The final conference of the IOM project PROTECT – Preventing sexual and gender-based violence against migrants and strengthening support to victims, took place in Zagreb, Croatia on 21 January 2020.

Conference was attended by the representatives of the 12 project countries (Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Slovenia, Spain) as well as the members of the NGO partners: Legebitra (Slovenia), Le monde selon les femmes abl (Belgium), Fundación EMET Arco Iris, Asociación Rumiñahui, Movimiento por la Paz (Spain), Arq Psychotrauma Expert Groep, Rutgers, andPharos (Netherlands).

The agenda of the whole day event was consisted according to the overall objective of the PROTECT: Strengthening the capacities of existing national support services for sexual and gender based violence to coordinate better and make these systems available for refugee, migrant and asylum seeker victims and potential victims of SGBV. The project also aimed to raise awareness among and empower these communities.

Welcome and opening statements were given by Mr Ivan Piteša (IOM Zagreb),  Mr Daniel Redondo, Senior Regional Thematic Specialist from RO Belgium and finally by project manager Mr Balázs Lehel, IOM Budapest.

Immediately afterwords, Mrs Victoria Korsnes Nordli from IOM HQ held an introductory presentation covering the topic of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) and Migration, including latest trends and IOM's role in it.

Subsequently, four sessions were held that included topics related to the identification of migrant victims of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), prevention of SGBV against the most vulnerable,  identifying available services to migrant victims of SGBV and information provision to migrant communities on SGBV. Participants presented their own experiences in the field which were afterwards accompanied with an interesting discussions in order to raise awareness and understanding on how to find solutions to the existing problems.

Photo gallery: https://croatia.iom.int/gallery