The transnational project “COMMUNITY LINKAGE: Improving gender-based violence service provision through the empowerment of migrant women as community-based mentors, trainers and agents of change” is implemented under CERV-2021-DAPHNE, for the period May 2022 – June 2024, co-funded by the EU. The coordinating body is Surt,  Fundacio de Dones Fundacio Privada (Spain) and partners are Diotima Centre (Greece), Cesie (Italy), and Zrs Koper (Slovenia).

The project is implemented under the consortium in four countries: Spain, Italy, Greece, and Slovenia.

Purpose

The program aims to effectively interconnect gender-based violence prevention and response services and refugee communities, with a view to early identification and support of survivors in the post-COVID-19 era.

Objectives

• empowering refugee women and strengthening their capacities to support, care for and accompany women who have suffered gender-based violence in the community
• identification and promotion of good practices of organizations, bodies, and networks for the early detection and support of survivors
• improving the capacity of professionals to identify and support women at risk of gender-based violence
• facilitating mutual learning and cooperation between institutions and networks of refugee women

Actions

• assessment of the needs of services preventing and dealing with gender-based violence
• participatory research with migrant women as agents of change in identifying and addressing gender-based violence
• networking between migrant/refugee communities
• capacity building of professionals, based on the needs of migrant women
• strategic planning of innovative coordination processes between actors providing services to address gender-based violence and networks of migrant women
• awareness-raising campaign and advocacy initiatives (conferences at national and European level)

Expected results

• 100 migrant women who have suffered gender-based violence, as well as potential victims of gender-based violence, will benefit from pilot actions of support services
• 60 migrant women will be empowered through capacity-building actions
• 160 migrant women will participate in networking activities within their community
• 120 professionals working in the field of gender-based violence will participate in trainings
• 15,000 people will be reached through an awareness-raising campaign on gender-based violence in the migrant/refugee population
• strengthening transnational cooperation between service providers and organizations
• highlighting innovative and visionary strategies to better detect and support gender-based violence processes in migrant women