In cooperation with Humanitarian Association- Majka and National Roma Center, a two-day workshop was organized in which representatives from social, child and health care departments of the local self-government units from the municipalities in the North-Eastern planning region were invited. The obligations of the local self-government in direction of improving social services for women and children victims of GBV and DV in their municipality were discussed at the meeting. Furthermore, the needs and possibilities for the establishment of accessible and available specialized services for help and support of the victims were reviewed, as well as the possibilities for ensuring their sustainability through inter-municipal cooperation and joint financing.
Positive examples from our country, for already established services of this type, which are financed by local self-government, were shared with the participants. Through practical exercises, work was done on the improvement of the municipal programs for social protection, as well as the social plans of the municipalities, that is, it was discussed about the possibility of including a new strategic goal: prevention and protection of all forms of violence against women and children and domestic violence. The facilitators of the workshop presented the difference between general and specialized services, the need and minimum standards of the Council of Europe, the types of specialized services that should be established, as well as the reintegration and rehabilitation services that are new in the Law on Prevention and Protection of violence against women and domestic violence which entered into force in May 2021.
The participants also shared their views, experiences, problems and challenges they face and got the opportunity for networking and improving of inter-municipal cooperation in finding joint solutions.
The purpose of the workshop was to strengthen the capacities of employees in institutions at the local level, in the direction of acquisition a leading role in the development of social services, with a focus on help and support services for victims of gender-based and domestic violence.
This activity was carried out within the framework of the project “Institutionalization of quality services for the rehabilitation and reintegration of women victims of violence”, supported by the Austrian Development Agency (ADA), which is implemented by HA “Majka” and “Advocacy for the provision of specialized services for help and support to women and children victims of gender-based and domestic violence”, supported by the Swedish foundation Kvina til Kvina, and implemented by the National Roma Center. Both organizations are grantees of the National Network to end violence against women and domestic violence.
