Partners

On 1 July 2009, 8 women organizations came together and finalized a long fruitful collaboration with the creation of the Network named “Albanian Women Empowering Network” (AWEN). The establishment of this network became a necessity in order to strengthen the cooperation among these organizations, to increase the impact of the joint interventions and initiatives. Now, AWEN is a formally registered network (since 2011) that consists of 10 organizations located in 7 districts of Albania from North to South, where 2/3 of the Albanian Population lives.

The Albanian Women Empowering Network

The Albanian Women Empowering Network works in the field of protection of human rights, in particular of the rights of women and girls. The mission of “Albanian Women’s Empowerment Network is to support, protect and promote the rights and interests of women and girls in the Republic of Albania, regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, language, origin, education, political beliefs, religious and philosophical beliefs or social - economic status. As a network, the mission is fulfilled through exchange of experiences and information, joint actions, partnering and networking among member organizations but not only, as well as lobbying and advocacy at local and central level. While AWEN plays an important role in fund raising on behalf of its members, it’s member organizations offer support to girls and women in need (with special focus on women victims of DV & trafficking) overall Albania, consisting in psycho-social advice and support, legal support, sheltering, re/integration services (education, professional formation, mediation for employment, housing, etc).

AWEN’s member NGOs are:

  1. “Gender Alliance for Development Centre”, Tirana
  2. “Association of Women and Girls with Social Problems”, Durres
  3. “Me, the Woman”, Pogradec
  4. “Agritra Vision”, Peshkopi
  5. “Woman to Woman”, Shkodra
  6. “Woman’s Forum”, Elbasan
  7. “The Psycho – Social Centre “Vatra”, Vlora
  8. “Jona” Association, Saranda
  9. “Counseling Line for Girls and Women”, Tirana
  10. “Center for Civic and Legal Initiatives”, Tirana

Contact:

Executive Director: Ines Leskaj
Address: ”Vaso Pasha” Str, B.16/1, 2nd floor, Tirana
info@awenetwork.org
www.awenetwork.org
Fb: www.facebook.com/AwenAlbanianWomenEmpowermentNetwork

The Gender Alliance for Development Centre (GADC) is an Albanian non-profit organization operating all over Albania. GADC is a voice for Albanian women and a force for change. Our organization works to empower women and to create an equal and just future for low-income girls and women to get out of poverty and exclusion all over Albania. In order to stand up for the women’s rights and to empower them, GADC raises funds in Albania as well as internationally.

GADC‘s main thematic areas of expertise lie in: • Building peace and ending gender-based violence • Ensuring women’s economic empowerment; Women’s Entrepreneurship • Empower citizens to monitor local gender agenda • Expanding women’s participation in politics and decision making • Advancing women’s rights in rural areas

History

Established in 1994 as the Women’s Center, GADC is a non-partisan non-profit organization with over 20 years of experience in research, public education, capacity development assistance, monitoring, and advocacy. GADC promotes democratic development and good governance with special focus on gender equity and social inclusion. GADC is a leading CSO in Albania and in South East Europe recognized for its role in introducing crucial issues regarding women’s rights and social inclusion, such as gender-based violence and trafficking in persons, or economic empowerment of vulnerable groups, and advocating for key legislation and policies, such as the The Gender Equality Law, the Law “On measures against domestic violence in family relations” and the introduction of gender budgeting at the local and central government level, that have brought about significant improvement in addressing gender inequality and social exclusion of vulnerable groups in the country. Since its beginnings, GADC has implemented more than 100 projects that have affected the lives of thousands of beneficiaries throughout Albania.

Mission

GADC’s mission is to promote real and effective equality between women and men in all spheres of public and private life, across Albania.

Vision and values

GADC is committed to a vision of Albanian women and men having equal rights and equal access to opportunities, as well as full enjoyment of their personal integrity and choice. GADC works to empower women to move from one level of achievement to the next into a peaceful and respectful environment.
The mission of GADC is achieved through: collecting and processing opinions and views of groups that benefit from the planning, implementation and evaluation of different projects; raising the awareness of different groups on gender issues; addressing problems that Albanian women face in different areas, such as: poverty, low participation in decision-making, domestic violence, trafficking, low access for information, etc; gathering, processing and distributing information on social issues; consolidating the network of collaborators all over Albania; studying social problems from a gender perspective; promoting and supporting women participation in decision-making; increasing the beneficiaries’ number (organizations and individuals) through expanding and improving services provided.

