Natalia Kotulakova, from Slovakia's Norway Grants’ gender-based violence and domestic violence programme, shared the experiences of two projects addressing violence against women at a recent conference of the SYNERGY Network against Gender-based and Domestic Violence.
The "Various ways to equality" project in Slovakia has concentrated on prevention and educational activities in primary and secondary schools and through infotainment campaigns. The coordinating NGO MyMamy, which runs a women’s safe house for victims of violence against women, sees prevention as key. "They firmly believe that gender inequality and negative gender stereotypes are the main causes of [domestic violence]," explains Ms Kotulakova, who elaborates: "It is important to raise awareness about this topic, especially in eastern Slovakia.”
Ms Kotulakova also spoke to the SYNERGY Network about a second project in Slovakia under the same programme. The "Women´s rights are human rights“ project by the civic organisation Woman in Need works to strengthen gender equality through workshops and talks for primary and secondary school students, mostly from Roma communities. "Slovakia remains a country where women's role in the family and in society is still based on gender stereotypes, and the progress towards the equal treatment of women is generally slow,” explains Ms Kotulakova.
As an international partner organisation in the EEA and Norway Grants' gender-based and domestic violence programme in Slovakia, the Council of Europe gender equality division provides technical advice, supports programme development, and promotes adherence to European standards, in particular the Istanbul Convention. By doing so, it strengthens the programme and provides guidance to Slovak authorities and civil society organisations. The Council of Europe also plays a key role within the SYNERGY Network, which reaches out to the 14 beneficiaries of the Norway Grants as well as donor countries.
See more:
“Women's rights are human rights”. SYNERGY Network Project Story
"Combatting gender stereotypes in Slovakia". SYNERGY Network Project Story
