Reply To: Reflect and discuss: VAW prevention principles

#232501
Andisiwe
Participant

    Women and girls who participate in the programme are assisted in getting access to services such as health care and programmes to help them become financially independent. The women and girls are provided a safe space where they may seeks assistance without fear or prejudice of their safety being at further risk . The women become part of the development of the programme through training in order for them to hold their own programmes within their immediate communities. They are made aware of how valuable their feedback and inputs are throughout the programme stages.
    The programme is not exclusive to women and children in the sense that it has programme where men can be part of the discourses around violence. Through this power dynamics within relationships are exposed and solutions are explored within families. Men are made aware of how they use of violence maintains power inequalities and the consequences of gender based violence. As a result of the programs men are able to share their power over their households with their intimate partners and recognize the need for girls to have their power acknowledged as well.
    The programme welcomes women from all walks of life. The core values of the programme include acceptance of all regardless of race, gender, sexuality and disability.
    The programme has professional health care providers on standby in order to provide counselling as well as other services for the women and girls who need to be referred to such services.
    The staff in the programme undergo training before starting their work in order to ensure they recognize what challenge they may encounter while working in the programme as well as how their positionality will impact the effect they have to women and girls they come across within as well as outside the programme. They are made to reflect on their own prejudice and attitudes towards certain groups of people whether based in their sexuality or their race.