Overall targets
Domestic violence is reduced and prevented in Hebron and Bethlehem and the rights of violence survivors are protected through a family law
Immediate targets
: a) to continue RWDS prevention and protection work in six new rural areas (in the governorates of Bethlehem and Hebron, where RWSD is already making good progress). b) To establish a more systematic data collection system from these rural areas, in order to improve data on the extend and dynamics of domestic violence. C) To use the data from rural areas to scale up advocacy initiatives to push for the adoption of a family protection law in cooperation with Al-Muntada.
Target groups
Primary target groups: WOMEN: 180 women will take part in awareness raising workshops. 180 women will be part of support groups/group counselling. 240 women will receive individual counselling. FATHERS: 210 fathers will be reached through group sessions and dialogue meetings. CHILDREN: 960 children (grades 9-10) will be reached through activities at 12 schools. 20 children and their mothers will become part of a family support group as a pilot initiative. Secondary target groups: RWDS field staff and volunteers will be strengthened organisationally and professionally. At least 30 male social workers will be trained on the BABA approach to working with fathers. The Al Muntada network will be strengthened in their advocacy efforts. Duty bearers, including Ministry of Education and other relevant decision makers such as Ministry of Social Affairs, Ministry of Women’s Affairs, Palestinian Authorities’ police force, shelter representatives, shelter staff and other women’s rights organisations and networks will be targeted as part of the project's advocacy efforts.
Resume
More than 25 % of all Palestinian women experience violence from family members and intimate partners. However, in Palestine there are no laws criminalizing domestic violence, which means that survivors of domestic violence remain unprotected. With only three shelters and 8-9 safe spaces in the country, rural Palestinian women, who are subjected to violence at home, have only few escape options. Since 2017, Rural Women's Development Society (RWDS) and Danner have partnered to support women survivors of domestic violence in Palestine through RWDS' women's clubs and to address gender norms that reproduce VAW. This proposal will further develop RWDS' support to violence survivors and build bridge between strategic services and advocacy by collecting quantitative and qualitative data on VAW in rural areas. With new data on VAW in rural areas, RWDS - in cooperation with the women's rights network Al-Muntada - will advocate for the adoption of a family law that protects survivors of VAW.