More information
Description
The project FEMPOWER : Giving Voice to Queer/LBTQ+ Women aims to reduce the gap between legislation and enforcement, to empower the vulnerable group of Queer/LBTQ+ women, and inform and raise awareness for the general public about Queer women''s issues and identities. The problem identified in this project is the double discrimination of Queer/LBTQ+ women, both due to their gender as women and due to their sexual orientation and gender identity. This discrimination is manifested at the systemic level (in relation to the legal authorities, support workers and healthcare professionals) but also at the socio-economic level. This project aims to address the problem through (1) workshops to empower and support Queer women in learning about and accessing their rights, in order to acquire basic knowledge about their rights, system procedures and practices, and psychotherapeutic support; (2) workshops for the training of authorities, support workers and medical professionals who interact with the discriminated against/abused Queer women, in order to reduce re-victimization and increase the quality of services/protection offered and (3) an awareness & information campaign among the general public in order to increase the tolerance and acceptance in society of Queer women. The direct beneficiaries of this project are 50 Queer/LBTQ+ women from Cluj and Sibiu county and 50 legal authorities, support workers and medical professionals from the Cluj and Sibiu county, and the indirect beneficiaries are 20,000 people targeted through a series of posts on social media, publications on the website and press releases. ACTEDO, the project partner, will offer legal aid to queer women adn will provide input & support in delivering the traingings for authorities & the workshops for queer women.
Summary of project results
FEMPOWER project in Cluj and Sibiu counties, a project that aimed to empower LBTQ+ women, to increase the quality of services and their protection, as well as to bring visibility and awareness among the general public. Therefore, in the course of 11 months, the promoter and the partner implemented 8 activities through which they successfully reached the project''s objectives.
Through 5 multidisciplinary training sessions and 2 follow-up sessions, 85 legal authorities, support workers and medical personnel benefited from increased capacity to offer protection and support to queer women. The feedback was positive, the participants demonstrating a better understanding of the identities and needs of LBTQ+ women. At the same time, by organizing 6 workshops, 10 support group meetings, and offering legal assistance, 94 queer women benefited from capacity building and support in accessing and defending their rights, as well as increased self-esteem: the participants have reported feeling less depressed, with a higher level of self-esteem, more confident in their identity and more empowered to defend their rights.
By developing a database with contacts of LGBTQ+ friendly services, as well as a practical guide on LGBTQ+ discrimination and hate crimes, queer women can benefit from useful resources even after the end of the project. Similarly, the awareness campaign on LBTQ+ women brought visibility and fought against LBTQ+ women stereotypes among the general public through a reach of 25,199 on PRIDE`s social media. A lesson learned pertains to the preparation and training of the project team for increased efficiency and confidence in understanding the procedures and working with the necessary documents for the project implementation and reporting. The donors'' visibility was ensured through all communication materials distributed online during the implementation period.