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 Carolina Wienand-Sangare
The project was launched on short notice in response to the pandemic as part of the Federal Funding Program “Together against violence against women,” initiated by the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women, and Youth (BMFSFJ). The Government responded promptly to the challenges presented by the Corona pandemic, ensuring improved accessibility and support for abused women and their children. The application deadline concluded on March 31, 2022.
Enhancing support for women in difficult situations
The “Help System 2.0” project, a recipient of the funding, is dedicated to supporting women’s shelters and specialized counseling centers in effectively navigating the digital challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. Its main focus lies in enhancing technical capabilities by providing staff with essential digital training. Moreover, the project extends its support by offering professional language mediation services to counsel women and girls affected by violence. As highlighted on the website, the pandemic exposed a critical issue: numerous women’s shelters and counseling centers faced a severe lack of basic technical resources like computers, company mobile phones, and reliable. This deficiency created significant obstacles, hindering their ability to render optimal assistance to those seeking help.
By investing in such vital initiatives, the project ensures that support services remain robust and readily available even during these challenging times. It empowers women and girls facing violence, offering them the necessary assistance and resources to help them through their difficult situations.
Photo by pch.vector from Freepik