2017 – Sexual and reproductive health and rights / SGBV / Training
WHERE
Italy- Catania and Palermo
PARTNER
UNHCR Italy (UN Refugee Agency)
BACKGROUND
According to the Italian Ministry of the Interior, between January and June 2017, 73,094 migrants, mostly African, reached the Italian coasts. This population is predominantly male and with a significant percentage of Nigerian women (almost 40%). In the migration process, women are particularly vulnerable to different forms of physical and psychological trauma (exposure to conflict, torture, rape or other forms of sexual and gender-based violence) , both in refugee camps and on their way to Europe. Reception systems, however, are not always coordinated to meet the needs of violence survivors. Professionals and officials of the reception system who take care of the survivors are inadequately trained, often do not know the consequences of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) and, regarding female genital mutilation (FGM), they may be frequently unaware of its existence and fail to detect this form of violence. Furthermore, sometimes they are not able to deal with problems faced by migrants / asylum seekers / refugees (People of Concern – PoC) with a holistic, integrated, gender and culturally sensitive approach, while the recent European directives on asylum stress the importance of integrating a gender approach in the reception system and in the asylum procedures.
GOALS
General objective : to contribute to the protection and support to SGBV survivors among refugees, migrants and asylum seekers (People of concern – PoC)
Specific objective : to promote access to the existing reception/support services in Sicily for PoC who have undergone SGBV, through:
– strengthening the capacity of reception systems’ professionals and operators (personnel in the psycho-social, health, legal, juridical, cultural mediation field) to take care of victims of SGBV, including FGM, with an integrated, intercultural and gender-sensitive approach
– facilitating the establishmentof an effective referral system
– increasing migrants, asylum seekers and refugees’ awareness on health consequences of SGBV and available reception services in Catania and Palermo.
BENEFICIAIRES
– Relevant professionals and operators working in the reception systems in Catania and Palermo
– PoC survivors of sexual and gender-based violence
AIDOS ACTIVITIES
AIDOS will carry out:
1) training and awareness raising activities for reception systems’ professionals on:
identify cases of SGBV; assess the specific needs of those who have experienced it; strengthen the multisectoral services network; improve the referral system in Palermo and Catania.
2) Information activities through information materials addressed to:
– professionals in contact with the PoC ( fact sheet containing information on the basic principles to follow in the reception activity; an Operational and training tool on SGBV)
– PoC (poster including messages on SGBV, available services and how to access them; flyer in six languages mapping health, psychological and legal support services in Catania and Palermo).
EXPECTED RESULTS
For service personnel
– Awareness activities on SGBV for an improved knowledge on provision of care for PoC
– Establishment of a referral system in Catania and Palermo
For PoC
– Improved awareness on their rights and available SGBV services
– Improved access to adequate services.
WHEN
01/08/2017 – 31/12/2017
COST OF THE PROJECT
89,110 euros
WHO IS FINANCING
UNHCR Italy
Download the project’s factsheet