02 05 2022 - New beginning! SEEN: Gender Based Violence Against Women with Disabilities in Focus

Project duration: April of 2022 – March of 2024

Project aim: to prevent & combat GBV against women with disabilities.

Project objectives:

1. Carrying out the revision of legislation on GBV against women with disabilities in Lithuania.
2. Creating & strengthening protection & supporting mechanisms in social & mental health care services tailored for women with disabilities experiencing GBV.
3. Increasing capacities of mental health & social care service providers to address & manage GBV against women with disabilities across services.
4. Developing Coordinated Multi Agency Response (CMAR) algorithm in pilot municipalities & adopting it for nation-wide implementation.
5. Strengthening of the recognition of GBV against women with disabilities among women themself & bystanders.
6. Raising public awareness / discussions & promoting behavioral changes in supporting women with disabilities reach for help.

These objectives will be achieved by:

• Advocating for legal adjustments in national legislation, adoption of municipal-level CMAR to GBV against women with disabilities & support mechanisms in social & mental health care services for women with disabilities experiencing GBV, especially in the context of Covid-19;
• Building capacity of professionals and motivating them to eliminate prevailing stereotypes arising in the intersection of gender norms & disability which contribute to justification of all forms of GBV & effectively prevent, detect and support victims of violence who have disabilities;
• Raising awareness of women with disabilities about GBV and empowering to seek support & motivating bystanders to take active part in providing support.
• The project is implemented by the Office of the Equal Opportunities Ombudsperson, VšĮ “Nomoshiti iniciatyva” and “Mental Health Perspectives“.

Funded by the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values (CERV) Programme of the European Union (2021)