Risk Assessment and Gender-Responsive Firearm Licensing Trainings held in Pristina

To strengthen the institutional response to domestic violence involving firearms, from 20-22 May, SEESAC supported the implementation of two trainings for over 30 participants in Pristina on the implementation of  the  Guidelines for Assessing and Addressing Risks Related to Firearms Misuse in Domestic Violence and Guidelines for Gender Responsive Firearms License Approval.

The first training, held on 20 May, focused on enhancing the capacity of police officers working on domestic violence cases. Using the Guidelines, participants engaged in identifying high-risk situations, collecting necessary information, and thoroughly assessing and responding to multiple risks related to the presence and misuse of firearms in a domestic violence context.

The second training, held on 22 May, brought together professionals involved in firearms licence approval. Drawing from SEESAC’s guidelines, the training session equipped participants with the necessary knowledge and skills to apply gender-responsive approaches when reviewing firearms license applications and background checks and thus contributed to the prevention of gender based violence.

Both trainings were delivered by police officers and Ministry of Interior representatives who have completed SEESAC's regional Training of Trainers programmes in 2024, facilitating sustainability of the approach and knowledge-sharing within institutions.

The trainings were organized under the regional project 'Support for Enhancing the Fight Against the Illegal Possession, Misuse, and Trafficking of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) in the Western Balkans' funded by the European Commission, Directorate-General for Neighborhood and Enlargement Negotiations, through the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA II). Through this project, SEESAC is providing support to authorities in the Western Balkans to mainstream the gender perspective in the SALW control measures and, in particular, to prevent and combat the misuse of firearms in domestic violence.