About the
conference
On the 15th and 16th of September 2020, join us in Lisbon for a meaningful debate about victims’ rights and the role of Public Prosecutors in guaranteeing that these rights are respected.
The PROVICTIMS Conference will take place on the 15th and 16th of September 2020 in Culturgest (Lisbon) as the final conference of Project PROVICTIMS: the Role of the Public Prosecution in the Promotion of Victims’ Rights.
By hosting this two-day event, the Portuguese Association for Victim Support (APAV) and its partnership aim at presenting the results and outputs of Project PROVICTIMS but also at creating a knowledge-based space for the exchange of good practices and for pushing forward recommendations on how to further advance victims’ rights.
The Conference will gather Civil Society Organisations, academia, law enforcement agencies, judicial authorities and policy makers from across Europe, providing a unique opportunity to learn about cross-country practices and to better understand and debate how Public Prosecution Services can impact victims’ rights.
The Conference programme is diverse not only in terms of speakers’ nationalities and background, but also in the types of sessions it foresees. In the Conference, besides the plenary sessions where key-note speakers will share their knowledge on several matters related to victims’ rights, there will be a roundtable format session where several practitioners will discuss the right to protection measures through a multidisciplinary approach. Additionally, participants will have the opportunity to register for different workshops focused on specific topics such as the risk assessment, the provision of information to victims, the cooperation between Public Prosecution Services and Victim Support Services, and restorative justice.
The range of topics within the Conference’s main theme and the diversity of session format is intended to encourage the active participation of those attending the Conference as the knowledge shared and produced at this event will be in itself a positive result of the Project.
To organise this Conference, APAV is making use of its experience as an organisation which hosts similar events for 30 years, but also on the inputs, ideas and suggestions of its partners in Project PROVICTIMS. You can learn more about the project and the partnership which made it happen here.
The registration for the PROVICTIMS Conference is free of charge and can be done here.
If you have any question about the Conference or if you experience any technical issues when registering, please contact us to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
THE VENUE
Culturgest is a Foundation, created by Caixa Geral de Depósitos in 1993, dedicated to contemporary art, presenting a program in the areas of performing arts, music, visual arts, cinema and contemporary thought.
Culturgest has a significant role in the development of the artistic fabric of the city and the country and it aims to reach a wide audience - including the children and young people - inviting them to enjoy a national and international quality program and to participate in attractive and enriching cultural activities.
Know more about Culturgest here.
BACKGROUND
Whereas in the past victims of crime were frequently the forgotten side of the state-victim-defendant triangle, today they enjoy a boarder list of rights and are entitled to a more active participation in the criminal proceedings. This is the result of the European Union’s impetus with the creation of the so-called victims’ rights package which culminated with the adoption of the Directive 2012/29/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 October 2012 establishing minimum standards on the rights, support and protection of victims of crime, and replacing Council Framework Decision 2001/220/JHA, more commonly known as the Victims’ Directive.
Public prosecutors have far-reaching powers within criminal proceedings which necessarily impact on those involved in the proceedings, particularly victims. In parallel with these procedural powers, prosecutors also have a responsibility towards the effective enjoyment of rights by victims. In fact, according to the Council of Europe, public prosecutors do not only have the duty to take into account victims’ views and concerns, but also to respect and protect their rights (Council of Europe, Recommendation Rec(2000)19, adopted by the Committee of Ministers of the Council on 6 October 2000 on the role of public prosecution in the criminal justice system).
However, the emphasis on victims’ rights is still quite recent in some EU Member States. Therefore, Public Prosecution Services are not always aware of their role in ensuring victims’ rights.
To change this, it is important, first to study the role prosecutors have or can have in ensuring victims’ rights and, then, address the gaps found by providing information and training to public prosecutors across the EU.
Project PROVICTIMS was created to address this need and aims at enhancing the role of prosecutors s in promoting the rights of victims as well as improving cooperation between the prosecution services and victim support services.