Sustainability
Sexualised violence and traumatisation in war have far-reaching consequences for the individual woman, for family systems and society as a whole. In the face of the profoundness and seriousness of the injury suffered, coming to terms with and integrating these traumatic experiences is a long process. Many women do not seek help until it is very late because they fear being stigmatised. The taboo around sexualised wartime violence often needs to be removed at the societal level before individual healing processes can have their full impact.
medica mondiale provides long-term, targeted support for the work of local and regional women’s rights organisations. Strong and committed local women’s rights defenders are necessary in order to ensure ongoing advocacy for and upholding of the rights of women and girls. Training courses raise awareness of the topic of ‘sexualised violence and trauma‘ among various professional groups, and train-the-trainer programs ensure this will also be on offer in future.
The empowerment of women and girls and the formation of women’s networks help to make the projects sustainable. Lasting impacts are also achieved by raising awareness in society of the need for ongoing support for affected women and by initiating social changes that lead toward greater gender justice.
