The European Court of Human Rights (the Court) has elected Judge Ivana Jelić from Montenegro as its Vice-President, effective November. The AIRE Centre is proud to witness the distinguished Judge Jelić, a renowned expert in human rights protection, take on this prominent role within one of the longest-standing institutions dedicated to upholding the human rights standards established by the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).
“Judge Jelić’s appointment as Vice-President signals a promising future for the protection of human rights and the rule of law in Europe. Since her appointment as a Judge at the European Court of Human Rights in 2018, Judge Jelić has been one of the leading advocates for enhanced judicial dialogue between the European Court and national judges throughout the Western Balkans. At the AIRE Centre, we are proud of her significant progress on this path, being appointed as a Section President earlier this year, and now stepping into this new chapter as the first Vice-President of the Court coming from the region”, said Biljana Braithwaite, Director of the Western Balkans Rule of Law Programme at the AIRE Centre.
Judge Ivana Jelić is a prominent human rights expert committed to strengthening the national implementation of the ECHR. Notably, she is one of the founders of the AIRE Centre’s Gender Champions in the Judiciary (GCJ) Network, which includes over 60 judges from the region. Her role as a patron of this Network has been vital in raising awareness about gender-based violence and femicide, leading to tangible progress in justice for victims in the Western Balkans.
“Gender equality is such a value that highlights human dignity and human integrity as the inheritance of all human beings. The goal to achieve this value involves all of us, regardless of the one’s sex, self-identification, or affiliations. We all have a role to play in promoting gender equality in all spheres of life. But judges have a decisive role in protection against gender-based discrimination, violence, and abuse. Being one of the patrons of the Network makes me honoured”, said Judge Jelić, stated Judge Jelić upon her appointment as the Patron of the GCJ Network.
Judge Jelić has also collaborated with the AIRE Centre on educational events and training for judicial actors across the region. She has been particularly involved in educating new generations of judges and legal professionals, ensuring they are equipped with practical knowledge regarding the Court’s standards and practices.
Ivana Jelić is also a member of the Legal Sciences Committee of Montenegrin Academy of Sciences and Arts, as of 2015. She is a member of the Senate of the Montenegrin Association of Lawyers, as of 2018. Before joining the Court, she was employed as an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Law, University of Montenegro. She served as a Vice President and a member of the UN Human Rights Committee (2015-2018). She also served as an independent expert in different bodies of the Council of Europe (2007-2018), inter alia, as a Gender Rapporteur and the 2nd Vice Chair of the Advisory Committee on the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities (2012-2016). She studied law at the University of Montenegro, University of Belgrade, Berkeley Law School of the UC Berkeley and Columbia Law School in New York, as a JFDP fellow. She holds LL.M (2004) and PhD (2007) degrees in public international law, Belgrade Law School, University of Belgrade, Serbia.
In parallel to her work at the University and the Court, Judge Jelić was a Distinguished Visiting Professor – Mercator Fellow at Free University of Berlin (2016/2017) and has been a Visiting Professor at the Europa- Institut of the University of Saarland, as of 2019. She serves on the Advisory Board of the Israel Law Review and Advisory Editor of the Balkan Yearbook of European and International Law. She has published extensively in academic journals and monographs on the international protection of fundamental rights under the ECHR and ICCPR, rule of law, gender equality and minority rights.
The AIRE Centre reaffirms its dedication to facilitating judicial dialogue between Strasbourg Court and national courts and strengthening ECHR implementation throughout the region. Through ongoing communication and collaboration with regional judicial institutions, as well as the provision of high-level education, the AIRE Centre aims to promote greater access to justice and uphold human rights standards across the region in line with the mission of the European Court of Human Rights.
