Results of Evaluation of the Meeting with a European Dimension

Daphne project: 2000-330

ATTACHMENT (E)

Results of Evaluation of the meeting with a European dimension

‘Breaking Through’ 22 November 2001 – Amsterdam, The Netherlands

1. General opinion of the meeting:

88% Good 12% Average 0 % no opinion

2. Additional value of the information obtained

67% Yes 22% No 11% No opinion

Remarks

§ The prevention circle must be clearly defined in relation to the role and place of women´s NGOs involved.

§ ‘Domestic violence’ in this conference is more: ‘Violence behind the front doors’ at the grassroots level. This is an option to enlarge the communication with these mostly closed groups at this level.

3. The opinions on the facilities, venues etc related to this meeting:

The facilities and venue were excellent and a safe and friendly environment. A suggestion however was: a more central place in the inner-city due to public transportation from the several homes. This location was situated ideally for persons who needed a connection to their flights from the airport Schiphol or who wanted to be nearby the highway connecting roads. The catering of a excellent lunch buffet and the beverages during the whole conference seminar was more then efficient and added to the keep the attention span of audience on a high level. This was needed because this meeting covered many

interested and critical issues on the subject of preventing violence against women in a rather short time period of one day.

4. Opinion of the three (3) appointed presentations.

The role of all the involved NGOs as a partner of this project ‘Breaking Through’ under the DAPHNE programme was clearly addressed. The good practices of the fight against and prevention of ‘Domestic Violence Against Women’ highlighted were very useful. The information was critical, clear and offered many solutions that will agree with the target group of this project the ethnic minority women, black, migrant and refugee groups. Also the lack of visibility in data and the isolated situation of the target group in the project in Ireland was historically explained. The information of the United Kingdom (UK) and Ireland were very useful for the NGOs involved and the invited persons and organisation who attended the meeting (84 %). Some of the professionals were familiar with the issues and obstacles addressed (52 %). Of the audience (34 %) were very interested in the topics addressed, especially from the Muslim group’s experiences in the UK. And (13 %) had no opinion.

Presentation of the Manual and Training Programme

The definitions explained were clear, acceptable and there was ample opportunity to clarify the discussed topics. Positive for the attended representatives of the NGOs, of which a great number are mostly women’s NGOs, was that the issue of racism and racial discrimination were also addressed as a weighty factor in the sphere of violence prevention. The same applies for the context of awareness, advocacy and action, where the slope to euphemism must be avoided. Fe. the factor: denial.

The other useful factors mentioned were: 71 %

1) Economic inequality

2) The gender inequality

3) Socially accepted masculine ideas

4) Conflict solutions as a starting point

5) Promoting availability of safety

5. Opinion of the six panel presentation

59% Good 27% Average 14% No opinion

Remarks/Questions

The project of the Ministry of Justice is in a way positive, but the approach of the chosen method is too broad to be immediately effective. How will the black, migrant and refugee women be defined in this project and its follow-up actions?

Representatives of the NGOs objected to the use of the exclusive terminology ‘Allochtonen’ 97%

It is a very political correct terminology and as a working terminology it is used very flexible. The real obstacles are therefore mostly one sided highlighted and there is hardly no output orientated programme in the Netherlands.

For integration there is needed:

1) Ethnic minority groups, who are willing to integrate social and economically.

2) Dominant ethnic (white) group in society, willing to accept the other citizens who are part of and form the Dutch society

So not only the groups addressed under number 1) should be the targeted. Besides in most of the big cities the Member States the young generation are born and educated in these European countries. In the Netherlands 68% represents such generation. They are Dutch youth who only face other and additional obstacles due to their non-dominant ethnic group status.

6. Proposed suggestions:

Organisation

The presentation of Black Association of Women Stepping out Ltd. (BAWSO) was a very positive experience, that enabled the audience to gain more knowledge of the UK environment. BAWSO as an organisation showed to be a formidable good practice. BAWSO started as a kind of self help initiative, an organisational form focused on the grassroots level with low key aims. But BAWSO is now a visible professional (Black) Women’s Aid Centre in the UK. The Small Heath Community Forum gave thoroughly insight in the taboos of ‘Izzat’ and ‘Sharam’ within the Muslim community.

The contents of the presentation and the panel discussion were valuable for most of the participants in relation to: (legal) aid and services information. However topics as:

Interculturalisation, also at management level should be highlighted more (Role model, Recognition etc). At least the panel members addressed the intention to start this process of equality.

Any other remark(s)

Why representatives of the invited dominant group were hardly represented? Is unknown to the organisers though this conference had a good number in audience more actors in the field could have been present. For the organisers and the project management group of the conference ‘Breaking Through’ this factor about the lack of interest by the dominant white workers in the field of violence against women has to be discussed widely. The Dutch society does not need more segregation or denial of the ethnic minority visibility or unequal situation.

Was it lack of interest?

Was it prejudice?

To avoid new tension among the target groups discussed in this conference, formal political institutions, governmental agencies and other organisations must not make new ‘ad hoc target group’. The mentioned ethnic group and their specific acknowledgement of violence issues do not need to be subjected by more of the same excuses to be again an object for research in society. They need and await actions to be put in place now and not postpone the results they are handing out now.

It is very positive that in the training model the starting point is: “how to promote violence-free families” so in the sphere of solution and not as a strategy problem focus whereby the target group is separated once again.

How the issue of availability of safety would be taken into consideration, especially for women with a illegal status of residence, women with dependent residence permits or women in orthodox / conservative minded families.

7. Involvement in the follow-up activities: