The Ministry of Social Inclusion, Youth, Families, and Equality, through the Andalusian Women’s Institute (IAM), has showcased Andalusia’s pioneering programs and resources in the field of equality and support for victims of gender-based violence to two European delegations. These delegations are working on two projects funded by the European Union (EU) to enhance institutional response to victims and promote gender-sensitive policies.
A group of representatives from associations from Portugal, France, Croatia, Lithuania, Cyprus, and the Netherlands, among others, attended a meeting at the Andalusian Women’s Institute where they were able to learn firsthand about the services provided by the Andalusian government to women and their children to address gender-based violence. Additionally, accompanied by IAM Director Olga Carrión, they visited a shelter.
These associations are involved in the ‘2Gether4Victims’ (2G4V) project. This is a European initiative coordinated by ‘Victim Support Europe’, co-financed by the European Union, with the main goal of improving support for victims of gender-based violence by effective coordination between general and specialized services and the adoption of a gender-sensitive approach. ‘Victim Support Europe’ is a Belgian organization that advocates for the rights and services of crime victims across Europe, working to enhance European and international laws and support service capabilities.
During the working sessions, IAM officials explained the operation of the network of resources available to women victims of gender-based violence and their children for comprehensive recovery. They highlighted the women’s centers located in both capitals and municipalities, totaling 190 centers throughout Andalusia.
Working meeting at IAM with members of the European delegations.
IAM’s director noted that «this network of centers is the largest in Europe for supporting women and provides psychological support, legal advice, socio-labor support, as well as information and activities for promoting women’s participation in public life.» These centers assisted nearly 119,000 Andalusian women in 2024, around 30% for issues related to gender-based violence.
Another essential support service for victims that the European delegation learned about is the women’s helpline 900 200 999 «for its availability 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, connection with the Andalusian emergency service 112, ability to assist victims in over 50 languages, quick response to any critical situation, as well as its proximity and ease of access,» explained Olga Carrión. Last year, this resource received over 44,100 calls, an average of 120 calls per day. Additionally, the 24-hour crisis centers for victims of sexual violence and services available to women, including minors, and their children aim to facilitate their physical, emotional, and psychological recovery.
Participants in the ‘2Gether4Victims’ project also visited one of the shelters for victims of gender-based violence. Carrión explained that «this shelter network is based on three levels of care: emergency centers, shelters, and supervised apartments. They provide comprehensive care including psychological, socio-labor, and legal support to aid women in recovering from the effects of violence and protect them from potential risks.» In 2024, they accommodated 1,279 women and 989 minors in Andalusia.
Advancing Equality
Moreover, the Andalusian Women’s Institute participated in the working meeting held at the Ministry of Economy, Finance, and European Funds with the European delegation driving the ‘Gender Flaship’ project. This initiative aims to assess gender impact and address inequalities to facilitate the implementation of gender perspective integration tools, such as Gender-Perspective Budgets, Gender Impact Assessments, and Gender Action Plans, areas where Andalusia has extensive experience.
Expertise France, the French public agency that designs and implements international technical cooperation projects, is implementing this project, also funded by the European Union, in collaboration with the European Commission, the European Institute for Gender Equality, and the European University Institute.
The Andalusian Women’s Institute detailed the Andalusian laws on equality and against gender-based violence, the 2022-2028 Strategic Plan for Gender Equality in Andalusia, the work carried out by Gender Equality Units to promote gender mainstreaming in the Junta’s equality policies, and programs to promote equality in companies, as well as the equality advisory service for companies ‘Equipa’, the Andalusian Excellence Brand in Equality, or professional training.
