“Support Programme for Migrant Women Experiencing Gender-Based Violence”, implemented with a grant from the Active Citizens Programme – National Fund financed by Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway under the EEA Funds.
The project will be a 15-month action programme to support migrant women experiencing gender-based violence, especially domestic violence. It responds to the need for people with migration experience and linguistically and culturally diverse to increase awareness of their rights and ways of support in situations of involvement in domestic violence and other forms of gender-based violence, as well as to increase their access to the intervention system within the framework of the mechanisms in force in Poland to counteract violence, abuse and violations of human rights. The immediate need addressed by this project is to increase access to information for migrants on forms of assistance and support services, and for institutions on aspects of working with foreigners, which will make the actual access to social, intervention and support services much greater.
As part of its activities, the Foundation will supplement its consultation point with specialists in the field of counteracting domestic violence, including a lawyer and a psychologist. Women reporting to the Foundation will be able to take part in additional psychosocial workshops and trainings. Information activities will be organized. As specialists in the area of working with culturally and linguistically diverse people, we will organize a series of trainings on the migrant context of gender-based violence for employees of other organizations and institutions, who will learn more about aspects of working with foreigners, in order to better adapt the offer of their services to their needs. A refreshed database of institutions (so-called mapping) that already support or are ready to support migrants on the map of Warsaw will be created, which will additionally strengthen the relationships and networking developed as part of this program. Our specialists at the consultation point and cooperating institutions will be supported by two integration advisors of the Foundation – also migrants – and they will be the link between clients of institutions or other organizations and specialist services. “SUPPORT PROGRAMME FOR MIGRANT WOMEN EXPERIENCING GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE”, implemented with a grant from the Active Citizens – National Fund programme financed by Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway under the EEA Grants.
More information about the EEA and Norway Grants: www.eeagrants.org / www.norwaygrants.org
OUR RESULTS:
Duration: 1 October 2021 – 31 December 2022
The project was a 15-month action programme to support migrant women experiencing gender-based violence, especially domestic violence. It responds to the need of people with migration experience and linguistically and culturally diverse to increase awareness of their rights and ways of support in situations of involvement in domestic violence and other forms of gender-based violence.
The situation at the consultation point and in the situation of migrants and the target group changed at the end of February 2022, when the conflict in Ukraine escalated. At the very beginning, the advisors and the entire team actively provided support to all people who came, mainly women, our telephone was an active hotline and we were involved in activities in centers, transit points, etc. Already in May, the Foundation received small foreign funds and increased the scope of psychological support for people in crisis or after experiencing violence. Already in the following months, women came with questions about separation and separation from a partner who remained in Ukraine, reported that they had experienced violence in Ukraine, asked for support in the field of family and civil law with cross-border elements.
As part of the activities, the Foundation supplemented its consultation point with integration advisors and specialists in the field of counteracting domestic violence, including a lawyer and a psychologist. In the first reporting period, 358 women benefited from specialist and advisory support in the project in a direct form – the Foundation provided support from specialist advisors for an average of 200 hours per month. As part of the point in the reporting period, a total of 884 direct consultations were provided, including 246 psychological and 149 legal. At the end of the project, an information meeting was held on 22 December during the Foundation’s Christmas meeting in the Centre, with about 70 participants. 4 workshops were held, with 79 women and children participating.
