Posts

Granting facility of IRIS Progress – Newsletter 2024.

/in /by

In the past period, IRIS Network awarded 13 small grants to its members to improve their social service provision and enhance local initiatives for advocacy in the social sphere.

 

This newsletter presents stories of our members, their innovative projects, and steps towards achieving our common goal – advancing social inclusion and providing support to the most vulnerable groups in our community.

Newsletter is available here – Granting Facility of IRIS PROGRESS

 

This Newsletter is realized within the framework of the project “Capacity strengthening and policy engagement of community service providers – Iris Progress”, funded by the European Union

Small Grants Facility: Women’s Association Vukovar

/0 Comments/in /by

Small Grants Facility Women’s Association Vukovar

Background of Women’s Association Vukovar

Women’s Association Vukovar is feminist, non-governmental, non-profit, and non-partisan civil society organization registered 1998 year and acting in the area of Vukovar-Srijem County, Croatia. This organization participates in the processes of building and development of democratic society with the aim of promoting the principles of equality, non-violence, transparency and socially responsible acting and behavior of all participants of the social processes in the field of human rights protection, social development and civil society development.

Project „Support to Women in Disadvantaged Social Position“ 

Main objective of project „Support to Women in Disadvantaged Social Position“ is to enhance and improve the quality of life and promote social inclusion of marginalized groups, especially: Women from flooded areas of Croatia located in Vukovar, women victims of violence, beneficiaries of Centre for Social Welfare Vukovar, elderly people and youth from the High School Nikola Tesla Vukovar.
Strong network of social service providers in properly equipped and organized place will help these groups to overcome their sense of isolation and it will increase safety and involvement of beneficiaries. The network will provide mutual support to marginalized groups through involvement in activities which provide different forms of assistance and care. Planned activities include: Establishment of SOS line, individual psychological support, group psychological support, creative workshops, working with the volunteers, primary health care of the beneficiaries, safety lectures by police officers, one-day trips etc.
Project implementation has already started with first creative workshop which is being held today from 4 to 6 PM, in the premises of Women’s Association Vukovar.

Small Grants Facility: Center for Social Emancipation

/0 Comments/in /by

Small Grants Facility Center for Social Emancipation

Background of Qendra per Emancipim Shoqeror (QESh) / Center for Social Emancipation :

Established in 2005, QESh’s goal and purpose is to promote a society characterized by diversity and respect for human diversity, where all people, regardless of their sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, should have equal rights, responsibilities and opportunities to live and work.

QESh was actively involved in advocating and lobbying for sexual orientation to be included in the Kosovo constitution and Anti-Discrimination Law (ADL) as grounds for discrimination on all levels. QESh has also been engaged in ensuring the ADL is amended to include gender identity and expression as grounds for discrimination as well.

In the past QESh has drafted training tools on combating hate crimes, based on sexual orientation for Kosovo police, which is in the Kosovo Police Academy curriculum, while continuing documenting such cases of homophobia, discrimination, and hate crimes. QESh continues to be involved in various awareness raising campaigns and activities for the general public and support activities for the LGBTQ community in Kosovo including visibility-related activities, university lectures, trainings, conferences, and workshops, media campaigns, and the first and only LGBTQ magazine in Kosovo.

Diversity Week: Creating Visibility and Awareness of the LGBT Community in Kosovo

Since 2002, there have been active NGO’s that advocate for the rights of the LGBT community in Kosovo; however a week full of public activities that aim to educate the general public about the LGBT community, as well as raise awareness and aim for tolerance, has never taken place.  With this project, QESh aims to reach its goals by organizing a concert, art exhibitions, monoluge performances, open panel discussions, workshops with experts, health activities, as well as film and documentary screenings, including a documentary currently in production by QESh. Diversity Week will also have people from various backgrounds involved, including artists, youth, university students, health care providers, and experts from various different fields as well as activists from within the region. Inclusion of such a diverse group of people will even further foster the growth of expertise, supporters and networking within the region. QESh will also focus on bringing the LGBT community together to participate in activities but in addition give the community agency to present their skills and express themselves.

Activities will take place from Wednesday to Saturday evening during September. Each day will be designated with a focus on Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals, and Transgender individuals respectively. Due to the fact that the LGBT organizations are in Prishtina, and the LGBT community is more present, QESh has decided for the diversity week to take place in Prishtina.  More so, from previous events, QESh has very good collaboration with the Police Department in Prishtina.  For security reasons, we feel that for this year it is necessary for this event to partake in Prishtina especially since it is the first event.