EU-Project CERV EASY
"It is never easy to talk about"
| duration: | 01.03.2023 – 28.02.2025 | |||
| aims: | Increasing dialogue, awareness and victim-centred support for victims of forced marriages | |||
| coordination: | HEUNI - The European Institute for Crime Prevention and Control, affiliated with the United Nations, Finnland | |||
| projekt partner: | SOLWODI Deutschland e. V., Deutschland University Lleida (UdL), Spain Valentes i Acompanyades (VIA), Spain Immigrant Council of Ireland (ICI), Ireland | |||
| contact: | Hasmik Manukyan E-mail: |
The project
Forced marriage is a violation of human rights. The Istanbul Convention defines forced marriage as a type of gender-based violence. Most commonly women and girls are impacted. Unfortunately, the barriers to accessing support are high. Family counselling, youth engagement, info cafes, and podcasts on this topic are all ways of developing a stronger support system for victims.
In our two-year EU-funded project EASY SOLWODI would like to tackle this problem together with our partner organizations in 4 EU member states – HEUNI /The European Institute for Crime Prevention and Control, affiliated with the United Nations, Finland (coordinator), University of Lleida (UdL), Spain, Valentes i Acompanyades ("The Brave and Accompanied Association"), VIA), Spain and Immigrant Council of Ireland (ICI), Ireland.
With our EASY project all partners will research ways to increase dialogue, awareness, and victim-centred support for victims of forced marriages. The project target groups are victims of forced marriage or those in danger of becoming victims, community members, inclusive boys, as well as professionals who encounter in their work victims or potential victims of forced marriage (police officers, victim-support workers, migration authorities, municipal social workers, NGO workers, teachers, youth workers).
Our main objective is to systematically compile best practices of assisting forced marriage victims for a comprehensive booklet and a user-friendly customer journey map. Through insights from interviews with experts and victims as well as real cases, we aim to articulate practical, victim-centered interventions as a valuable resource for professionals and stakeholders.
Project objectives
Increase community engagement and leadership in tackling the practices, strengthening dialogue, and awareness on forced marriages, on victims’ needs and access to support services.
Increase the capacity of relevant professionals to address forced marriages including through better identification and better multiagency co-operation.
Increase transnational exchange of best practices in supporting victims of forced marriages.
Project activities
The project activities developing and offering culturally sensitive victim-centred services to victims, such as:
One-on-one and family Counselling: personalized support for victims and their families, fostering understanding and resilience.
Info Cafes: safe spaces for open conversations, sharing vital information, and breaking down barriers through informal gatherings.
Peer support groups: building a community of strength and understanding.
Podcasts: amplifying voices and stories, shedding light on the experiences of those affected, and promoting empathy and understanding.
Youth engagement: empowering the next generation to be advocates for change through interactive and informative events.
This project is co-financed by the EU programme CERV-2022-DAPHNE.
SOLWODI Deutschland e.V. is solely responsible for the contents and it can in no way be regarded as a view of the European Union.