To alleviate the impacts of COVID-19 policies, many initiatives have been developed by civil society organisations – NGOs, local governments, or citizens. A team of national researchers from the RESISTIRÉ project has collected and highlighted a set of particularly relevant initiatives in 27 European countries and in Iceland, Serbia, the United Kingdom and Turkey. These Better Stories cover eight specific domains: gender-based violence, the labour market, the economy, gender-pay and pension gaps, gender care gaps, decision-making and politics, environmental justice, human and fundamental rights.

This Better Story was collected by Marita Zitmane

This initiative was created to help people who, due to Covid-19 restrictions, were forced to stay at home. The target group is composed of people in self-isolation, those sick with Covid-19, or those who belong to the high-risk group due to medical reasons. Additionally, the project focused on supporting vulnerable groups like ‘people with low income,’ ‘single parents,’ and ‘elderly individuals living alone.’ The primary idea was to aid those individuals who lacked the means, support, or skills to acquire necessary items while in self-isolation.

A platform connecting volunteers and people seeking help

The initiative originated at the grassroots level as a Facebook page, connecting people seeking help and volunteers willing to provide assistance. A coordination platform was established to organize activities and share information. This network was maintained through a call center, a website, and a mobile app.

A phone application to organize information

In early 2020, the project achieved recognition by securing the third place in a hackathon focused on generating support-related ideas. The objective was to launch a mobile application capable of handling a larger amount of information, enabling volunteers to make informed choices about how to contribute. This mobile app achieved significant success, promoting the idea that volunteering should not lead to burnout.

A continuous effort

Throughout 2021, the project underwent a transformation, becoming an NGO. Initially lacking prominent supporters, the initiative later gained backing from the retailer “RIMI,” who featured the initiative in their advertisements. Presently active under the name “#easytohelp,” the initiative’s focus has shifted to assisting refugees from Ukraine.

Image by pvproductions from Freepik

Find out more about the initiative

To alleviate the impacts of COVID-19 policies, many initiatives have been developed by civil society organisations – NGOs, local governments, or citizens. A team of national researchers from the RESISTIRÉ project has collected and highlighted a set of particularly relevant initiatives in 27 European countries and in Iceland, Serbia, the United Kingdom and Turkey. These Better Stories currently cover eight specific domains: gender-based violence, the labour market, the economy, gender-pay and pension gaps, gender care gaps, decision-making and politics, environmental justice, human and fundamental rights.

This Better Story was collected by Marita Zitmane.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children’s and families’ emotional well-being and mental health

The COVID-19 pandemic and associated safety measures to control infections and morbidity – such as physical distancing, strict assembly restrictions, and remote learning – had an impact on children’s and families’ emotional well-being and mental health, as well as pupils’ learning outcomes and high workloads. The impact has been especially pronounced for many parents who have combined work with childcare. In turn, educators and heads of educational institutions have had to adapt to the established restrictions for a long time, changing their daily rhythm and habits and looking for optimal solutions to adapt to the learning process within the existing restrictions, as well as organising and providing support to learners. The target groups were schoolchildren and schoolteachers as well as parents of children in need of psycho-emotional support.

Summer camps and mental heal promotion activities for children and youth

The Latvian government implemented a three-pronged policy measure designed to provide relief to youth, parents, and teachers from the emotional and educational hardships caused by COVID-19. While one branch was focused on the well-being of teachers, the other two focused on youth.

One of the proposed ways to mitigate the effects of the crisis was to ensure the availability of children’s and youth camps during the summer, which would support both children and young people, as well as their parents, in acquiring skills and competences. In total, it was meant to provide opportunities for approximately 23,100 children and young people to participate in the camps, primarily promoting the involvement of children and young people from social risk groups (i.e., socially disadvantaged families with low incomes).

Mental health promotion activities at school also aimed at involving young people and strengthening young people’s competences with regard to taking care of their mental health.

Photo by Artem Kniaz on Unsplash

To alleviate the impacts of COVID-19 policies, many initiatives have been developed by civil society organisations – NGOs, local governments, or citizens. A team of national researchers from the RESISTIRÉ project has collected and highlighted a set of particularly relevant initiatives in 27 European countries and in Iceland, Serbia, the United Kingdom and Turkey. The initiatives currently cover eight specific domains: gender-based violence, the labour market, the economy, gender-pay and pension gaps, gender care gaps, decision-making and politics, environmental justice, human and fundamental rights.

