February 21, 2020

Welcome to the first edition of BEARR’s new-style Newsletter.  This will come out every two months and contain all the material that previously went into the 6-monthly Newsletter and monthly Bulletin.  Below, Chairman Nicola Ramsden explains the changes.   This issue focuses on domestic violence, with:-           A report on November’s conference on ‘Violence against Women and Girls in Eastern Europe and Central Asia’   Project reports from NGOs working in this field in Ukraine, Georgia and Azerbaijan, and Kyrgyzstan          A news item on domestic violence in Russia (with others available on the website)           As a companion piece, an in-depth article on issues of masculinity   Also in this issue: –          News from throughout the region We’d be glad to have your feedback on our new format.  Please email info@bearr.org Please note that applications for funding from our 2020 Small Grants Scheme, for projects strengthening the position of women in rural communities are now closed. Thank you to all the organisations who took the time to submit applications; we will be in touch with you very soon to confirm receipt of your funding application.

BEARR news and events

BEARR is changing the way that way communicate with you. Click here for our new communications model from our Chairman Nicola Ramsden.

Michael McCulloch, joins our distinguished band of patrons and some more welcomes and farewells to patrons and volunteers.

BEARR ran another very successful Annual Conference in November 2019, in London, this year on the theme of Violence Against Women and Girls…

Project reports from some of our 2019 Small Grants Scheme; for projects dealing with Violence Against Women and Girls.

Harmony Plus, Karakol, Kyrgyzstan, received funding to run workshops on domestic violence for young mothers and mothers-in-law, a workshop for NGO practitioners and other professionals and a round table for officials including law enforcement professionals. Read the full story here!

Chance Crisis Center, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, was awarded a grant by BEARR to implement a project assessing the quality of services for victims of gender-based violence; training on assessment tools; testing the tools; research on the basis of 5-7 crisis centres and their services, taking into account the interests of different categories of victims. Read their project report – ‘A Chance to Interview Your Psychologist‘ on our website.

We hear from Union Women’s Centre, Tbilisi, Georgia, as they tell us about their project to develop strategies (including training for doctors in the complications of early pregnancy) to resist child marriage in ethnic minority communities in Georgia and Azerbaijan, Read their report here.

Winds of Change, Odessa, Ukraine, report back on the successes and lessons learnedfrom their project to expand economic rights and opportunities for IDP victims of gender-based violence, with workshops, counselling, establishment of self-help groups and a booklet on financial security.

Other articles and reports Dr Charlie Walker, Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of Southampton and BEARR Trustee, writes on Masculinity and Gender-Based Violence in Eastern Europe and Central Asia: Engaging Men in the Gender Equality Agenda

News from the region  Russia: Domestic violence bill falls short.  Russia: Duma bill abolishes audits for small funds. Population and migration in Moldova to be counted. Disabled access in Siberia – Disabled activists fighting for better access.  Armenia: Plan to close rural maternity clinics met with disapproval.  Russia: Young people with mental illness need access to vocational training. Azerbaijan: Soaring food prices. Russia: What NGOs would like from the new government.  Putin answers questions on social services and welfare payments.  How to improve palliative care in Moscow? Role of infrastructure NGOs in developing charity sector in Russia.  Russia: Public discussion begins on new ways of treating people with HIV. Ukraine: The fastest reformer in the health system in Europe.