In Belgrade, on April 21, 2016, within the UN Population Fund Regional Initiative, a Working Group for Gender Based Violence, consisting of representatives from ministries, UN agencies and civil society organizations was established.

The meeting was an opportunity to present UNFPA’s regional initiative for creating Standard Operational  Procedures in the area of gender based violence. The areas covered by the Standard Operational Procedures were introduced, as well as how the procedures can strengthen and advance cooperation between different partners and stakeholders with the aim to provide a comprehensive response in assistance provision  and support to survivors of gender based violence.

The meeting was attended by representatives from UNHCHR, Commissariat for Refugees and Migration, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Labor and Social Policy, Ministry of Justice, UN agencies (UNFPA, UNHCR, UNICEF) and NGO Atina.

NGO Atina’s representative presented to the Working Group their expertise and work on the cases of human trafficking and gender based violence, which the organization has utilized for providing assistance to the most vulnerable groups and survivors of gender based violence, which are recognized within the refugee population. The work and experience of Atina’s mobile teams through cultural mediation and case management of survivors of gender based violence, with a special focus on the specifics in the work with different cultures, challenges and institutional gaps, which need to be advanced in the future, were presented.