4.5 Mission to Serbia Gender-based and Domestic Violence From 9 to 13 May, the Mission organized, together with the CSO “Impuls”, the first in a series of eight workshops on domestic violence among secondary school students in Tutin municipality. Approximately one hundred students discussed gender-based violence and peer violence among youth. Similar events took place in the nearby villages of Dubovo and Velje Polje. Representatives from the local police, health institutions, social welfare, local self-government and civil society acknowledged their responsibilities in recognizing and reporting cases of domestic violence in rural communities. From 30 May to 1 June, the Mission organized a seminar on domestic violence for public officials working in southwest Serbia. Discussions focused on co-ordinating the institutional responsibilities in recognizing the early signs of domestic violence and preventing it. The event gathered some twenty-four participants, including representatives from the Novi Pazar police district, social welfare centre, public service officials and local self-government from Novi Pazar and Tutin. This activity was part of the Mission’s wider efforts to foster accountability and co-ordination between the community and police services. On 14 May, the Mission, together with “Impuls” and the association “ACT Women”, organized a street performance entitled “My body – my territory” in Tutin. The performance drew attention to women victims of sexual violence and the complex process of recovery. These activities were part of the Mission’s efforts to foster an effective and accountable relationship between the community and the police service through the implementation of the community policing concept. On 11 October, the Mission, in co-operation with the MoI, organized a roundtable in Niš for 25 police co-ordinators dealing with the prevention of domestic violence. The event provided a forum to consider challenges encountered by police co-ordinators in their work with victims of domestic violence. Participants exchanged views in order to improve their work in addressing those challenges. This activity was part of the Mission’s efforts to support Serbian authorities in establishing a national support system for victims and witnesses of crime in Serbia. From 20 to 22 May, the Mission organized a three-day training course for a group of 24 high-school students from Tutin. Topics included gender-based violence, peer violence, and gender equality. Discussions focused on youth perceptions of domestic violence, reporting it to the police and seeking assistance in traumatic experiences. This activity was part of the Mission’s wider efforts to promote the concept of community policing, filling the gap between the police and society through improved communication. On 17 November, the Mission, in co-operation with the MoI, organized a roundtable which gathered 20 police coordinators on the topic of preventing domestic violence. The event aimed at providing a forum to discuss challenges facing police co-ordinators in their day-to-day work with victims of domestic violence. Participants exchanged best practices and explored ways to improve their work. This activity was part of the Mission’s effort to support the establishment of a national support system for victims and witnesses of crimes in Serbia. Regional co-operation in fighting organized crime In 2016, the OSCE Mission to and risks of drug trafficking, Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Serbia contributed to two major irregular migration and human Italy, Montenegro, Romania, developments in the fight against trafficking, cybercrime and other Serbia, Slovenia and Hungary) organized crime and serious threats: forms of organized and serious signed a “Declaration of Intent” crime in the three countries. to improve their co-operation in It is the first joint assessment the fight against organized crime. of this kind in the Western Signatories of the declaration Balkans region. restated their commitment to 1. The development of the Regional Serious and Organized Crime Threat Assessment (SOCTA) by the Ministries of Interior of the former Yugoslav Republic 84 2. The prosecution offices for of Macedonia, Montenegro and organized crime of eleven OSCE Serbia. The document provides a participating States (Albania, strategic overview of the threats BiH, Bulgaria, Croatia, the former the Palermo Convention on Organized Crime (2000) and agreed to establish more efficient direct exchanges of information through informal channels.