The IRC has launched a two-year program in Jordan that will train local aid workers to respond to violence against women, predominantly Iraqi refugees. The program, which is supported by the United Nations Development Fund for Women, UNIFEM, will also help a local aid organization, the Jordan River Foundation, establish a case management center in the eastern part of the capital, Amman, home to the most Iraqi refugees.
At the center, Iraqi and Jordanian women will receive counseling and referrals to specialized medical, legal and psychosocial service providers. The Jordan River Foundation will also be able to expand its one-on-one counseling and helpline services.
The IRC launched the program with an intensive training course for case workers from the Jordan River Foundation. The training, which focused on improving services for women who have experienced violence, will later be transferred to the Jordanian Ministry of Social Development and Family Protection which works to combat violence against women on a national level.
The training is a crucial milestone, since there are so few qualified Jordanian professionals in the field of helping victims of violence against women," said Samia Bishara, project supervisor for the Jordan River Foundation.
The program is expected to reach at least 1,800 women. Thousands more will benefit from awareness and outreach campaigns.
