On 21.06.2013, under the project “Ensuring Sustainable Legal and Psycho-social Support for Victims of Domestic Violence in the Region of Plovdiv, Bulgaria”, funded by the OAK Foundation, good practice exchange on the implementation of the Protection against Domestic Violence Act (PADV) in Sofia, Plovdiv, Pazardzhik and Petrich was organized. It took place in Plovdiv.

          Judges from the District and Regional courts in Plovdiv, the District court in Pazardzhik and the District court in Petrich took part in the initiative. Also, representatives of the District prosecutor’s office and the Police service in Plovdiv participated in the event. All of them presented analysis on the implementation of the PDVA in the different court regions (statistical data, main problems, coordination with relevant institutions and organizations).
         In addition, presentations were made by a psychologist from Animus Association Foundation – Sofia, a social worker from the Social Protection Department – Plovdiv, lawyers from Bulgarian Lawyers for Human Rights – Sofia and Gender Alternatives Foundation – Plovdiv.
During the initiative, several discussions were organized and the participants worked on hypothetical domestic violence cases using international and regional human rights standards.

         At the end of July 2013, the GAF team plans to prepare an analysis of the implementation of the PDVA, based on the data provided during the good practice exchange between the four cities and the results of the organized discussions.