In Serbia, Mental Disability Rights Initiative of Serbia (MDRI-S) in partnership with women’s rights organization FemPlatz implemented the project “Accessible Services for Women with Disabilities Survivors of Custodial Violence” between 2019 and 2021 with the support of the UN Trust Fund. The twice-funded project aimed to ensure that women and girls with mental disabilities have greater support to live their life free of custodial violence. The final evaluation found that, despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the project partially achieved its goals. 

From January 2016 to March 2019, the UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women provided funding for “Fathers are Here for Gender Equality”, a project run by the Mother and Child Education Foundation (ACEV, a twice-funded grantee) to change men’s attitudes to gender equality and violence against women and girls. The final evaluation found positive changes in families; at least 10 per cent of fathers who had used violence according to their spouses stopped doing so after participating in the training.

The UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women provided funds for the Autonomous Women’s Center’s project “No Tolerance for Gender Based-Violence” between January 2016 and December 2018. The initiative disseminated information, changed individual attitudes, raised awareness about gender-based violence, and facilitated advocacy activities. The final evaluation found that the Center increased youth understanding of gender-based violence and contributed to changing boys’ attitudes about it.

The project “Deinstitutionalize and End Violence against Women with Disabilities in Custodial Institutions”, implemented by Mental Disability Rights Initiative of Serbia, was funded from January 2016 to January 2018 by the UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women. The final evaluation found that the project successfully brought the perspectives and experiences of women with disabilities in institutions to the attention of decision-makers, prompting institutional and policy change.

The project Father Training for Violence-Free Families was implemented in Turkey by the Mother Child Education Foundation (AÇEV) from September 2010 to September 2013 with a two-year grant from the UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women. The final evaluation found that working with men to prevent gender-based violence related to awareness of and attitudes towards violence.