On the basis of years of experience, medica mondiale has developed concepts and methods to support war-traumatised women and thus set standards in international development co-operation and human rights work. This includes, on the one hand, immediate and comprehensive support for women in war and crisis zones, ranking from medical care to psychosocial counselling and legal assistance and even securing livelihoods. On the other hand, medica mondiale runs information campaigns and engages in publicity work on the topic of sexualised violence in war and fights for the rights of women at political level.
Creating sustainable support structures
Together with local women, medica mondiale supports the establishment of counselling and therapy centres for women having experienced sexualised violence during or after the war. The survivors need, above all, a place where they are protected from new violence, where they can find mental stability and overcome their traumatic experiences.
Helping women to help themselves
The aim of our work is to create sustainable structures to support women in war and crisis zones – especially where people stand by and watch crimes, where women and girls receive no support and are left to their own devices. medica mondiale’s projects abroad are in principle designed in such a way that they can be taken over and continued independently by local project partners in the medium to long run.
Building competencies
It is one of the core tasks of medica mondiale to transfer expert knowledge on women-specific war traumas to experts from social, medical, therapeutic and legal professions.
Project funding and co-operation
Since 2004, medica mondiale has been supporting help projects throughout the world that were launched by local women’s organisations. medica mondiale makes available comparatively small amounts – from 5,000 euros upwards – together with partner organisations to fund projects for the benefit of war-traumatised women and girls.
Providing information and raising public awareness
medica mondiale draws public attention to the global scandal of sexualised violence in war and its consequences, provides information about the causes and the background of such violence and demands for the public to face up to the topic of war rapes.
Human rights work
medica mondiale medica mondiale advocates the cause of women at political level, exerts pressure on politicians and organisations, so that they stand up for the rights of women. Throughout the world, medica mondiale urges politicians and governments to respect international agreements for preventive protection of women against sexualised violence.
Justice
War rapes are serious violations of human rights. medica mondiale publicly denounces these human rights violations and demands criminal prosecution of perpetrators of sexualised violence in war. In the past years, medica mondiale has critically observed the work of international courts and persistently stood up for the protection of traumatised female witnesses and for appropriate litigation procedures.
Documentation and studies
medica mondiale observes and documents crimes against women and girls and follows international criminal proceedings involving human rights violations against women. Only if war crimes are proved, testified to and documented can the perpetrators be punished before an international war crimes tribunal.
Exchange and networking
medica mondiale supports exchange and co-operation between the projects and the meanwhile independent women’s organisations. Women from different countries, cultures and social strata thus exchange information about sustainable concepts of working with traumatised women in war zones and support each other.
