Peer-Led Trainings to Prevent Firearms Misuse in Domestic Violence context in Skopje

After successful sessions in Podgorica and Priština, Skopje became the next stop for a series of peer-led trainings aimed at strengthening the institutional response to domestic violence involving firearms. With support from SEESAC, two peer-led trainings gathered 20 participants and introduced them to the practical application of the Guidelines for Assessing and Addressing Risks Related to Firearms Misuse in Domestic Violence and the Guidelines for Gender-Responsive Firearms License Approval in their everyday work.

The first training, held on June 10, brought together police officers handling and responding to domestic violence cases. Using SEESAC’s Guidelines, participants learned to recognise high-risk situations, gather vital information, and conduct comprehensive risk assessments and responses, particularly regarding the presence and potential misuse of firearms in domestic violence scenarios.

Just two days later, on June 12, a second session focused on professionals involved in the approval of firearm licenses, providing them with the essential knowledge and skills to apply a gender-responsive approach during license application reviews and background checks and supporting efforts to prevent gender-based violence.

What made these trainings unique was the fact that they were delivered by police officers and Ministry of Interior representatives trained through SEESAC's regional Training of Trainers programmes in 2024. This approach helps facilitate the expertise directly within institutions, ensuring a lasting and sustainable impact.

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.