Domestic violence : Order of Procedures as Response
Tuesday, 06 October 2009

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French Embassy in Skopje and "France Cooperation Internationale" organized a regional conference on the "Domestic Violence : Order and Procedures as Response"   held at 28th and 29th September in Skopje. Representatives from the relevant institutions which are tackling the issue of domestic violence were present at this conference coming from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, France and Macedonia. Among the other invited institutions from Macedonia, at this conference, Macedonian Women's Rights Centre - Shelter Centre as organization which within its mandate of acting includes the prevention, identification, direct assistance, mediation and representation regarding the victims of domestic violence , took active role in the conference. All along the conference the issue of Protocols for acting by the institutions (Ministry of Interior, Centers for Social Welfare and Ministry of Health ) and their coordination and cooperation regarding finding efficient measures of victims' of domestic violence protection was discussed completely. At the session on "Acceptance and caring of victims by the medico - judicial services", Daniela Dabeska as a president of MWRC - Shelter Centre had the role of moderator whereby put an accent to the great importance of the health sector's inclusion in combating domestic violence. She emphasized this by saying that our organization is giving an input by achieving collaboration with polyclinic "Chair" in Skopje where the victims are being received and medically treated. Since there isn't an official Protocol for acting by the institutions, but only a proposal , the care of the victims is component part of the active communication between the relevant institutions. Apart from the fact that this conference served as a tool for exchanging experiences and introducing the work of all actors included in solving the problem of domestic violence, provided initiative for mutual future cooperation of all participants. At the end, as a conclusion of this conference, taking into consideration the experiences of France, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia, by the Macedonian participants it was emphasized the urge of adopting a Law on Protection of Domestic Violence, opening centers for working with perpetrators where they will receive a therapy, but giving comprehensive approach to this problem for its reduction as a social phenomena.