Description
The social workers at UMAR, feminist centre against gender discrimination, develop their work in shelter houses, phone line assistance and through social and legal support. The work is developed between the social worker and the victim on a personal level. The social workers feel that more and more obstacles arise in their daily struggle supporting these women victims and preventing violence against women. Through Theatre of the Oppressed research laboratories and Theatre Forum plays, where the oppressed struggles to change her reality, becoming activist for change, social workers will be empowered by these techniques and then empower other women using the methodology. Social workers will be empowered to work collectively with the victims and to search for concrete proposals that will provoke a social transformation against victimization, gender inequalities and violence against women.
Summary of project results
Gender equality, often mingled with gender violence, is a significant problem in Portugal and the challenge addressed by this project, which used the Theatre of the Oppressed methodology. It targeted both the victims and the social workers that aid them and were thus capacitated (100 and 43 beneficiaries, respectively). Three “equality labs” were held, with considerable success. These were fora for sharing experiences and reflection, and a Forum Theatre play resulted from each of these, where women in the audience were invited to participate and explore these issues and the need to bring about social change. After each performance, these women participated in a workshop for the creation of an activist pamphlet for gender equality. The capacity of the involved NGOs improved after this project, as they gained valuable experience, namely in communication issues, in networking and synergy creation, and in the Theatre of the Oppressed methodology.
Summary of bilateral results