Preventing Gender-Based Violence through Education and Awareness

The project “Preventing Gender-Based Violence through Education and Awareness” is supported by the EU Commission and implemented by the Kosovar Centre for Gender Studies (KCSGJ) in partnership with Solidar Suisse.

The project, through a three-year active engagement, will be committed to: Countering and preventing all forms of gender-based violence in Kosovar society through education and awareness-raising and will focus on two objectives:

Objective 1: Raise awareness throughout the community and the general public that violence against women is a human rights violation and encourage every citizen to challenge it.
Objective 2: Promote the implementation of effective measures to prevent and combat violence against women at national and local level.

The project will directly address these needs in the following way:

Educational activities and capacity building:

• Increasing the capacity of the Municipal Coordinating Mechanisms for Protection from Domestic Violence for the design of their three-year action plan.
• Organization of numerous workshops on the transmission of knowledge and skills in local media, portals and municipal offices for information on how to ensure balanced reporting on gender-sensitive issues, with a special focus on gender-based violence.
• Information sessions with key stakeholders (youth/student, teachers/professors, social work centres) including local media, CSOs, local authorities, journalists on how to identify and prevent GBV and discrimination.
• Organize training sessions for members of social work centres, local level community police and other actors on increasing knowledge on Standard Operation Procedures for Protection from Domestic Violence, according to the Istanbul Convention.

Research and analysis:

• A baseline study on prevention, gender-based violence, strengthening and/or implementation of local early warning mechanisms and provision of victim support services in Kosovo.
• A final study on prevention, gender-based violence, development and/or implementation of local early warning mechanisms and provision of victim support services in Kosovo. The outcome of the study will be shared with all stakeholders and policymakers.

Information, Communication and Advocacy:

• High-level Advocacy activities dealing with gender-based violence with key decision makers and stakeholders.
• High-level conferences involving key decision-makers and stakeholders, representatives of communities committed to human rights with a focus on protecting women from violence and abuse.