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What’s new in the Domestic Violence Act? And how can we harness public energy for change on this issue?

In 2023, significant changes were made to the Domestic Violence Protection Act. A map of social services is currently being created. At the same time, advocacy for better regulation and measures for prevention and protection against domestic violence was accompanied by smear campaigns against NGOs. For these reasons, it is important to better understand what changes will result from the legal amendments, how to organize effective campaigns to change attitudes, and how to find sustainable mechanisms to support NGO initiatives in the community.

In this regard, we are organizing two seminars for NGOs. The first is a two-day seminar and will be held on October 2-3, 2023, in Sofia, at 3 Hristo Belchev Street (Shtrak).

Topics:

  • Amendments to the Protection Against Domestic Violence Act – main innovations
  • Social Services Act – development of services related to the Protection Against Domestic Violence Act
  • Opportunities to support victims of domestic violence by realizing the rights of victims of crime
  • What is happening around us: The Danish organization CMA shares its experience in the campaign “Ending violence begins with how we perceive violence”
  • Let’s speak the same language: Discussion on key concepts related to legislation
  • What does the draft Directive on combating violence against women and domestic violence provide for?
  • Building a communication campaign based on the “hope approach”
  • What is happening around us: Romania and Hungary’s experience with populist “anti-gender” referendums
  • Maintaining key advocacy messages in media appearances

Speakers will include Velina Todorova, member of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child and lecturer in family and civil law at “Paisii Hilendarski” University of Plovdiv; Nadia Shabani and Zahari Yankov from the legal team of the Bulgarian Center for Not-for-Profit Law; Yana Byurer Tavanier from Fine Acts. Amnesty Hungary and FILIA (Romania) will share their experience with campaigns related to the referendums held in Hungary in 2022 and Romania in 2018.

Objectives:

  • To increase participants’ knowledge of the changes to the Protection Against Domestic Violence Act and what follows from these changes (issues related to the scope of victims, specific features of certain types of domestic violence, the establishment of the new National Council for Prevention and Protection against Domestic Violence, court proceedings, NGO projects funded under the Protection Against Domestic Violence Act, etc.);
  • To familiarize participants with the draft Directive on combating violence against women and domestic violence;
  • To increase participants’ knowledge of the relationship between the Protection Against Domestic Violence Act and the Social Services Act, as well as the possibilities for applying the Directive on victims of crime with measures to support victims of domestic violence;
  • Formulate advocacy perspectives.

Conditions for participation:

The seminar, which will take place on October 2 and 3, 2023, is intended for representatives of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) who:

  • provide social or other services related to domestic violence and/or
  • conduct campaigns to combat domestic violence and/or
  • advocate for improving legislation and/or
  • policies to combat domestic violence.

Each organization may nominate up to three representatives to participate in the seminar.

Applicants for the two-day seminar, which will take place on October 2 and 3, 2023, must be able to attend both days. They also have the opportunity to apply for Seminar 2, which will take place on October 13, 2023, and is intended for organizations that are involved in combating domestic violence, but it is not their main objective. More information about it here.

Please fill in the application form for the seminar on October 2-3, 2023.

Important to know:

  • Participation in both seminars is free of charge and there is no participation fee.
  • Registration via the forms provided does not guarantee participation in the seminar, as places are limited;
  • Your participation in the seminars will be additionally and explicitly confirmed within one week after the application deadline;
  • The training will take place in Sofia, and opportunities to cover travel and accommodation expenses in the capital will be additionally negotiated with the candidates.

Application deadline: 17.09.2023