A project aimed at bringing about territories that protect women victims of violence

The program “Territories that protect women victims of violence” is a four-year cooperation project between local governments. It is co-financed by the French Development Agency.

It has three main goals:

• To create observatories to fight violence against women throughout the world,
• To contribute to articulate a global coalition of local governments committed to fight violence against women
• To raise awareness among the general public.

First goal: To create Observatories to fight violence against women throughout the world

This multi-territory program is led by the Seine Saint Denis’ Observatory on Violence against Women, in collaboration with its Europe International Department.

The Observatory assists partner communities in setting up their own local observatories to combat violence against women.

The project focuses on domestic violence, forced marriages and female genital mutilation. The work carried out in each territory will also result into the implementation of new local public policies.

These “pilot territories” are committed to carrying out:

• A shared diagnosis of the extent of violence against women and the existing resources
• An action plan to fight violence against women
• A professional training program
• A guide for the accompaniment of women victims of violence
• A seminar to disseminate and promote good practices at the end of the program

Each year, teams from the pilot territories will have the opportunity to participate in the Femmes du Monde (Women of the World) seminar held in Seine-Saint-Denis to strengthen partnerships and exchange skills. The Observatory of Violence against Women in Seine Saint Denis will also carry out several collaborative and training missions in each territory.

Second goal: To contribute to articulate a global coalition of local governments committed to fight violence against women

The Department of Seine-Saint-Denis co-chairs the Committee on Social Inclusion, Participatory Democracy and Human Rights (CSIPDHR) of the world organization of local governments, United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG).

The local experiences of pilot territories will be shared and promoted within UCLG in order to put the fight against violence against women at the forefront of the global agenda of local governments. The project will also foster the sharing of experiences and aim at engaging a larger number of local and regional governments on these issues. These initiatives will focus on:

• Fostering the participation of pilot territories in UCLG’s international meetings
• Organizing regional training sessions on the fight against violence against women
• Fostering the participation of the pilot territories in training courses held by other UCLG member territories
• Creating a dedicated page to the program on the UCLG website
• Fostering the participation of pilot territories in the creation of an online course (MOOC) on “policies to combat violence against women” produced by UCLG
• Launching an international charter to combat violence against women
• Organizing an international seminar on the fight against violence against women in Seine-Saint-Denis in 2024.

Third goal: To raise awareness among the general public in Seine Saint Denis and throughout the world

Awareness-raising activities for the general public will be set up in Seine-Saint-Denis:

• During the Annual “Femmes du Monde” meetings
• In the context of training activities for solidarity associations and diaspora women involved in the fight against violence against women
• By supporting initiatives led by associations from Seine-Saint-Denis at home and abroad