Projects

Short Description:

Overall goal

Project Impact shall include secondary legislation/programs and institutionalization of quality services for survivors of GBV is improved.

The Project Goal contains improved quality of rehabilitation and integration services for survivors of GBV.

Expected results

Outputs/expected results:

1) Women supported in leaving violent environments and be-coming more autonomous,

2) Quality evidence-based proposals for secondary legislation and programs for assisting survivors put forth,

3) Improved skills of service providers towards increased safety/security of survivors,

4) Strengthened and formalised regional network for addressing violence against women in line with EU standards.

Target group / Beneficiaries

At least 30,000 women and their children survivors of GBV; at least 1 800 professionals from relevant institutions and CSOs in the Western Balkans (WB. Partner organisations are Autonomous Women’s Centre (AWC) in Serbia, Kosovo Women’s Network (KWN), Foundation United Women from Banja Luka (FUW) in BiH, Women’s Rights Center (WRC) from Montenegro, the National Network to End Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (NNVW), from North Macedonia, the Albanian Women Empower Network (AWEN) and the Gender Alliance for Development Centre (GADC) in Albania.

Activities

1.1 Providing free of charge psychosocial support and legal aid to women who survived violence.

1.2 Monitoring the implementation of the institutional support

2.1 Conducting baseline Research

2.2 Development of a regional strategic plan for advocacy activities.

2.3 Informing relevant parties on the results of the baseline research

2.4 Meeting with decision makers regarding existing rehabilitation and integration services

2.5 Conducting online campaign promoting integration services for women who survived violence

2.6 Reporting to Media and international community

2.7 Sub-granting for monitoring of institutions and drafting and/or advocacy for secondary legislation

3.1 Conducting trainings, mentoring, consultations and support for service providers

3.2 Meetings with professionals in institutions for the improvement of service provision.

4.1 Organizing Network meetings

4.2 Network study visit

4.3 Evaluation

Context

Context of the intervention (project area and socio-economic framework):

GBV remains widespread in the WB. This was reconfirmed by the recent OSCE regional survey on Wellbeing and Security of Women. 70% of women, or an estimated 16 million women have experienced some form of sexual harassment, stalking, intimate partner violence or non-partner violence since the age of 15. 23% of women (~4.9 million women) have experienced intimate partner physical and/or sexual violence. Groups of women are at a higher risk of violence, especially: younger women and girls, female refugees or internally displaced, with disability, being poor, being economically dependent or having children. On average, it takes a survivor seven times to leave the perpetrator before staying away for good.

The lack of alternatives means that women are often forced to return to the perpetrators or are left on the street without appropriate rehabilitation and reintegration systems. While most WB countries have ratified the Istanbul Convention and adopted laws and strategies to address domestic violence, few have allocated sufficient and sustainable resources. Institutions lack a victim-centred, sensitized approach to ensuring safety and security for survivors of violence.