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NEWW - Network of East-West Women

http://www.neww.org/en/news/news/1,4898,4.html

“The South Baltic Violence Free Zone”

The Network of East-West Women (NEWW), Kretinga Women’s Information and Training Center, The Women’s Shelter of Karlshamn and Blagosemya from Kaliningrad will start a two year project in May 2009 to address the problems and challenges of domestic violence specific to the South Baltic.

“All countries of the South Baltic area adopted the Platform for Action in 1995 that reflected social needs to combat violence against women” says NEWW, "But progress has been slow and not effective. When including all forms of violence against women, 45% of all women in the South Baltic area have been subjected to and suffered from men’s violence. Generally in the post communist countries in the Baltic Sea area there is no specialized budget line for the fight against violence against women and funds are not allocated for implementing social programs on the local level, there is almost no financial support of NGO’s working in the field of violence against women. ”

Therefore, one of the objectives of the project is to create a network in the South Baltic Region that would help eradicate violence against women.

Other Direct objectives of the project to eradicate domestic VAW in the South Baltic area include:

§ Raising awareness among the local communities, local authorities and the police

§ Dissemination of good practices and experiences in the field of combating domestic VAW.

§ Recognition of the fundamental barriers to women’s lives without violence

§ Preparation of common recommendations for a regional policy framework

§ Establishment of cooperation between regions and promoting multilateral cooperation

§ Development of database of organizations and institutions in combating domestic violence against women

Visit the South Baltic Programme Website

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The South Baltic Programme  is characterised by geographically large area encompassing regions from five European Union Members States. The area eligible for the Programme includes the following NUTS III units:

Poland

Szczecinski, Koszalinski, Slupski, Gdanski, Gdansk-Gdynia-Sopot sub-regions and as adjacent area : Elblaski sub-region;

Sweden

Kalmar, Blekinge, Skane Counties and as adjacent area: Kronoberg County;

Germany

Sub-regions of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern: Greifswald, Rostock, Stralsund, Wismar, Bad Doberan, Nordvorpommern, Nordwestmecklenburg, Ostvorpommern, Rügen, Uecker-Randow;

Denmark

Regional Municipality of Bornholm and as adjacent area: Zealand sub-region;

Lithuania

Klaipeda County and as adjacent area: Taurage and Telsiai Counties.

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