SALMA Project: Final Report 2007-2010 | Gunda-Werner-Institut

Domestic violence is still considered a serious problem in the Arab Region. Contributing factors include lack of legislation criminalizing domestic violence, lack of government accountability and protections for women's rights inside the home, and social stigmas associated with women victims instead of social disapproval of the perpetrators of domestic violence.

Domestic violence can range from wife-beating and marital rape to the brutal battering of female family members by male family members. Gender-based violence such as practices that force women and girls to have virginity tests or undergo female genital mutilation, as well as the severe physical violence or murder inflicted on women by male family members in the name of family honour also present problems in the region.

The Heinrich Böll Stiftung - Arab Middle East Office (hbs) implemented the regional project “Life without Violence and Discrimination is Possible”/Salama in cooperation with ten women organizations, and through the support of the European Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights. These two phases address the issue of gender equality and legal status of women in the Arab World, with a focus on Egypt, Jordan and Palestine. Building on previous efforts and results, the current project contributes to the following objectives:

To increase protection from domestic violence against women in Egypt, Jordan, the Palestinian Territory and other Arab countries through the continuation of regional and national campaigns.
To create a sustainable network of Arab women’s NGOs active in combating violence against women.

This final report (in extracts) documents “Salma Project” activities implemented during January 2007-December 2009 on both national level (in three countries) and on regional level (Salma regional network).

The Salma Project/“Life without Violence and Discrimination is Possible”:

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