UNBA actively introduces HELP training programs

The annual Conference of the Council of Europe HELP Programme (Human Rights Education for Legal Professionals) took place on June 19-20 in Strasbourg. The Conference was entitled “HELP for Friendly Justice”, gathering over 130 participants representing national institutions for judges, prosecutors and bar associations from 47 program member countries.

The key reports and speeches were delivered by Emil Ruffer, the Permanent Representative of the Czech Republic to the Council of Europe and current Chair of the Committee of Ministers; Christos Giakoumopoulos, the Director of Human Rights of the Council of Europe; Tatiana Termacic, the Head of the Human Rights National Implementation Division; Mikhail Lobov, the Head of Human Rights Policy and Cooperation Department; Gabriella Battaini-Dragoni, the Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe; and judges Yonko Grozev and Petros Alikakos.

The HELP partners such as the Fundamental Rights Agency (FRA), the European Judicial Training Network (EJTN), the Council of Bar and Law Societies of Europe (CCBE), the UNHCR and other international organisations sent their representatives to the Conference.

At the Conference the Ukrainian bar was represented by the Coordinator of the HELP Program in Ukraine, the member of the UNBA Committee on International Relations, advocate Olena Sibilova, and the member of the UNBA Committee on International Relations Oleh Klymiuk.

The speakers drew attention to the HELP’s contribution in ensuring the rule of law in Europe, strengthening of the links between the general priorities of the Council of Europe and the HELP Program in many fields such as the fight against racism, xenophobia and homophobia in Europe, migration and refugees, social rights and the prevention of radicalization, and emphasized the importance of HELP in making justice accessible to all, as well as in the development of friendly teaching materials for lawyers.

The speakers presented important issues of the recent judicial practice of the European Court of Human Rights regarding the independence of the judiciaries, and discussed in details the social rights within the framework of human rights law in Europe.

The HELP Secretariat provided an update on HELP activities and achievements, including its renewed HELP e-learning platform.

In working groups the participants discussed cross border cooperation in human rights training.

The speakers focused on the need for cooperation in new fields such as the protection of human rights in matters related to sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI), data protection, bioethics, medical care, human trafficking, cooperation in criminal matters, mass media and the Internet, violence against women and children’s rights.

At the Plenary Session it was emphasized that ‘HELP is the Council of Europe’s commitment’ to providing knowledge to Europe’s legal professionals to effectively implement the European Human Rights standards and that the lawyers, prosecutors and judges need training if they are to stay abreast of developments in the evolution of human rights, not least in a context where the human rights challenges facing our member states are fast evolving.