A step in the right direction

During the pandemic in 2020, Latvia, which hasn’t ratified the Istanbul Convention, passed a series of laws that would bring more protection to survivors. This was partly brought about because of strong campaigning and organizing of women’s rights groups, as well as a more favorable government. The measures include: 

• Survivors can now apply to court without having to provide evidence and are given protection quite fast (usually within 24 hours).  
• Even if the property belongs to the perpetrator, the police remove them for up to 1 month (sometimes even up to 3 months).  
• Survivors can apply to any court, anywhere in the country (does not have to be the local court, which sometimes is not safe; thereby undermining perpetrators from intervening)  
• Police can now send information to social services so that survivors get support (was made possible with change in the Police Law)  
• Police can now initiate criminal process without the consent of the survivor  
• Police can also initiate a temporary protection order without the consent of the survivor when they respond to emergency calls  

Two additional measures have been taken since. In 2021, prostituted and trafficked persons can no longer be punished for their activities. Additionally, since July 2021, the courts can issue a “mandatory rehabilitation programme” for perpetrators. Perpetrators have to pay for this programme (10% of the price if they register on time, 100% if they register too late)

Photo by Ivars Utināns on Unsplash

To alleviate the impacts of COVID-19 policies, many initiatives have been developed by civil society organisations – NGOs, local governments, or citizens. A team of national researchers from the RESISTIRÉ project has collected and highlighted a set of particularly relevant initiatives in 27 European countries and in Iceland, Serbia, the United Kingdom and Turkey. These Better Stories currently cover eight specific domains: gender-based violence, the labour market, the economy, gender-pay and pension gaps, gender care gaps, decision-making and politics, environmental justice, human and fundamental rights.

This Better Story was collected by Marita Zitmane

Medical staff has been working long hours in difficult conditions for almost a year. Many doctors are burnt out or close to a burnout, as they are both physically and mentally depleted.

The aim of this initiative is to support medical staff in Latvia during the Covid-19 crisis. To do so, donations are collected, and the money is used to provide three days of free rest for burnt out doctors in some of the most beautiful places in Latvia.

The target audience is medical staff, mostly composed of women. Thus, this initiative addresses the gender care gap, providing means to sustain physical and mental health by allowing them to take a three-day break.

The campaign has a positive effect not only on busy medical staff, but also on the tourism industry, which has been hit hard by the restrictions imposed during the pandemic.

So far, €23,100 have been donated. Representatives of the hospitality industry are also invited to take part in the campaign, offering supportive accommodation conditions to medical staff.

The main promoter of this initiative is Hospiss LV, a non-governmental organisation aiming to emphasise the importance of palliative care services so that patients can spend the last days in pleasant conditions, under the supervision of professional staff.

Find out more about the initiative

To alleviate the impacts of COVID-19 policies, many initiatives have been developed by civil society organisations – NGOs, local governments, or citizens. A team of national researchers from the RESISTIRÉ project has collected and highlighted a set of particularly relevant initiatives in 27 European countries and in Iceland, Serbia, the United Kingdom and Turkey. The initiatives currently cover eight specific domains: gender-based violence, the labour market, the economy, gender-pay and pension gaps, gender care gaps, decision-making and politics, environmental justice, human and fundamental rights.

Sexual and reproductive health education for the youth brings many benefits, including prevention of gender-based violence

Young people often receive confusing and conflicting information about relationships and sex; a lack of high-quality, age-appropriate and reliable information on such topics can lead to confusion, and can lead to serious risks for the physical and mental wellbeing of the youth. Providing adolescents with reliable information on sexual and reproductive health prepares them for a safe and fulfilling life, empowering them to make informed decisions about their relationships and sexuality.

Educating the youth on how to lead a safe and respectful reproductive means reducing early and unintended pregnancies, preventing diseases and gender-based violence, because it provides an opportunity to present sexuality emphasizing values such as respect, inclusion, non-discrimination, equality, empathy, responsibility, and reciprocity.

During movement restrictions due to COVID-19, the Latvian NGO Papardes Zieds offered video and online lessons on sexual and reproductive health

In order to answer the youth’s questions about sexual and reproductive health during the declared state of emergency and related restrictions, the association “Papardes zieds” developed a series of educational videos and online classes. The educational material focused on providing information regarding the changes in the body during puberty, but also on emotional and physical safety, suggesting ways to develop respectful, safe and responsible relationships. The target group of the initiative is teens and adolescents, as well as parents and schoolteachers.

The association “Papardes zieds” is a voluntary public benefit organization founded in 1994. One of the largest non-governmental organizations in Latvia, they have successfully worked in the field of reproductive health and rights for many years. Their mission is to ensure that the sexual and reproductive rights of every person are implemented in Latvia, that everyone has access to quality services, and that choices are made on the basis of high-quality information.

Some of the educational materials, which have been developed by the organisation with their own funds, are available online and free of charge; attending the online classes, on the other hand, requires the payment of a fee.

Read more on the Papardes Zieds website