The project arose out of the need for providing a safe place for female victims of violence who wish to report the violence and receive support in the Sarajevo Canton.
They need the information on what they can do, how they can help themselves, how they can protect themselves and their children, within an atmosphere, which allows for their personal data and confessions to be protected.
The experience of the FLD in the prevention and protection from gender-based violence so far indicates that services provided to women seeking help, as victims of violence have not always been provided in accordance with the principle of comprehensive protection.
In order to remedy this situation, it is necessary to provide victims with comprehensive psychological, legal and social support services, including counselling for those at risk of violence. In addition, it is necessary to strengthen public services such as the healthcare system (which showed structural weaknesses when it comes to approaching gender-based violence) and vocational guidance services which train female victims of violence to adapt to the labour market changes.
Beneficiaries of the project: woman victims of gender-based violence (domestic violence, war rape), single mothers and socially marginalized women.
In addition to this, the project focuses on strengthening the collaboration among non-governmental organizations, as well as the collaboration between the government and NGOs.
Within the framework of the project, through the establishment of the first women’s centre in Sarajevo, we will enable the exercise of rights, protection of the integrity, dignity, health and restoration of the women’s’ self-confidence, and thus enable them to break free from the cycle of violence through free information services, counselling, psychosocial support and legal counselling services.
The project will also create more comprehensive health care services along with greater access to health care for female victims of violence in the Sarajevo Canton. In addition to this, we will undertake activities in order to prevent and raise awareness on gender-based violence among citizens, especially within the teenage population.