The OSCE Presence in Albania and the United States Agency for International Development have published a judicial manual to help courts implement the country's law on domestic violence. The Albanian Judicial Bench Book on Protection Orders provides judges with guidance in interpreting and implementing the law, which entered into force last June. It also provides tips on how to hold protection order hearings and issue civil protection orders against perpetrators of abuse.
The book and standard protection order forms have been distributed to judges throughout Albania. The manual can also be found on the Presence's websitewww.osce.org/albania.
As part of the same project, called Women's Access to Justice, the OSCE Presence, in co-operation with the Council of Europe, the Albanian School of Magistrates, the Justice Ministry and the Interior Ministry, has trained 300 judges, lawyers, police officers and civil society representatives on the domestic violence law.
The Presence also prepared and published the handbook, Seeking Protection from Domestic Violence, and assisted in the drafting of the law, the first of its kind in Albania.
Contact Fabiola.Haxhillari AT osce.org
Published in: OSCE Assists Albanian Courts to Put Domestic Violence, OSCE Highlights, OSCE, 4 September 2008.