The Foundation “United Women Banja Luka” has been implementing the campaign “BREAKING THE CYCLE OF VIOLENCE THROUGH EMPLOYMENT” since 2016. During this campaign, we invite all interested employers to provide employment opportunities for at least one woman who has survived domestic violence within the current year. The campaign aims to engage representatives from the public sector, as well as businesses and private employers, in employing women who benefit from special support measures within the Safe House, a shelter for women and children victims of domestic violence.
Recognizing the need to address the employment issues of violence victims is crucial due to the time-limited stay in the Safe House. The final phase of implementing the special support measure involves working on finding an appropriate exit strategy that is in the best interest of women and children.
Finding an exit strategy becomes challenging when victims do not receive support from family and friends, and the lack of adequate treatment from institutional systems exacerbates their sense of helplessness. This applies to women who cannot find employment based on their current qualifications and those who wish to reenter the workforce after a period of unemployment.
Violence victims face various barriers in finding employment, including high childcare costs, which reduce the funds they can allocate for housing, food, and other needs. The poverty they face often leads to accepting low-paying or high-risk jobs. Financial crises and concerns affect women’s ability to maintain steady employment or perform effectively at work.
For women experiencing violence, employment is their most crucial need. Without stable employment and income, they depend on family assistance or survive on child benefits or other social rights if they belong to recognized categories. For violence victims, a job is a prerequisite for achieving financial independence and the ability to lead a normal life outside the cycle of violence. Besides the financial benefits, employment is necessary for these women to regain self-confidence, self-respect, and control over their lives.
It is important to note that poverty and unemployment are the most common reasons why women remain in abusive relationships. Providing some form of employment to a family leaving the Safe House enables them to lead a dignified life.
Business for Independence
Since the beginning of 2021, the project “Economic and Social Opportunities Towards Independence for Women Victims of Domestic Violence” has been implemented by the INFOHOUSE Foundation in Sarajevo and the Association of Citizens “Budućnost” in Modriča, funded by the European Union. The project aims to support at least 15 women victims of domestic violence in developing their self-employment economic activities. Within the approved budget, a total of 45,000 euros have been allocated to provide support for women to acquire equipment, materials, livestock, and seedlings.
Additionally, the women will receive support in professional training and further education (certified courses, retraining), registration of micro-enterprises/crafts, development of promotional materials, packaging design, media promotion, and more.
A total of six women from the “Udružene žene” Foundation have undergone training in business plan writing and applied for non-refundable funds. The call for applications was open from July 9th to August 31st, 2021, and the funding amount to be awarded ranges from 3,000 to 5,000 euros. The best business plans will be selected in September, enabling women victims of violence to start their own businesses and achieve economic independence on the path to a self-sufficient and peaceful life free from violence.
