The 26th Regional Conference for South East Europe of the European Network Against Violence against Women (WAVE) took place in Split, Croatia, from 9 to 11 April, bringing together representatives from around 40 organisations working on the support and protection of women and girls who are victims of gender-based violence. This meeting represents a unique opportunity for networking, alliance building and exchange of experiences that are key to advancing gender-responsive policies and practices in the region and beyond.
Over the course of the three days, important discussions were opened on how to ensure sustainable, accessible and quality support for women victims, especially in terms of access to specialised services, how to strengthen intersectoral cooperation and how to overcome the challenges faced by organisations, especially in restrictive environments. From topics related to the implementation of the Istanbul Convention, to discussions on digital violence, primary prevention and inclusion of marginalized groups, the conference opened a space for critical thinking, shared learning and future planning.
Ana Avramoska Nushkova, representative of the National Network against Violence against Women and Domestic Violence, actively participated in the sessions and shared the Macedonian perspective and experiences, especially in the part of preparing shadow reports to GREVIO and using international mechanisms of the United Nations for advocating for women’s rights. Her participation contributes to increasing the visibility of our organization and strengthening the role we have as a civil society sector in international and regional processes for the protection of women’s human rights and opens a space for building regional partnerships based on solidarity and mutual support.
What makes this conference special is the sense of common purpose – for all women and girls, no matter where they are, to receive support that protects their rights, dignity and lives. From Split, we send a strong message that through regional cooperation and feminist alliance, we can contribute to lasting change.
