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Domestic violence is one of the most serious forms of violation of basic human freedoms and rights regardless of ethnicity, gender, religion, and status. A reflection on many international statistics shows that women are the most frequent victims of domestic violence. Based on the definition of the phenomenon of domestic violence, the forms of abuse, the manner how violence is treated, the possibility of children, men, extramarital spouses, brothers, sisters, and old people living in an extended domestic community, of also being victims is not excluded. Since domestic violence is not only a national problem but a worldwide problem, international organizations have worked towards the eradication of this phenomenon by sanctioning it in various international conventions. Also, the legal systems of many countries prohibit and sanction domestic violence by special laws obliging the state authorities to act in all situations when there are indications that there are direct or indirect violent acts in a family. In this paper, the authors present only the domestic violence against children as an evident problem in families, but which is often unreported. The legal frameworks of the Republic of North Macedonia and Republic of Kosovo are presented in this paper with the aim to describe the material-legal and procedural-legal treatment of domestic violence by pointing out the failure of the state authorities in implementing the laws on protection and prevention of this phenomenon. The authors take the approach of only treating the legal consequences of child abuse by parents that in both legislations is deprivation of parental rights for the violent parent. They conclude that the state authorities should intensify their work in taking control measures towards all the families where there are suspicions that the parental rights are neglected, and the child is abused. Because many cases of abuse have not been detected or reported, and in both countries a special study especially on domestic violence against children does not exist, the possibility that the number for this type of child abuse is great.

In this paper the authors present the psychological consequences of social isolation on domestic violence during the Covid-19 pandemic as well as the legal framework in the RNM on addressing the phenomenon of domestic violence. In this age of globalization and drive for material conformity, family life is quite difficult to cope with. This “war” for material comfort during the pandemic, has strained and stressed many families as a result of the created circumstances. Public safety measures, including physical distance and social isolation, which have also been implemented in the RNM have contributed in making family problems even more pronounced. Social distance and staying at home are very effective in reducing the transmission of Covid-19 virus, but these safeguards disrupt the routines of spouses and families. Domestic violence affects a large number of families, and it is estimated that in times of social isolation, all forms of violence have been inflicted against family members regardless of their gender and age. The most common forms of domestic violence during Covid-19 pandemic in our country are psychological, physical and economic violence. Some countries affected by Covid-19 have seen increases in levels of domestic violence, including violence against children, violence against partners, and violence against the elderly. This paper presents the results of research conducted which highlight the fact that during the Covid-19 pandemic, there has been an increase in levels of domestic violence in the Republic of North Macedonia in the first six months of 2020. The authors give their recommendations on the need for action by state institutions during the Covid-19 pandemic in order to adapt methods and circumstances towards the protection of victims of domestic violence.

In the contemporary family law, parents are obliged to arrange the joined implementation of the parenting rights either by their own will or through the help of their lawyers and/or mediators. This institute of mutual agreement is known as joined custody or joined implementation of the parenting right after the divorce of the marriage. This institute makes it possible for parents who live separately to arrange their custody rights in the most convenient way for the child. With a joined custody agreement, the parents accept the obligation to implement all the rights and duties that constitute the parenting right even in case of their separation. Through not dividing their rights from their obligations and with the aim of being closer to the needs of the child, the institute of joined custody helps avoid the feelings of hostility and disagreement in regard to the judicial decision which gives permanent custody to one of the parents. This institute is incorporated in the family law of many countries (Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark, UK, France, Italy, Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, Hungary, Czech Republic, USA and Australia). This article aims to emphasize the need to introduce in the family law of RM an explicit provision for joined and responsible custody after the divorce in order to achieve the best interest of the child. There is a joined initiative of parents who live separately from their children who request the amendment of the Family Law of RM in this direction.

The aim of this study is to explore the role and the importance of the notary service in the process of dejudicialization of the judicial-civil protection. In this context, this paper first of all attempts to examine the extent to which the issues from the traditional competence of the court (usually non-litigious) have been transferred to notary publics and the possibilities of further extension of this transfer. The judicial framework for the transfer of these issues from the court competences to that of notary publics has been decided by the Law on Non-Litigious Procedure (2008). In supporting this law, the notary publics undertook the realization of a series of activities in this field, namely in the field of inheritance. In this respect, the idea of this paper was to try to identify other judicial issues that could perhaps be entrusted to the notary publics in the future, by carrying out a judicial-political assessment of the public interest to transfer the resolution of certain issues to notary publics′ competences with the aim of facilitating the judicial circulation and increasing judicial security.

