With regard to the forthcoming elections for new members of the Group of Experts on Action against Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (GREVIO), during the Meeting of the Committee of Parties to the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (Istanbul Convention), to be held on 1-2 April 2019, the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Serbia organized the presentation of the candidate of Serbia for the re-election to this expert body, Ms. Biljana Brankovic, who has been its active member since 2015 - namely since its foundation.

At the very beginning, Ambassador Djurovic explained to the guests from permanent missions in Strasbourg about the importance that Serbia attaches to the fight against violence against women and domestic violence, also by reminding that Serbia was among first ten countries to ratify the Istanbul Convention, which enabled its entering into force. Then, she expressed the satisfaction about Serbia`s opportunity to support, for the second time, the candidacy of Ms. Biljana Brankovic, whose professional experience in this field had been recognized both at national and international level.

Ms. Biljana Brankovic presented in details the various aspects of her previous researches and her work conducted in the field of implementation of the Istanbul Convention in Serbia and other countries. Moreover, she shared the experience concerning her work within the GREVIO, including many challenges that the Group of Experts and State Parties of the Convention were facing.

In the discussion which followed the presentation, the participants to the presentation were particularly interested to know more about the definition of physical and other forms of violence, reforms in national criminal codes, as well as about the implementation of good practices in the field of prevention of violence against women and domestic violence.