General Information

Name of the organization (in English): Gender Alliance for Development Centre
Name of the organization (in original language): Qendra Aleanca Gjinore për Zhvillim
Address: Rr.”Abdyl Frasheri”, p10./1, shk.1, ap.3, Tirana, Albania
Phone: ++ 355 4 2 25 55 14; Mob.:++ 355 (0) 68 20 59 301;
E-mail address: marqimandriti@gadc.org.al; gadc@gadc.org.al
Web Page: www.gadc.org.al;
Facebook: Gender Alliance for Development Centre
The court registration number: 102, June 27, 1995
Represented by: Mirela Arqimandriti – Executive Director
Foundation United Women Banja Luka is a grassroots NGO with more than 20 years of experience in providing direct assistance and support to women and children survivors of violence, and advocating for improving legislation, public policies, and practice in improving women’s human rights and gender equality through two key programs: prevention and combating gender based violence and strengthening the role of women in public and political life. At Foundation United Women Banja Luka we gather an in-house team of experienced lawyers, legal analysts, social workers, psychologists, and conduct continuous action-oriented research, monitoring, public advocacy, initiatives for changing laws and public policies in the area of women’s rights and gender equality. We contribute to improved public dialogue with the key parliamentary mechanisms on gender equality and human rights through common actions with other women’s and human rights civil society organisations throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina. Foundation United Women Banja Luka provides support and assistance to women victims of violence through free legal and psycho-social assistance, SOS telephone, and a safe house, and so far has provided direct assistance and support to more than 8000 women and children. We advocate for public budget support of safe houses for women and children survivors of violence, a comprehensive legal and public policy framework for protection of women’s rights in public and private sphere, and strengthening penalty policy for criminal offences of gender-based violence. Foundation United Women Banja Luka contributes to shadow reporting on CEDAW implementation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, with focus on the issue of violence against women. Among founding members of the Bosnia and Herzegovina Women’s Network, Bosnia and Herzegovina Safe Network, and RING NGO Anti-trafficking Network in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Contact: Address: Kalemegdanska 18, 78000 Banja Luka Bosnia and Herzegovina Telephone/fax: 051 463 143 Telephone: 051 462 146 E-mail: office@unitedwomenbl.org Web: http://www.unitedwomenbl.org
The Women’s Wellness Center (WWC) started working in November 1999 in collaboration with women from local community to provide a safe and confidential environment in which women may obtain counseling, reproductive health and sexual gender-based violence education, referrals and / or direct assistance related to identified health, social, educational, psychological, legal, and social needs. The mission of Women Wellness Center is to empower women, aiming at economic and social prosperity. We support and contribute to reducing domestic violence, cultivating understanding, inter-ethnic tolerance and gender equality. The Women's Wellness Center covers five municipalities of the Western Kosovo Peja, Deçan, Klina, Istog and Junik Municipalities Program activities have included both urban and rural areas targeting directly and indirectly around 300,000 residents. The main activity of Women Wellness Center is to provide safe place and psychological support for women and children victims of domestic violence across Western Kosovo through an integrated and coordinated approach with other relevant stakeholders and duty bearers. Accordingly, to the women’s need, the Women Wellness Center provides the following services for victims: fresh food, clothing, toiletries and necessary items according to identified needs, as the immediate assistance. Individual and group therapy, victims will be able to recuperate themselves from feelings of anxiety and depression and become prepared for facing and coping with stressful life events. Along with basic needs, we provide psycho social therapies, medical and legal support and other activities such as guided discussions and materials about violence against women’s, about domestic violence, reproductive health seminars, and self-esteem and awareness building exercises, as well as other entertaining/recreational and educational activities such as: multi-lingual books and magazines, computer classes, knitting, sewing, crafts, art projects, and cooking. Contact : Ardita Ramizi Bala Women Wellness Center 30000 Peje/Kosove 049223543 www.qmg-ks.com
SOS Hotline for Women and Children Victims of Violence Niksic is an autonomous, local, NGO founded in 1998, with the aim to combat gender based violence and discrimination. Our mission is to foster positive development and implementation of capacities of women and children, reaching their full potential in family and society by tackling enhancement and protection of women and children’s rights. We advocate for stronger prevention, protection and prosecution of violence against women and provide free specialized support services for women and children survivors of violence through a program for the protection of women and children from male violence. Our strategic objective is to provide comprehensive and on-going specialized service to women survivors of violence through the National SOS Helpline, accommodation and food, emergency transportation, crisis intervention, individual and group counselling. The organization has implemented more than 100 projects. Our contacts: Name: SOS Hotline for Women and Children Victims of Violence Niksic Adress: Vuka Karadzica 97, 81400 Niksic, Montenegro phone: +382 40 213 086 website: www.sosnk.org niksicsos@gmail.com
