Institutionalization of quality services to support and integrate women survivors of violence

Implementation period: 1. December 2019 – 30. November 2022.

Donor: Austrian Development Agency

Partners: Albanian Women’s Empowerment Network and Gender Alliance for Development Center (Albania), Kosovo Women’s Network (Kosovo), United Women Banja Luka (Bosnia and Herzegovina), National Network against Violence against Women (Northern Macedonia), and Autonomous Women’s Center, which is the holder of the project.

The main goal of this project is to contribute to the improvement of secondary legislation / programs and the institutionalization of quality support and integration services for women survivors of violence.

Expected project results include:

1. Supported women’s right to life without violence and autonomy;

2. Quality, evidence-based proposals for the improvement of secondary legislation and programs created;

3. Improved skills of service providers in order to improve the safety and security of women survivors of violence;

4. Strengthened and formalized regional network against violence against women in accordance with EU standards;

To achieve these goals and results, the following basic groups of activities are planned:

• Providing psychosocial and legal support services;

• Submitting proposals to the responsible parties regarding the improvement of secondary legislation and programs to support women survivors of violence;

• Providing education for service providers (in institutions and non-governmental organizations);

• Strengthening the regional network against violence against women;

The target groups are women survivors of violence and their children, and professionals in relevant institutions and NGOs in the Western Balkans region.

The activities and results of the project will contribute to the full implementation of the Istanbul Convention (Section 4 – Protection and Support) in each country. The partner organizations will use the results of the previous regional project “Coordinated Action – towards new European standards in the protection of women from gender-based violence” to continue to monitor the implementation of the Istanbul Convention. The established indicators for monitoring the implementation of the provisions of the Istanbul Convention will be updated and used to measure the progress of the comprehensive implementation of the Convention in the region.