New Force in Fighting Violence against Women

Project facts

Project promoter:
Women`s Room – Center for Sexual Rights
Project Number:
HR02-0056
Target groups
Victims of intimate-partner violence
Status:
Completed
Initial project cost:
€129,041
Final project cost:
€127,865
From EEA Grants:
€ 114,703
The project is carried out in:
Croatia

Description

Through work with women victims of violence, participation in developing public policies, working in bodies/committees and research, WR and partner organizations have gained insight about the necessity to define steps in combating VAW and the importance of the role of CSO and their sustainability. The project aim is to strengthen sustainability of CSOs and promote encouraging environment for the civil sector. The activities ensure basic outcome applied model of sustainable development of CSOs in area of promotion and protection of human rights. By analyzing the role, capacities and sustainability of CSOs, improving cooperation, prompting citizens to action, advocating implementation of the Action Plan and Model of CSOs Sustainability, and raising awareness among stakeholders and general public, the influence and sustainability of CSOs will be strengthened.

Summary of project results

Through many years, Women’s Room (WR) and partner organizations have been working directly with victims of violence and they have been participating in creating public policies to combat and reduce violence against women (VAW). Because of inflation of CSOs, of which there are more than 50 000 registered in Croatia, and because of the lack of recognition of their role and work that CSO’s have done in combating VAW by relevant institutions, the project wanted to indicate that those organizations, who have knowledge and practice in working on this topic, need to be equal partners to relevant institutions and authorities in combating VAW. Project “New Force in Fighting Violence against Women (VAW)” was aimed at strengthening the capacity and ability of CSOs to combat VAW and for promoting an enabling environment for those who work on that problematic. Visibility, importance of CSO work and thus their sustainability has increased through research Analysis of the role, capacity and sustainability of non-governmental organizations working to combat violence against women, improvement of cooperation among CSOs and inter-sectoral cooperation, activation of citizens through volunteering, advocacy for implementation of the Action plan and Model of sustainability and raised awareness of relevant actors and citizens through direct contacts and campaign. All achieved results of the project have direct impact on combating VAW in Croatia on a short term and long-term level.

Summary of bilateral results

The bilateral partnership contributed to the project within the expertise of the partner organisation (Stagamot) that is active in this filed of human rights for a long period of time and has the horizontal knowledge. This being the only bilateral partnership between donor countries and Croatia, it is definitely a good example that this partnership can be fostered in certain field, where there is interest from the donor country organisations. The partnership will be continued in an unformal way, depending on funding, since the cost of foreign partner is high.