PEER NETWORK: Gender Violence and Empowerment
Instituto Superior de Psicologia Aplicada ·Portugal
About this project
<p><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">The project PEER NETWORK: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Gender Violence and Empowerment</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"> aims mainly at developing an innovative pilot-intervention to promote civic empowerment and engagement of women who are or have been targeted by gender-based violence, domestic violence, discrimination and harassment – Grupos de Suporte de Pares (Peer Support Groups). These Peer Support Groups will be created based on the women’s personal experience and in this particular case, the project will focus on women from the so-called vulnerable groups: migrants and from rural areas. Within these, sub-groups of women will be targeted: elderly, LGBT and disabled, among others. The project also aims at educating and capacitating on Domestic Violence and Violence against Women 3 key target-groups: 1) the younger generations and 2) future health professionals, as a preventive approach, and 3) the professionals working on organizations for women in vulnerable groups as an interventionist approach.This will be achieved through training sessions, given by the women themselves. The PEER NETWORK will work torwards the following specific objectives:<br> a) develop methodologies which enhance the capabilities of participants to work with peer support for women who have experienced gender based and domestic violence;<br> b) develop competences among Portuguese relevant entities regarding knowledge needed for the creation and development of peer support groups;<br> c) create a national network of peer support groups and those who have been targeted by gender and domestic violence (advocates) and that that establishes itself as a resource for RNAVVD; <br> d) act upon the information and knowledge within youth groups and to work with health providers, enhancing knowledge and practice regarding prevention and awareness initiatives using a collaborative approach methodology by working with the women’s advocates trained through our programs;<br> e) to create and disseminate training tools on peer support groups.</span></p>
Bilateral cooperation results
The organization W.O.M.E.N. played an active role in the project by organizing an online workshop on Diversity and Cultural Competence, participating in international workshops with English-speaking speakers, attending online training sessions on Civic Defense with three participants, and on Intervention with Survivors of Sexual Abuse with two participants, engaging in nine partner meetings, co-developing the training manual, contributing to the institutional video, and promoting activities and content on social media The Icelandic partner also took part in the Final Conference with a keynote speech and an organizational presentation held online Despite operational challenges such as leadership changes within the partner organization, the voluntary nature of their actions, and pandemic-related restrictions, the bilateral collaboration was fruitful and enriching. While in-person missions between Portugal and Iceland were not carried out, effective communication enabled meaningful exchanges of experiences W.O.M.E.N. contributed significantly to the integration of migrant women, including survivors of violence, by providing language learning support, employment assistance, and sociocultural activities to foster support networks. The organization also shared valuable insights on intervention in rural contexts, where women often feel more constrained in seeking help, facilitating opportunities for them to travel to urban areas for private and formal support regarding gender-based violence and discrimination. The Final Conference was a crucial moment for consolidating the joint work, strengthening the transnational network, and fostering a structured exchange of best practices
Project partners
- Women Of Multicultural Ethnicity Network Donor project partner· Iceland
- TAIPA Odemira - Organização Cooperativa para o Desenvolvimento Integrado Project partner· Portugal
- ACVS - Associação Caboverdiana de Setúbal Project partner· Portugal
- Casa do Brasil de Lisboa Project partner· Portugal