EWL members reach out to refugees in Belgium

[Brussels 20 June] EWL Belgian members Nederlandstalige Vrouwenraad (Dutch speaking women’s council of Belgium), would like, on the occasion of World Refugee Day on June 20th, to draw your attention to the situation of women refugees in Belgium. In 2012, there were about 21,463 refugees in Belgium. One third of them were women.

kleine kalsteetje

They mostly seek refuge in Belgium for the same reasons as men, but the number of gender specific reasons grows. Very often in their home countries, they are victims of rape, genital mutilation or other specific types of violence e.g. stoning. In 2010, the Vrouwenraad (Dutch speaking women’s council Belgium) investigated the situation of women in Belgian refugee centres and published a report which stated that both infrastructure and services very often are not adapted to their needs: they lack privacy, they often cannot dispose of rooms of their own, they sometimes feel threatened by male refugees or even by their own partners. They are not in control of their own and their children’s situations. On the other hand, the report states that those women don’t give up and are very resilient and eager to grasp the opportunities for a better future. Contact with women outside the refugee centre is of major importance to them. That’s why the NVR has launched the project ‘Amongst women’*. It all started with a pilot project in Klein Kasteeltje in Brussels. Volunteers and collaborators from women’s organizations set up informative, meaningful, creative and relaxing activities in safe surroundings. Taking part in these activities once a month allows women in refugee centres to get to know each other, to tell their stories and to share their interests and experiences. The contact with women from outside opens doors to building a social network which helps them out of their isolated position. It empowers them and helps them to catch up with the future. Women in refugee centres are very enthusiastic about this approach and ask for more. In the meantime, the (successful) project has spread from Brussels to Antwerp, Limburg and Vlaams-Brabant. Next year, the provinces Oost- en West-Vlaanderen will be involved as well. The women’s council is still in search of volunteer organizations that want to participate in the project. If interested, please contact: Gart Goorden Nvr.ggoorden@amazone.be http://www.vrouwenraad.be/p 715.htm. Riet De Baets Board member Vrouwenraad Board member EWL *’Amongst women’ is a three-year-project in collaboration with Fedasil and supported by the European Refugee Fund.

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