Intervention Women's Fund

 

Women’s Intervention Fund

The Women’s Intervention Fund was established by the National Network against Violence against Women and Domestic Violence in 2017, with the aim of providing immediate and temporary support to women and girls who have survived gender-based and domestic violence and are in situations of social risk. Through the Women’s Intervention Fund, support is provided within two key programme areas managed by the Network:

  • sustainability of specialized services for women and children’s survivors of gender-based and domestic violence; and
  • provision of temporary support for housing and basic living needs.

What does the Fund support?

  1. Sustainability of specialized GBV and DV services

The Fund contributes to the continuous functioning of specialized support services for women and children’s survivors of gender-based and domestic violence, delivered by member organizations as well as the Network’s executive office.

These services are only partially funded by local government budgets and the budget of the Ministry of Social Policy, Demography and Youth, mainly due to the absence of a sustainable state funding mechanism for specialized services run by civil society organizations. This situation leads to instability and, at times, interruptions in service provision.

The National Network provides services through its Women’s Support Centers in Skopje, Tetovo, and Bitola. These services include:

The full range of specialized services provided by all Network member organizations can be found at the following link.

  1. Temporary housing support

Providing temporary and safe housing is one of the most critical steps for women leaving abusive environments.

Through the Fund, costs for rent and utilities are covered, ensuring immediate safety and stability during the period when a woman begins her recovery and independence process.

Who can apply?

The Fund is available to women and girls who are survivors of gender-based and domestic violence and who are economically vulnerable, including:

  • unemployed women
  • women with low income
  • beneficiaries of social assistance
  • single mothers
  • women at risk of homelessness

The basic eligibility requirement is that the person is a woman who has experienced violence and is either seeking to leave or has already left an abusive environment.

Funds are allocated in accordance with the established Rulebook governing the use of the Women’s Intervention Fund.

What can the funds be used for?

Funds are distributed based on defined criteria and procedures to ensure they reach women and girls who need them most. Support may cover:

  • food and hygiene products
  • clothing
  • medication and medical documentation
  • rent and utility costs
  • other urgent basic needs and services

How can you donate?

Both legal entities and individuals can donate to the Women’s Emergency Fund and contribute to the safety, recovery, and independence of women survivors of violence.

Donations can be made directly to the Fund’s bank account:

Account number: 200003247799194

Bank: Stopanska Banka AD Skopje

 

Why is the Fund important?

When a woman leaves an abusive environment, she needs immediate and practical support to remain safe and avoid being forced to return to violence. The Women’s Intervention Fund exists precisely for this critical period — to provide support where systemic assistance is insufficient or delayed.

Violence against women is not an isolated, occasional act of misconduct. It is systemic, structural and deeply rooted in the historical relations of inequality between men and women. This approach means violence against women only because they are women or violence that disproportionately affects women. Domestic violence is just one of the forms of violence against women. There is no justification for any form of violence against women, including domestic violence.