Description
Gender based violence (GBV) is one of dominant human rights violation in Lithuania and one of the most distinct form of discrimination. Within GBV the sexual violence should be noted because of its grave effect on victims and regrettable frequency in Lithuanian society. National aid mechanism is still being developed and coverage insufficient. Project aims to increase provision of services to victims of GBV with special focus on victims of sexual violence through development of complex aid mechanism. KWS shall provide direct psychological and legal help to victims. With partners from Donor States – Norwegian Centre for Gender Equality and from Lithuania – Centre for Equality Advancement shall develop and implement preventive-educative programme on gender equality and construction of non-violent, respect-based relationships for community and specialists (teachers and police officers). Associate partner Police Department under the Ministry of the Interior shall ensure state ownership of project results and involvement of law enforcement in the joint-initiative. Target groups: women-victims of GBV, NGOs, education specialists, law enforcement.
Summary of project results
Violence against women is one of the most severe violations of the human rights and one of the most distinct form of discrimination. Sexual violence is among the cruelest forms of gender-based violence. Despite 2000 cases of sexual violence against women were registered in Lithuania in 2012, there is still no comprehensive aid mechanism. Moreover, there is a lack of will to recognize violence against women as a gender-based violence on a state level – state institutions resist adopting the regulations according to the Istanbul Convention on combating violence against women, the definition of gender-based violence was omitted while focus is being put on domestic violence, leaving the women victims of other types of violence aside. Key purpose of the project was to reduce gender based, especially sexual violence cases in Lithuania, while working in a consistent, complex and systematic way. Four main directions were implemented during this project: 1) Direct help for victims of sexual violence (creation and realization of help mechanism for victims of sexual crimes: 93 victims – case management; 45 – legal help; 24 – complex help); 2) creation and implementation of preventive-educative program, concerning gender equality and construction of non-violent, respect based relationships for community and specialists (police officers, Children welfare committee) (2 municipal level inter-institutional cooperation programs created, joint NGO-public institutions initiatives involved 87 police officers, 104 preventive workers, 318 children); 3) advocacy campaign was organized to raise awareness in regards of sexual violence (3 conferences, 2 demonstrations, 27 public events, 2 work groups, 3 roundtables, 2 press releases); 4) two 2 charity events organized to support project promoter. Partner from Lithuania Center for Equality Advancement created preventive-educative program and conducted joint-initiative building seminars with the education specialists and police officers. Partner from Norway, Center for Gender Equality had consulted KWS regarding advocacy of the problem, strengthening of KWS organizational capacities and prevention work at schools. Associate partner Police Department under the Ministry of the Interior organized transmission of information about project to commissariats and victims of sexual violence also will cooperate in building joint-initiatives with police officers.
Summary of bilateral results
Project promoter has involved a Norwegian partner for the key reason of learning the best practices adopted in Norway in the area of combating violence against women. The main methods of cooperation were consultation (live and via internet/phone), joint work on development of policy documents, methodologies and advocacy actions, participation in joint events (roundtables and conference). The key input a Norwegian partner has contributed to the project constitutes of 3 components: a) consultations on advocacy for full acceptance of gender-based violence definition and proper recognition of the problematic situation by all state and municipal authorities; b) consultations and advice on increase of sustainability of project promoter; c) providing methodologies and advising on educational measures to be implemented at schools. The Norwegian perspective brought to the project allowed the promoter to make its advocacy efforts more efficient and persuasive, while advise and consultations on fundraising and increase of sustainability were not explored or implemented practically to full extent. Further development of mutual cooperation with Norwegian partner will very much depend on the availability of funding and will most likely be project-based.