4.5 Mission to Serbia best practice in preventative work with youth in local communities. During the event, the CSO Impuls also shared its own experiences in preventing gender-based violence. From 2 to 4 August, in co-operation with the CSO Impuls, the Mission organized the festival of women friendship “Rebellion is a woman’s thing” in Tutin with support from the Global Fund for Women and one Mission-supported panel on 4 August. The panel served as an opportunity to present the civil society’s research on the implementation of the National Action Plan on UNSCR 1325 conducted by the Mission-supported CSO Network 1325 over the last two years. With the 20th anniversary of the UNSCR 1325 “Women, Peace and Security” Agenda in 2020, the Secretariat’s Programme for Gender Issues commissioned research on the Agenda’s implementation in the OSCE area, including main challenges and best practice33. In support of the initiative, from 23 to 26 September, the Mission facilitated a visit of an independent researcher who was tasked with analysing the situation in Serbia on this issue. On 24 October, the Mission organized a workshop on promoting best practice in project activities related to gender equality and the prevention of domestic violence in southwest Serbia in Pirot for 20 CSO representatives from east and south Serbia. Through cross-programmatic co-operation, the Mission supported the research on the implementation of the UNSCR 1325 in Serbia, which had been launched by the Secretariat’s Programme for Gender Issues. With the approaching of the 20th anniversary of the “Women, Peace and Security” Agenda in 2020, the Programme for Gender Issues commissioned a qualitative research on the implementation of the Agenda in the OSCE area, including its major challenges as well as good practices. In addition to Serbia, the research encompassed BiH, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova and Ukraine. An independent researcher visited Serbia from 23 to 26 September to take stock on the achievements. The Mission assisted the researcher in conducting interviews with representatives of the MoI. As part of its wider support to the MoI in strengthening the capacity of Serbia’s forensic centres, the Mission organized a three-day training course from 18 to 20 March for staff from criminal forensics centers in Belgrade, Niš, and Novi Sad on interviewing child victims of violent criminal offences. In total, 18 participants learned from a specialist child psychologist 33 In addition to Serbia, the research encompassed BiH, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova and Ukraine. 86 how to apply special techniques when conducting forensic interviews with children who had suffered sexual or physical violence and, in addition, discussed ways of incorporating such knowledge into their daily activities. Specialized Investigations Units / Forensics From April to November, in partnership with the Judicial Academy and MoI’s National Forensic Centre (NFC), the Mission organized crime scene investigation capacitybuilding training events in Novi Sad, Niš, Kragujevac, Zlatibor and Belgrade for prosecutors and police. Delivered by experts from the NFC, the training assisted in building the capacities of 140 prosecutors and forensic technicians in crime scene inspection, with a focus on proper identification, collection, and handling of material evidence. Participants learned new techniques that they will be able to apply during the pre-trial investigation phase. Organized in six different locations across the country, these training events, allowed the prosecution and police authorities to exchange experiences and address the challenges faced in the context of prosecutorial investigations. Public Order and Crisis Management From September to December, in co-operation with the CSO Belgrade Centre for Security Policy, the Mission implemented the project “Prevention of Sports Hooliganism in Serbia”. The aim was to assess the implementation of the National Strategy against Violence and Misbehavior at Sports Events. After conducting research, the Centre produced an assessment report that included a map of violent incidents committed by hooligans in Serbia since 2013, which was presented publicly to initiate a discussion on the main characteristics of violent incidents, court practice, and institutional responses to violence in sport. Activities Related to Threats Posed by Criminal Activity Organized Crime To support the MoI in regional initiatives on combating organized crime and terrorism, the Mission facilitated the participation of five police officers in the “Western Balkan Financial Investigation CEPOL Exchange Programme” in Bulgaria in January, Spain in July, and Italy from September to October. During the programme, national law enforcement officials developed their skills in dealing with transnational organized crime in the context of effective financial investigation, with a focus on the rule of law and fundamental rights. Such programmes help to create sustainable