The new reproductive technologies (artificial insemination, in vitro fertilization, surrogate motherhood, the birth of children from a woman with sperm donation, posthumous insemination, 'three parent' baby technique) have re-defined the concept of family by refuting in this aspect the exclusive principle of natural child conception. Posthumous reproduction is a technology that enables a child not only to be born but also to be conceived postmortem, after the death of one parent or both parents as in the case of embryo cryopreservation. In this text the author gives detailed explanations for posthumous reproduction; information about medical indications for establishment of parenthood by using frozen genetic material; the motives and the reasons why this radical method of reproduction is used; the legal, moral and ethical dilemmas regarding the technology of artificial conception; the legal status of cryopreserved reproductive cells as well as the reproductive freedom of a person enabling him/her to become a parent even after death. The text also points out the legal contradictions between the Law on Inheritance, the Family Law and the Law on biomedical assisted fertilization. The author also emphasizes the importance of the best interest of the child born after the death of the parent/parents in terms of regulating the legal status of the children conceived through this artificial means; the right to the acknowledgment/repudiation of paternity/maternity; inheritance rights of the child; the right of the child to live with both parents, which in this case is denied from the moment of conception. In addition to the analysis of domestic legislation, the text also provides a comparative framework on the legal regulation of posthumous reproduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The time in which humanity lives today, it has changed the conventional paradigms of the natural and biological parameters. As such, this time has given mankind today the courage to challenge, as well as change, some of the natural consequences of man's well-being as a social being - first and foremost as a biological being. Therefore, through theoretical dilemmas and scientific successes elsewhere, man well-builds his own future, which on one hand gives him knowledge of the power of rational knowledge, and on the other hand adds great responsibilities, perhaps even enigmatic and unseen before. It is about the consequences that man can have from inconsistent interventions in nature, and the alternation of social structure in this context. When it is known that for each intervention man pays the price, changing the same conventional cohesive structure within the family will give its own price in the near future. In this paper the authors present the facts based on the development and application of artificial reproduction technology (artificial insemination, in vitro fertilization, surrogate motherhood, post-mortem reproduction) are evidence for redefining the concept of family which in this respect undermines the principle of conceiving a child naturally. In this paper the authors emphasize that the plurality of forms for establishing parenthood, which became possible with the rapid development of medicine and biotechnology, allows the application of new reproductive technologies, expands the possibility of family planning on one hand, but on the other hand questions the genetic status of the child born through these methods. The authors have considered it reasonable that through this paper to give their recommendations for filling the legal gaps that exist in the family and biomedical legislation of the RNM. The authors place special emphasis on the urgent need to overcome legal contradictions which currently affect the best interest of the child born with any of the methods of artificial reproduction. In addition to the analysis of domestic legislation, the text also provides a comparative framework on the legal regulation of the status of members of family (children and parents) established by the methods of artificial reproduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developments in science and technology have, among other things, challenged the family. Human values, which change in step with this technological progress, have faced many legal, moral and ethical dilemmas which await answers from the science on bioethics. We are in such a situation when we discuss about many advances in contemporary and national family law, including new forms of family reproduction that differ from a natural process of child conceiving. The authors in this paper bring comparative aspects of biomedical and family legislation of the Republic of North Macedonia and Republic of Kosovo. Among other things, they emphasize that given the traditional and biological model of the family in our society, new reproductive forms are a very reserved topic in the family and biomedical field, but it awakens a curiosity of discussions on ethics, philosophy and legal regulation of reproduction of human beings in both countries. The numerous stereotypes that prevail in the society of both countries regarding the application of artificial reproduction technology methods are contrary to many legal and medical justifications for couples who do not have the opportunity to become parents in a biological (natural) way. Therefore, the purpose of the authors is to provide accurate and grounded information through this text about the legal framework and medical options available to all persons who wish to exercise their reproductive right to establish a family. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to emphasize the importance of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) as a fundamental international document and an important framework for family law in the context of the parent-child relation. In order to achieve the highest standards of protection of individual rights and freedoms, modern legislations invest special attention to the principle of protection of the rights and the interests of the child. However, from the legal viewpoint, this principle has been affirmed with the adoption of the above mentioned UN Convention as a codifying document for the rights of the child. In this regard, there is a need to reform family law legislation of Macedonia in order to provide better protection of the child's interests through a complete implementation of the UNCRC and other important international documents in this field. The provisions of the UNCRC as the most important international instrument for the protection of the rights of the child are usually cited as the main source for the work of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) and the UN Human Rights Committee (UNHRC). In order to tackle all the important dimensions of the problem, this article will include comparative theoretical references and legal provisions such as the European documents in the field of parenting responsibility (Council of Europe standards and documents adopted in The Hague conference). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the contemporary family law, parents are obliged to arrange the joined implementation of the parenting rights either by their own will or through the help of their lawyers and/or mediators. This institute of mutual agreement is known as joined custody or joined implementation of the parenting right after the divorce of the marriage. This institute makes it possible for parents who live separately to arrange their custody rights in the most convenient way for the child. With a joined custody agreement, the parents accept the obligation to implement all the rights and duties that constitute the parenting right even in case of their separation. Through not dividing their rights from their obligations and with the aim of being closer to the needs of the child, the institute of joined custody helps avoid the feelings of hostility and disagreement in regard to the judicial decision which gives permanent custody to one of the parents. This institute is incorporated in the family law of many countries (Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark, UK, France, Italy, Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, Hungary, Czech Republic, USA and Australia). This article aims to emphasize the need to introduce in the family law of RM an explicit provision for joined and responsible custody after the divorce in order to achieve the best interest of the child. There is a joined initiative of parents who live separately from their children who request the amendment of the Family Law of RM in this direction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is to explore the role and the importance of the notary service in the process of dejudicialization of the judicial-civil protection. In this context, this paper first of all attempts to examine the extent to which the issues from the traditional competence of the court (usually non-litigious) have been transferred to notary publics and the possibilities of further extension of this transfer. The judicial framework for the transfer of these issues from the court competences to that of notary publics has been decided by the Law on Non-Litigious Procedure (2008). In supporting this law, the notary publics undertook the realization of a series of activities in this field, namely in the field of inheritance. In this respect, the idea of this paper was to try to identify other judicial issues that could perhaps be entrusted to the notary publics in the future, by carrying out a judicial-political assessment of the public interest to transfer the resolution of certain issues to notary publics' competences with the aim of facilitating the judicial circulation and increasing judicial security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]