Helping to recognise victims of Gender-based Violence

On 20-21 June, the EUAA organised the first training session of the newly-developed module "Victims of Gender-based Violence. The module was developed in cooperation with Member State experts from Sweden before being reviewed by the EUAA Reference Group (European Council on Refugees and Exiles and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) and members of the EUAA Consultative Forum (Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe and International Organisation for Migration).

This module aims to provide learners with the necessary knowledge and skills to identify elements of gender-based violence in the asylum context, to understand the potential needs of the victims of gender-based violence. The ‘gender-based’ aspect highlights the fact that the violence, often rooted in power inequalities between women and men, affects both genders. However, a disproportionate number of women are affected by gender-based violence. This fact is reflected in the content of the module which has the following learning outcomes:

• Explain the concepts of norms and non-conformity to gender norms and the potential consequences for applicants for international protection.
• Identify indicators of past, present, or potential future gender-based violence, and the impact on the victims.
• Analyse the potential needs of victims of gender-based violence in asylum contexts in line with the Common European Asylum System.
• Propose actions to address the needs of victims of gender-based violence in asylum contexts.

This module is delivered through a blended learning methodology (33 hours of online studies, 12 hours of face-to-face and 7.5 hours of essential reading).