Section I. Organizational history and background

Global Women's Network is a non-profit organization created by women, for women based in Clarkston, GA, USA.

This organization's mission is:

"To empower and to educate immigrant and refugee women through culturally tailored programs that contribute to their economic security and overall wellbeing"

GWN has come a long way since it started: it began by teaching health education classes to help refugees and immigrants navigate the U.S. health system. Over the years, the agency has added services and programs such as:

Sewing
English Literacy
Economic empowerment/Financial literacy
Civic engagement training

Direct public access services offered by GWN

Basic health sreenings
Assistance for unstable families who can't meet immediate needs
Interpretation and translation services

Clarkston is ocated in DeKalb County, in the state of Georgia. The city is noted for its ethnic diversity and often cited as "the most diverse square mile in America".

Photo Credit: https://www.bestplaces.net/city/georgia/clarkston

Current Situation

GWN received a five-year capacity building grant of around 750,000 dollars divided in equal payments over five years to develop and implement a Sexual and Gender Based Violence prevention and response program, since this had been asked for for several participants of the community.

These are the three core goals of the program:

Strengthen prevention and response programs for SGBV.
Conduct evaluation research that expands data and deepens global knowledge on SGBV.
Develop legislation and policy recommendations to reduce and mitigate the negative impacts of SGBV.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted in 1948, which is, fundamentally, a document which declares universal human rights. Article 1 declares: "All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights [...]". Article 3 declares: "Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.". Yet, in the United States:

One in four women experience intimate partner violence (Office on Women's Health, 2021)
One in three girls is a victim of physical, verbal or emotional abuse (YWCA, 2017).
On average, three women are murdered by their partners each day. (YWCA, 2017).

Women's rights

Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV)

It is defined as violence directed at someone based on his or her biological sex, gender identity or adherence to traditionally masculine or feminine oles. It includes physical, sexual and psychological abuse; threats; coercion; arbitrary privation of liberty.

Some examples include, but are not limited to: female infanticide, child sexual abuse, sex trafficking and sexual labor, neglect, abuse, domestic violence, elder abuse and harmful traditional practices (early and forced marriage, EFM), honor killings and female genital mutilation or cutting (Glisnki, Sexton & Meyers, 2015)

What is sexual violence?

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Center for Disease Control and Prevention, it is defined as: sexual act that is committed or attempted by another person without freely given consent of the victim or against someone who is unable to consent or refuse. (CDC, 2014)

Consent

Words or overt actions by a person who is legally or functionally competent to give informed approval, indicating a freely given agreement to have sexual intercourse or sexual contact.

Inability to consent

A freely given agreement to have sexual intercourse or sexual contact could not occur because of the victim’s age, illness, mental or physical disability, being asleep or unconscious, or being too intoxicated.

Inability to refuse

Disagreement to engage in a sexual act was precluded because of the use or possession of guns or other non-bodily weapons, or due to physical violence, threats of physical violence, intimidation or pressure, or misuse of authority.

Female Genital Mutilation or Cutting

In some countries, female genital cutting (FGM/C) is done to girls or women for cultural or traditional reasons. Female genital mutilation or cutting (FGM/C), sometimes called female circumcision or female genital mutilation, means piercing, cutting, removing, or sewing closed all or part of a girl’s or woman’s external genitals for no medical reason. As a type of violence against women, FGM/C is illegal in the United States and in many other countries. FGM/C has no health benefits and can cause long-term health problems. (Office on Women's Health, 2021)

Photo credit:https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Campaign_road_sign_against_female_genital_mutilation_(cropped)_2.jpg

Child, Early and Forced Marriage

Forced marriage is a marriage in which one and/or both parties have not personally expressed their full and free consent to the union. Child marriage is any marriage where at least one of the parties is under 18 years of age. A child marriage is considered to be a form of forced marriage, given that one and/or both parties have not expressed full, free and informed consent. Child and forced marriage (CFM) is a human rights violation and a harmful practice that disproportionately affects women and girls globally, preventing them from living their lives free from all forms of violence.

Photo credit: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Forced-marriage.jpg

The harmful practices of child marriage and FGM threaten the well-being of millions of girls around the world. Both have existed for generations, as manifestations of gender inequality, and have been propagated by discriminatory norms that devalue girls. Both have been used to control female sexuality, with justifications including the preservation of ‘purity’ and virginity, and the safeguarding of family ‘honour’ (UNICEF, 2021).

Social Work Duties

This scenario involves a social worker at a sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) prevention and response program to foster healthy relationships within the family. According to the National Association of Social Work (NASW), Social workers are at the forefront in preventing domestic violence and treating domestic violence survivors. Social workers might perform some of the following:

Provide individual, group and family counseling.
Conduct assessments, securing resources, monitoring improvement and being an advocate.
Case management services for vulnerable and abused women and their children.
Providing referrals to community resources.
Advocate for sound domestic violence services and policies by working in coalition with other groups, such as those who represent clergy, schools, hospitals, businesses, law enforcement, criminal justice and the militar.
Participating in program planning.