GAMS BELGIUM PROJECT
WE-ACCESS.EU
The ACCESS project aims to improve prevention, protection and support for migrant women in Europe who are confronted with different types of gender-based violence. It is coordinated by GAMS Belgium, in partnership with FORWARD UK and Médicos del Mundo Spain.
Violence against migrant women
Migrant women are confronted with a continuum of gender-based violence. It includes female genital mutilation but also sexual violence, domestic violence, human trafficking, amongst others. The law is meant to protect them. But it is sometimes impossible for them to get help.
Campaign: let’s end silence on VAWG!
The ACCESS awareness campagne, launched on 21 November 2019, was named “ACCESS, let’s end silence on violence against migrant women!“.
- 4 videos in different languages to affected women to recognise violence
- 1 mapping of support services to find adequate support
- 1 online chat to end the silence
- Double-sided posters to raise awareness
Training peer educators
Peer educators are volunteers who were trained about different types of gender-based violence. They are able to listen to and orient affected persons through an online platform, to raise awareness among their community and to support frontline professionals.
- Read Idil’s experience as an ACCESS peer educator!
- Read who is behind the ACCESS chat screen
Training professionals
Access to support services is essential, but these services must provide appropriate support. 150 front-line professionals (per country) have therefore been trained in the care of migrant women facing GBV.
Standards for Community-Based Services for Migrant Women and Girls affected by GBV
ACCESS partners have developped a poster that lists seven “standards” that services can follow in order to provide appropriate and holistic support to migrant women facing GBV. By displaying the new community services poster in their premises, organisations state that they are meeting the standards of community support for the women affected.
Advocacy at national and european level
In November and December 2020, GAMS Belgium organised three online conferences for organisations and institutions active in the fight against gender-based violence against migrant women in French- and Dutch-speaking Belgium, as well as at European level.
During these conferences, recommendations were made to the Belgian government and the European institutions to ensure the prevention and support of migrant women facing violence.
Watch the webinars:
European level
French Belgium Level
Flamish Belgium Level
Project stakeholders
The ACCESS project is coordinated by GAMS Belgium, in partnership with FORWARD UK and Médicos del Mundo Spain. It is co-funded by the Wallonia-Brussels Federation and Equals.brussels Programme of the European Union.
* The acronym “ACCESS” refers to Appropriate Community-Based Care and Empowering Support Services.
