Period of implementation of the project: 

2017- 2021

Challenge: 

Tasks:

• Empowering of vulnerable pregnant women and their close surrounding in Minsk and Mogilev regions through education, advocacy and providing better access to services
• Enhancing cross-sectorial and interagency cooperation for social support of vulnerable women
•       Capacity building of state social support and health care specialists
•       Awareness raising of local communities and society in general, de-stigmatization regarding women with children in crisis

Challenges:

• Difficulties for vulnerable pregnant women to find assessable relevant support services 
• High workload and burnout of specialists, low awareness about other services and motivation to cooperate

Solution: 

To ensure access of the target group to sexual and reproductive health-care services, information and education, it was decided to gather information and develop an online location-based map of social, psychological, medical, material, legal support services, providing for free for pregnant women and partners from variety of state and non-governmental organizations and individuals. Direct information activities for women, as living libraries, medical consultations in shopping centers, meetings, lections, Q&A sessions with experts also provided, as well as diversity of printed information materials. 

To improve appropriate social protection system, encourage effective public-private partnerships, first, interagency (medical and social sphere, NGO) task forces were established, aiming to enhance cooperation, discuss specific needs of target group, work out effective solutions, to gather and circulate information, where SOS Belarus provides its expertise in children quality care and acts as intermediate between governmental, non-governmental and commercial organizations. Second, capacity building and professional support of state specialists working with socially vulnerable families with children are provided, including round tables, informational meetings, supervisions, workshops and seminars on relevant topics, development of methodical printed materials and online educational course for professionals (topics: work with women in crisis with children; with pregnant women in a situation of reproductive choice, effective interaction with vulnerable pregnant women / young mothers and minimizing stereotypes; effective communication with clients, prevention of burnout)

Gender-sensitive approach used to assess needs of all gender groups, to promote fatherhood, active participation of both parents in family life and children upbringing. Project also focuses equally on all age groups (adolescents, mothers with children, women 45+).

Results: 

Interactive map of free services for pregnant women and their close surrounding in Minsk and Mogilev regions was developed making access easier for the target group to the services.

Vulnerable women and their partners increase their parental skills and obtain information to solve their issues. 25 “Living Libraries” with well-known experts and specialists were held in Minsk and Mogilev cities, more than 5000 pregnant women and their partners participated in offline events, the largest of them Christmas meeting 2018 “You are not alone”. Marathon of women health 2019 focused on pregnant women and mothers. Online educational course was launched in July 2020, with more than 50 videos of experts’ advice in the field of obstetrics and gynecology, neonatology, pediatrics, psychology and pedagogy, jurisprudence. Up to now, there are 875 registered participants, making 250 visits daily, 15% of users are men, 44% – people from regions. 

Interagency collaboration led to official establishment of points of medical and social support at 6 offices “For Life” in women consultations in Minsk (social and legal counseling added to medical). 

During 17 meetings of interagency groups, 3 workshops for specialists, and 8 informational sessions in Minsk and Mogilev capacities and awareness of more than 600 specialists. 

Information materials: few kinds of video reels, billboards, posters,booklets, Mogilev Social Support Contact Book, leaflet and 4 types of paper blocks with QR-code, totally more than 21,000 copies, distributed in women’s consultations, social services centers, in partners’ organizations and during public events, improving target group access to the relevant services and increasing knowledge.

More than 400,000 people monthly were reached through the project’s social networks. Based on statistics about 1,000,000 people have visited the interactive map and online course for women.

Category: People

Company: SOS Children’s Villages Belarus

About the company: 

Non-governmental non-profit charity public organization SOS Children’s Villages Belarus, established in 1991, a member of SOS Children’s Villages International, founder of three SOS-Children’s Villages (Borovlyany, Maryina Gorka, Mogilev).

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