Worldwide systematic approach to tackling violence against women

(The Hague, 10 December 2014 – Human rights day) Having held conferences in Canada and the United States, The Global Network of Women’s Shelters (GNWS) has asked the Netherlands to organise the 3rd World Conference of Women’s Shelters in 2015. Women’s Shelters the Netherlands, the Dutch government and the municipality of The Hague have taken up this invitation with much enthusiasm. From 3 to 6 November 2015, the world conference will take place in the World Forum in The Hague.

1 in 3 women across the globe will be a victim of violence
Violence against women and girls may well form the most substantial and permanent breach of human rights of our times. Worldwide, 1 in 3 women will become victims of violence. The uneven power relationship and economic inequality between men and women are usually the root cause. “The aim of the Global Network of Women’s Shelters is to create a world where women and their children are free from violence and discrimination and are able not only to gain knowledge but also have the freedom to use that knowledge to shape their own lives”, says Bandana Rana, chair of the Global Network of Women’s Shelters.

The Hague: international city of peace and (woman) rights
In order to strengthen the position of the Global Network of Women’s Shelters, the GNWS is basing its administrative headquarters in The Hague; the international city of peace and (women’s) rights. Mayor Jozias van Aartsen is delighted that the GNWS has chosen his city: “GNWS could not have chosen a better place. The rights of women and children are on the agenda in The Hague on a daily basis, where intergovernmental and non-governmental organisations are working to create a better world. For that reason, we also wholeheartedly welcome the GNWS headquarters to our international city of peace and justice.”

Alliance with industry
With its world conference, the GNWS would like to strengthen its existing network of women’s shelters and connect with other NGOs, governments and industry. Industry, in particular, forms an important link in the fight against violence. Employers can offer women from shelters a ‘safe’ place to work and strengthen the economic position of these women so that a relapse is avoided.

About the conference
The 3rd World Conference has positive responses from key UN Agencies – including UN Women and UNFPA – to partner in this initiative. The World Conference offers a forum for 1,500 to 2,000 employees from shelters and grass-root organisations across the world. It also offers a stage to several leading world citizens and international representatives to make a collective effort to eliminate violence against women and girls. From 10 December, participants can enroll for the conference via the intention registration system on the website: WorldShelterConference.org

About the Global Network of Women’s Shelters
The Global Network of Women’s Shelters (GNWS) is a global voice for survivors and the shelters that serve them. GNWS was founded in 2009 to unite and strengthen the women’s shelter movement globally in terms of bringing an end to violence against women and their children. GNWS is an active global network, united by a shared vision for an equal world where women and children live free from violence. We work to ensure global awareness of violence against women and children; support and strengthen the women’s shelter movement; promote effective policies and their implementation in order to prevent violence and protect and empower women and children; and promote social change that ends violence and oppression against women and children. GNWS encourages membership applications from shelters and other organisations working to create safe spaces for women, such as women’s shelters, refuges, safe homes, transition homes, and anti-violence centres. All member organisations must adhere to GNWS’ guiding principles, vision, and purpose.

About Federatie Opvang
Federatie Opvang is the umbrella organisation of the shelters in the Netherlands, fulfilling a leading role in providing lobbying and advocacy on behalf of its members. Federatie Opvang and its members have extensive expertise regarding violence against women, domestic violence, honour related violence, trafficking in human beings, and violence in dependency relationships.

WOMEN’S Aid Organisation, Malaysia (http://www.wao.org.my/) launched a nationwide public education programme called #NoExcuseForAbuse to raise awareness on domestic violence in March.

Through this campaign, they targeted the earlier phase of domestic abuse before it snowballs. Especially, they were reaching out to those who are in doubt, who are questioning whether things are going right in their relationships.

There were four parts to the campaign, including an installation art exhibition, pledge of support, SMS helpline and radio public service announcements.

In conjunction with International Women’s Day, the exhibition features a display of blouses with hand-stitched words representing the voices of survivors

They also launched an SMS helpline called TINA (Think I Need Aid) and details were included on each of the blouses.

TINA was created to reach out to victims of abuse who may not want to make phone calls and feel more comfortable sending a text message as there was more anonymity.

During the event, #NoExcuseForAbuse T-shirts were given out to the public.

Speakers at panel “Asia-Pacific Shelters: Going the Second Mile with Advocacy and Service Work”: from left Julie Oberin, Margaret Augerinos, Zoe Chi, Bandana Rana, Kristen Liu, Anthony Carlisle. (Not pictured: Alena Victor)

The Asian Network of Women’s Shelters and the Oceania Network of Women’s Shelters held a forum at the United Nation’s Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) on the topic of “Asia-Pacific Shelters: Going the Second Mile with Advocacy and Service Work” early in the morning on Monday, March 10, 2014.

The speakers were Bandana Rana, President of Saathi, Nepal and Chair of the Global Network of Women’s Shelters; Anthony Carlisle, International Affairs Supervisor at the Garden of Hope Foundation, Taiwan (which is the secretariat of ANWS); Kristen Liu, Executive Director of Garden of Hope New York; Alena Victor, Assistant Director of Shelters at the New York Asian Women’s Center; Margaret Augerinos, CEO, Centre for Non-Violence, Australia; Julie Oberin, CEO of the Annie North Women’s Refuge, Australia; and Ivy Josiah, Executive Director, Women’s Aid Organisation, Malaysia. The meeting was moderated by Chi Hui-Jung, CEO of the Garden of Hope Foundation, Taiwan and chair of ANWS.
The Asia-Pacific is the most diverse region in the world. Differences in shelter services are as wide as the cultural and economic divides. Some countries do not have the legal framework to protect women from domestic violence (DV) let alone the welfare structure to provide sufficient shelter support; while other countries are working on better shelter management and follow-up services.

The panelists discussed the current status of women’s shelters in the Asia-Pacific, looking at issues such as the link between advocacy and shelter work in South Asia, support services to help survivors become economically empowered in North Asia, and resources and services for Asian migrant women in New York. Continue reading →

Establishment of Asian Network of Women’s Shelter

Almost 200 hundred delegates participated in the 2013 Asian Conference of Women’s Shelters organized in Kaohsiung from December 2 – 3, 2013, where the establishment of the Asian Network of Women’s Shelters was announced. The overseas delegates were from 11 countries (including Japan, Singapore, Nepal, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, etc.) The Garden of Hope Foundation hosted the 2013 Asian Conference of Women’s Shelters. In addition to discussing the situation of shelters (in terms of advocacy, services, policies etc.), different needs of battered women in the process of their life reconstruction was discussed.

From the survey conducted by Global Network of Women’s Shelters (GNWS) of more than 44 countries and 121 shelters, it is found that 8,148 women worldwide were turned away from shelters due to lack of resources, 77% of shelters do not have enough government funding, 68% lack financial security, 68% of shelters are forced to operate shelters giving low wages to employees, 50% of shelters cannot find professional staff, while 25% of shelters use volunteers who are committed to maintaining the shelter. In current situations, many shelters face challenges in sustaining long-term! Continue reading →