The project design recognised that women experiencing violence require a broad range of services and support which cannot be met by a single agency approach. Therefore a holistic approach helped to harness the role that different actors could play in meeting the immediate practical needs of women. Collaboration in national level advocacy also helped to ensure a partnership approach to meeting the more long term strategic needs of women by advocating for policy and legal reform.
At the beginning of the project, a resource mapping exercise was conducting in both countries to identify. Over the course of the project FPAN and FPAB have forged strong relationships with key organisations that continue to this day. For key recommendations on developing referral networks, click here
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In Nepal formal partnerships were created with Maiti Nepal, ABC Nepal and WOREC (transit home and specialised counselling) and others who provided skills training. Informal partnerships were also created with the Women Police Cell, Nepal Bar Association and district hospitals for protection, legal support and advanced medical care.
In Bangladesh, key partners included Oxfam, the Bangladesh national Women Lawyers Association, Marie Stopes Clinic Society, Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee (BRAC), Bangladesh Legal Aid Services Trust (BLAST), and the Institute for Environment and Development. FPAB also worked with One-stop Crisis Service Centers and district level hospitals of the government. |
The importance of partnerships in the success of the project has been significant. Formal referral mechanisms have ensured that survivors receive a range of services and support from an equally diverse range of partners. These include legal services, skills development training, micro-credit, emergency shelter, advocacy and specialized care/counselling.
Training on legal issues, Bangladesh
For instance, in Bangladesh, service providers referred 1045 women to partner organisations: 71% for skill development training and microcredit; 22% for legal support, 4% for surgery and 3% for other services. In return partners referrred 984 cases to FPAB; 48% for violence related injuries; 7% for ANC services; 5% for SRH services and 38% for other services. Partner agencies interviewed in Nepal on the benefits of the referral system stated that working collaboratively was a very cost effective way of working. It had also strengthened networking and provider capacity.
" I could never stop the violence from my husband. I was kicked out of the house with my two children. I found out about FPAB and approached them. They sent me to BLAST. My husband was called to BLAST for mediation and has agreed to a bond to stop the torture. Now I am living with my husband and the physical torture has stopped".- Survivor in Bangladesh
"The project has been excellent and it has been a pleasure working with FPAN. Our work includes providing shelter homes, skills training, leadership trainings on anti trafficking, working on legal issues etc., After partnering with FPAN, at ABC Nepal we have started to work more on SRH issues". - Indu Aryal, ABC Nepal (at the Lessons Learned Workshop).