "Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye”.
БУДИТЕ У ТОКУ СА НАЈНОВИЈИМ ВЕСТИМА
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