Empowerment
The term “to empower” means to enable someone to do or achieve something. For the work of medica mondiale and its partner organisations, this means: women and girls in war and crisis zones are enabled and encouraged to identify and expand their own room for manoeuvre, to exert influence on the shift in the balance of power in society and thus to improve their future life situation.
Strengthening women affected by violence
Empowerment of women can take place at various levels. The formation of women’s networks can help to overcome the isolation of traumatised women within their families and society. Access to training measures and opportunities to earn their own income enable women to develop their vocation and to gain financial independence. Specifically feminist advocacy work can also help to strengthen the self-confidence of survivors of sexualised violence because of its impacts on the broader social conditions they live in.