Guest Speaker: Xeni Dimitriou, Honorary Prosecutor of the Supreme Court of Greece
On Monday, 28 September 2026, the 9th meeting of the Network to Combat Gender-Based Violence took place, marking the beginning of a new cycle of meetings for the current year.
The new period begins with the addition of new members to the Network, further expanding opportunities for collaboration and knowledge exchange. The Network’s growth, both in terms of participating organisations and geographical reach, strengthens its aim of establishing a lasting framework for communication and cooperation among services handling cases of gender-based and domestic violence.
The Network was honoured to welcome Ms Xeni Dimitriou, Honorary Prosecutor of the Supreme Court of Greece and former Juvenile Prosecutor, to the first meeting of the new cycle. She shared her extensive experience and knowledge of the justice system with members and highlighted key aspects of addressing gender-based and domestic violence.
Particular attention was given to child abuse, highlighting the need for early identification, effective protection and appropriate case management. The discussion also addressed gaps and challenges that persist within the existing system, concerning both timely intervention and continuity of support for victims.
Cross-sector collaboration was a central theme of the presentation, emphasising its essential role in effectively addressing gender-based and domestic violence. In this context, Ms Dimitriou discussed good practices from other countries based on cooperation among different services and the development of more structured protection and referral mechanisms.
The 9th meeting reaffirmed the importance of professional networking and of creating a space where frontline organisations can discuss their needs and challenges, as well as opportunities to improve services for victims.
The project “DEVELOPMENT OF ACTIONS TO PREVENT AND COMBAT GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE – TIME TO TALK II” is implemented under the “Eastern Macedonia and Thrace 2021–2027” Programme, within the priority “Social Inclusion and Tackling Poverty (ESF+)”. It is co-funded by the European Social Fund and forms part of the Municipality of Drama’s Sustainable Urban Development Strategy.