The National Network to End Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence was formed on 7th December 2010 by twenty civil society organisations (CSOs) that work on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence. In the following year we functioned as a non-formal network until the 16th of December 2011, when we officially registered as legal entity. The mission of the Network is to achieve coordinated action of CSO’s towards advancing policies and practices in combating violence against women and domestic violence. The network aims for recognition of women’s human rights and their promotion in the Republic of North Macedonia. The vision of the network is to create a society free of violence, in which women can fully develop their potentials and actively participate in creating communities of equal opportunities. The Network member organizations are different sizes, spanning from small grassroots organizations to larger organizations working at the national level. Our members are of various ethnic backgrounds and provide support to women belonging to all ethnic groups, regardless of their socio-economic status. Our approach to violence against women and domestic violence is based on recognition and protection of women’s human rights in line with relevant international conventions and declarations; using the gender-sensitive approach to violence against women and domestic violence; condemning any kind of gender based violence because there is no justification for any form of violence against women, including domestic violence; advocating for victims’ interests; using an approach based on functional practices; showing solidarity and cooperation among member-organizations and transparency of the work of the network.
Association Fenomena is established for an indeterminate amount of time as a non-party, non-governmental and a non-profit association aimed at achievement of objectives in the area of: gender equality issues, environmental issues and issues of social entrepreneurship. Fenomena’s mission is to encourage social change through promotion of the integral development concept and outreach to different target groups and organizations (public and private) on local, national and regional level. Fenomena pays special attention to the principle of equal opportunities and inclusion of vulnerable and/or multiple discriminated groups – youth, Roma population, disabled persons, single parents, LGBTIQA population, persons of different geographic origin, especially rural, persons of different age, internally displaced persons and refugees, with the special focus on inclusion of women and girls from above mentioned groups. The organization's aims are achieved through several programs. The programs are: 1. anti-violence center - advocacy for policy improvements regarding suppression of domestic violence, prevention work with youth and support to domestic violence survivors. 2. gender mainstreaming and equal opportunities program - dedicated to research/data/arguments collection and policy improvements advocacy. 3. social entrepreneurship - newest program dedicated to providing organizational independence and sustainability in achieving organizational primary goals; the program is located within the sustainable agriculture framework. The examples of the anti-violence center’s impact during its ten years of existence in Serbia are following: besides continuous influence at the policy level, the SOS helpline service made about 5000 consultations (SOS helpline emotional support consultations, legal consultations, representation of beneficiaries in front of state institutions); 30 beneficiaries attended the self-help groups support program; 40 consultants are trained to work at SOS helpline; about 200 public servants have been sensitized regarding domestic violence suppression (security sector, health professionals, and local self-government representatives); 80 public social servants are trained to facilitate self-help groups according to Fenomena's officially accredited training program based on 'The Power to Change' European methodology; 60 high-school pupils/girls attended the gender-based violence prevention programs. Fenomena puts a great deal of attention to wide stakeholder's outreach, to the training of stakeholders and to networking. Therefore, we have officially accredited two training programs at the Republic Social Protection Institute - one is the abovementioned 'The Power to Change' training for self-help groups facilitators and the second is the 'Training for work at SOS helpline according to Serbian legislation requirements' (accreditation expected in the first quarter of 2018). Furthermore, Fenomena is the coordinating organization of the South-Western Women Against Violence Network in Serbia - SW WAVN, and the focal point for the Women Against Violence Europe - WAVE.
The Mor Çatı Women’s Shelter – Foundation Mor Çatı Kadın Sığınağı Vakfı – was established in 1990 by feminists in order to combat violence against women. At Mor Çatı, the work against male violence is grounded in feminist principles, aiming for women to be able to build lives unhindered by gender-based discrimination and male violence under free and equal conditions. Male violence is understood to be rooted in existing inequalities between men and women, which must be dismantled by fostering women’s solidarity. For this reason, the social work in the solidarity center and shelter is geared towards empowering women. In addition to engaging in one-to-one solidarity with women, Mor Çatı monitors and reports on the implementation of national and international conventions, laws, and regulations as well as making policy recommendations to decision-makers in order to eradicate violence and achieve gender equality. Mor Çatı holds workshops with women’s organizations, civil society organizations (NGOs), bar associations and municipalities active in combating violence in order to share information and experiences in the field. Mor Çatı strives for women to be able to lead free and independent lives, targeting the patriarchy through campaigns and actions in collaboration with national and international women’s organizations. https://en.morcati.org.tr/ | Facebook: @MorCatiVakfi | Twitter : @morcativakfi | Instagram: morcati_vakfi
CSSP Civil Society Strengthening PlatformGDPR Cookie Consent with Real Cookie Banner