Åland Islands Peace Institute has started an INTERREG IV A project entitled "Challenging Gender Stereotypes for Prevention of Trafficking ". The project will be implemented in close partnership with Riga-based Resource Center for Women "Marta", to work on implementing the unique Nordic Girl and Boy Group method, informing the wider audience about the importance of linking empowerment, gender equality and gender based crime, as well as scientifically researching the outcomes.

Information about the project

Education and seminars

Information about the project

Åland Islands Peace Institute has started an INTERREG IV A project entitled "Challenging Gender Stereotypes for Prevention of Trafficking ". The project will be implemented in close partnership with Riga-based Resource Center for Women "Marta" for implementing the unique Nordic Girl and Boy Group method, informing the wider audience about the importance of linking empowerment, gender equality and gender based crime, and scientifically researching the outcome.

Annually around 2,000 women from the Baltic States become victims of trafficking. Finland is one of the primary destination countries for many trafficking victims from Latvia. Gender inequality and gender stereotypes in both countries of origin and countries of destination provide a favourable environment for gender based crime. This is why the root causes of trafficking have to be dealt with in cross-border cooperation. An effective way of preventing trafficking is to adopt methods that help the young generation to resist the influence of traditional gender roles and to make their own choices based on knowledge, individual values and beliefs.
The Project, carried out by the Åland Islands Peace Institute, Åland, Finland, and the Resource Center for Women, Marta, Riga, Latvia, highlights the importance of youth empowerment as a tool for promoting more respectful gender relations and thereby reducing the risk of gender based crime.
The boy and girl groups provide the young people with a base from where they can form their own individual opinions on how to act and make choices in everyday life. Group work will lead to enhanced social skills and social networks, which in turn strengthens the participants' possibilities to become active citizens and reduces the risk of them being marginalized.

In the group, the youngsters themselves can choose the activities. This is an example from Lithuania.

This project plays a particularly important role on Åland, since the Åland is one of the largest and major transportation hubs in the Baltic Region. Apart from the main Partner in Latvia, the Project will work in cooperation with other organizations, dealing with similar issues in the Baltic Region, and Nordic Countries.

Importance of communication:

Both on Åland and in Latvia, the project cannot stress more the importance of conveying the information to the young people, educational institutions, authorities and the broad public by means of active discussions and information campaigns, thus making everyone aware of the links between empowerment, gender equality and gender based crime.

Press event for launching of the project. November 2009

The steering group of the project consist of:

Iluta Lace, Director of the Resource Center for Women "Marta", Latvia; Vivan Nikula, Head of gender issues, the Åland government, Åland, Finland; Sia Spiliopoulou Åkermark, Director of the Åland Islands Peace Institute, Åland, Finland; Jukka Rajala-Granstubb, Filmmaker, gender equality and anti-trafficking activist, Finland; Lasse Suirula, youth work coordinator for the city of Helsinki, Finland.

Financing of the project:

The Project is financed within the framework of the INTERREG IV Programme of the European Regional Development Fund, as well as through the public contribution, which in total amounts to 655,871 € for the Project.

On Åland, the Peace Institute budget for INTERREG IV project equals to 336,184€, which consists of ERDF Funding 252,138€, making 75% ERDF support rate, and National co-financing makes 84,046€, which is kindly provided by the Government of Åland.

In Latvia, the Association Resource Centre for Women "Marta" has a budget of 319,684€, where ERDF contribution equals to 271,734€, and National public contribution makes 47,953€.

Education and seminars

Education for boy and girl group leaders in September 2010

September 3rd to 5th the Åland Islands Peace Institute IS ORGANIZING training for boy- and girl group leaders on Åland.

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Education for girl and boy group leaders, May 2010

An educational session for girl group leaders is held (in Swedish) on the 8th of May. The boy group training scheduled 23-25th of April is postponed because of travelling problems in connection to the ash cloud.

More information can be found in the Swedish version of this article.

Introductory seminar for Boy- and Girl group leaders, April 2010

On 15th of April an introductory seminar for girl and boy group leaders will be held at Hotel Arkipelag in Mariehamn from 2 p.m to 4 p.m. The seminar targets people who are interested in gender issues and the personal development of young people. The seminar, as well as upcoming educational sessions for boy group leaders (23-25 April) and girl group leaders (8 May) will be held in Swedish.

Round table seminar on equality in youth work, March 2010

The seminar is held in Swedish.