Block Grant – Human Rights Protection ProgrammeFinancing EEA Financial Mechanism

Norwegian Financial Mechanism Slovak Republic

Intermediary Open Society Foundation

Grant support to 35 projects 1,786,198.76 EUR

Projects promoting gender equality And raising awareness about the VAW 158,386.00 EUR

PRO GENDER E-QUALITY Freedom of Choice, Women expert and advocacy NGO

GENDER EQUALS TO EQUALITY Civil Association We Mothers, Provider of services to women experiencing VAW

ANALYSIS OF THE IMPACT OF THE CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS ON SAFETY OF WOMEN EXPERIENCING VIOLENCE

FENESTRA - Interest Association of Women, Women advocacy NGO and provider of services to women survivors of violence

Violence against women (VAW)

is the single most prevalent and universal violation of human rights establishes discrimination of women prohibited by international law.

The elimination of VAW

is the priority area of the European Commission’s Women’s Charter and of its Strategy for equality between women and men which express the Commission’s commitment to propose an effective and comprehensive strategy to fight violence against women

EU Definition

VAW = any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life

Slovakia

due to the national differences reflecting the cultural and social attitudes

VAW is perceived in terms of DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

target groups family members REGARDLESS OF THEIR GENDER women, children, older people, and disabled persons

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE = any action of a family member or household against another family member if this action restricts his/her legal rights or freedom and causes him/her physical or psychological suffering and moral damage or threatens his/her physical or personal development.

NO SPECIFIC LAW THAT REGULATES VAW

International organizations and women’s NGOs has played and still plays a relevant role in recognizing and acknowledging the connection between violence against women and unequal division of power between women and men in the society

National action plans (NAP) for the prevention and elimination of VAW 2005 – 2008 and 2009 – 2012

only specific measure addressing VAW in Slovakia

refers to the definition of the UN Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women (1993)

considers most types of violence against women and girls in the family, in the workplace, in schools or in other institutions

defines activities in various different areas: •modification of the criminal and civil law framework•improvement in the supply of social services with the creation of intervention centers and women’s shelters •sensitization in schools•data-gathering•activities with the violent perpetrators

fails to determine the expected financial and personnel costs for its effective implementation

Social Services Act no.488/2008

no category for shelters or specific counseling centers no national standards for services for women survivors of VAW

Emergency accommodation

target groups: • people who suffer violence (both women and men), • victims of trafficking of human being, • single pregnant women, • parents with children without accommodation,• elderly who is retired or depends on the help of other individual and

has no accommodation

it is possible to provide the services to these different groups in one facility

Services for women experiencing violence and their children have no name in the law

most of the social services understand VAW as either a solely social issue or a family issue

consider alcohol abuse, poverty, lack of education, etc. causes of VAW

do not reflect the specific needs of women and children – survivors of VAW

Declarations of the Slovak government on number of shelters for women experiencing violence and their children

Year/ Source No. of Shelters2006/ Monitoring of the Steering Committee for Equality between women and Men, Council of Europe

109

2007/ Report on activities of the first National Action Plan, Ministry of labor, social affairs and family

6

2008/National Action Plan 2008-2012,“the number of specialized

services for survivors of VAW is insufficient”

Council of Europe proposed minimum standards

women’s shelters - available in every regionone family place per 10 000 head of populationone rape crisis centre per 200 000 women one women´s counseling centre for every50 000 womenone free national helpline

Year/Survey SheltersFamily Places

Family Places missing

2009/ WAVE Country Report 2 46 439

0,08 of family place per 10.000 inhabitans in SlovakiaNo free national helpline

No rape crisis centre3 regions without counseling services

The role of women organizations and NGOs

forcing the issue up on the political agendaset up and operate the first women’s refuges and counseling centerslaunching awareness-raising campaigns initiating legal reforms monitoring the implementation of policies and measures addressing violence against women

Financing

Social service providers - subsidized with public resources, to a limited extent have to rely on year to year financing municipalities announced cuts in social spending

Women organizations and NGOs mostly depend on foreign funds and private donations

The EU funds and initiatives, including the EEA Financial Mechanism and the Norwegian Financial Mechanism are still an important source of financial support for NGOs working in the field of violence against women and gender equality promotion.

They are, to a limited extend, but nevertheless very importantly substituting the support of the state, which it is obligated to provide when meeting the international commitments.

Thank you for your attention

PRO GENDER E-QUALITY            Freedom of Choice, Women expert and advocacy NGO

Aims: To raise the awareness about the issue of gender equality To contribute to successful implementation of the concept of gender equality To prepare gender equality workshops To incorporate the concept of gender equality into the Human Rights curriculum  

Grant Awarded: 53.971,32 EUR

Beneficiaries: expert team of the client, NGOs working in the field of anti-discrimination, municipal coordinators of the high school “Human Rights Competition”, responsible municipal officials, high school pupils  

Project/Responsible Institution webpage: www.moznostvolby.sk  

ANALYSIS OF THE IMPACT OF THE POLICE, PROSECUTOR OFFICES AND JUDICIAL PROCEEDINGS AND DECISIONS ON SAFETY OF

WOMEN EXPERIENCING VIOLENCE FENESTRA - Interest Association of Women,

women advocacy NGO and provider of services to women survivors of violence

Aims:

To identify key-factors that have a negative impact on women security during legal processesTo draft proposals aiming at the gradual improvement of women’s security To raise the awareness among national and municipal institutionsTo monitor activities of the police and their treatment of cases of domestic violence

Grant Awarded: 70.877,20 EUR

Beneficiaries: female victims of domestic violence, relevant Institutions dealing with the issue, relevant Ministries

Project/Responsible Institution webpage: www.fenestra.sk

GENDER EQUALS TO EQUALITYCivil Association We Mothers – Mothers Centre, Provider of services to women experiencing VAW

Aims: To raise the awareness of the issue among young individuals To broaden women’s understanding of the right to equal treatment To disseminate information concerning the right to equal treatment To launch an extensive PR campaign   To engage the public

Grant Awarded: 33.537,472 EUR

Beneficiaries: high school students, teachers, teaching assistant, University students, artists, media, NGOs, the public  

Project/Responsible Institution webpage: www.mymamy.sk