Representatives of IZ KRUGA VOJVODINA, Ivana Zelic and Suzana Belos, participated in Forum European Networks against Violence against Women (WAVE) on February 3, 2022. Forum brought together over 40 members of the Network from different European countries in order to exchange information on its functioning and ways of improvement.
The forum was in three sessions. In the first session the participants dealt with the issues of membership in the WAVE network, expectations from the Network and ways to involve new members in its work. The participants think that the importance of the WAVE network is that it brings together different organizations that interconnect, exchange information, ideas, experience and build relationships among organizations from various countries.
In session number two participants discussed the accessibility of the WAVE network to old and new members and the visibility of each organization within the Network. They concluded that it is necessary to work on the visibility of women from marginalized groups, for example, migrants and women with disabilities. Women with disabilities are not sufficiently visible and represented in the work of the Network and in order to change that, it is important to work on creating an accessible environment (conferences and other network events translated into sign language, provide audio materials).
In the third session, the discussion was about the issues WAVE should address in 2022. and on developing joined strategies for solving them. A few questions were launched: issues of working with perpetrators of violence, funding of women’s NGOs from smaller local communities, visibility of organizations that provide support to women with experience of violence, establishing a single database of specialized support services in Europe.
At the end of the Forum the participants were introduced to a new part of the site for members of the WAVE members Only Section which will enable the rapprochement of members and the exchange of knowledge.
