1. Contact information

 

Woman's Association "Izvor"

31 207 TENJA

V. Mačeka 20

Tel/fax. ** 00 385 (0) 31 290 433

SOS telephone / 0800 200 151 

E- mail: zenska.udruga.izvor@gmail.com

Web site: www.zenska-udruga-izvor.hr

 

Woman's Association "Izvor", founded 2001, is a civil society organisation which works for a general public with an aim to contribute towards an open society of complete, free, and active individuals.

 

In our work towards achieving this we act within the fields of promotion and protection of human rights and freedoms of vulnerable groups, as well as education for gender equality, democratisation of society, and development of human relationships within a community. All this, in our opinion, contributes towards numerous positive and important societal changes.

 

VALUES AND PRINCIPLES OF WORK

Izvor was founded by activists from a number of peace initiatives who have long term experience in working within the sphere of human rights and freedoms, peacemaking, and social justice.

 

Our acts are principled on work for general public based on the grounds of innate dignity, equality, and the rights of all people on the basis of freedom, justice, and peace in the world. Relationships based on equality and justices are the way of bringing to life the equality of woman and men. They are also the way of combating discriminatory society attitudes and gender stereotypes as well as acceptance of emancipator values which are important to woman.

 

In many democratic societies, such as this one, there is lack of awareness about importance of gender equality as a general good for society and democratisation.

 

Thus, mentioned values we are trying to make visible through feminist practise.

We consider feminism as a practical term which means equality for woman. This equality considers equal representation of woman and men in all aspects of life and society with the aim of justice and welfare for all members of society and protection of the nature.

"Izvor" activities in 2010. has been implemented through five projects within the two programs. Third program is in the function of implementation of activities those two programs in respect of which we contributing strengthening the status of civil society organizations who work for general good.

 

2. Responsible persons of Association

 

Mirjana Herceg, BA (Law)

President of the Association with seventeen years of experience working in promotion and protection  of human rights and freedoms. Her special concern has been within the fields of woman's rights, gender equality, children's rights, the rights of other underrepresented groups and most prominently the field of conscientious objection. She is also working as a consultant and leader of free legal aid as well as an educator within community on issues of developing civil society and democratisation. The author of the "Zbornik prava osoba s invaliditetom" ("Collection of papers about rights of disabled persons") Vukovar, 2005., and publication "Non violence", 2010., co- author of publication "A tko joj je kriv" ( "It's her fault anyway" ) in addition Woman group B.a.b.e. , Zagreb and editor of the book  "Životne priče iz Tenje" ("Life history from Tenja"), 2004. written by Marija Stupalo.

 

Editor and co- author of the "City guide for woman", Osijek 2010. , author and co-author of more texts and responsible person for publishing the publication "Education for gender equality".

 

Author of the significant number of informative and educational brochures for citizens about their rights and the ways of actualisation of those. Performer of workshops and  lectures with the subject of woman’s human rights, gender equality, right of conscientious objection, servicing the civil service and residential care for the elderly.

 

Co-founder of the Association, from 2001 contributing to organisational development, leadership, advocacy, finding better solutions and  implementation of regulations, non institutional form of education for gender equality, combating discrimination and new policies for welfare for elderly and powerless persons and promoting the social entrepreneurship, sustainable development and activism in society.

 

Marija Stupalo, retired, vice- president of the association, volunteer in multiple activities in community. Author of the book "Life history from Tenja", 2004. Participated in many seminars connected to reconciliation and development of community. She is one of the first volunteers in Tenja who implemented activities of the project of active listening. Today she is still active member in helping elderly persons in Tenja.

In December 2006 on the City of Osijek level she received an award "Volunteer of the year". She is active member of the "Official registry for retired people" and "Society of poets" Antun Ivanošić Osijek, whose lyrics are published in 2009 in the collection of poems called "That city speaks about me".

 

3. STRUCTURE OF THE ASSOCIATION

Association is founded in 2001 with the headquarter in Tenja, the suburban of the City of Osijek. Founders are from the area of Osijek – Baranja County and Vukovar – Srijem County. Most of the founders have rich experience in work with civil initiatives, experts on different fields, different ages, gender, social status, ethnic belonging, and religious persuasion.

The highest body of decision making of the Association is the General Meeting which constitute of all regular members who have signed the entry requirement and they have the right to vote and to chose the representatives for the decision making bodies.

"IZVOR" VISION is open society with free, affirmative and active individuals.

"IZVOR" MISION is promoting and developing human rights and freedoms, education for gender equality, democratization of society, and development human relationship and community directed on positive societal changes.

 

3. STRATEGIC GUIDANCE 2010. - 2012.

- Promotion and protection woman’s human rights and gender equality

- Support for development of civil society and community

- Organizational development

 

"Izvor" activities are implemented through three programs:

 

I. PROMOTION AND PROTECTION OF WOMAN'S HUMAN RIGHTS AND GENDER EQUALITY

 

The aim of the program: advance the condition of equality of woman and men and woman's human rights rendering the services:

- Free legal aid counsel

- Free legal representation in front of the court

- Free SOS telephone for victims:

- Group for support and individual psychosocial help

                - victims of domestic violence

                - victims of mobbing and discrimination at working place

- Group for support and individual psychosocial help

                - victims of domestic violence

                - victims of mobbing and discrimination at working place

- Free legal aid

- protection of rights on equal treatment for victims of discrimination

- Monitoring of positive regulations

- Education for gender equality

- Modular program for schools

- Educational workshops for children and youth

 

Organizing campaigns, annotating the important dates, preparing and distributing educational- informative material and publications.

 

Projects under this program

1. "Stop to violence"

- The overall objective of the project is to improve the protection of victims of domestic violence and their empowerment.

 

2. "Education for Gender Equality"

- The overall objective of the project is promotion of women's human rights and gender equality through non institutional education and introduction of gender sensitive upbringing in whole educational system.

 

3. "Legal aid for citizens"

- The overall objective of the project is to provide free legal assistance to citizens of lower financial status in order to protect their rights before public authorities.

 

4. "City Guide for women – guide through legal and social services for women that are exposed to discrimination!

- The overall objective of the project is to provide better information to women exposed to discrimination, about their rights, service providers, their jurisdiction and procedure of achieving these rights in City of Osijek.

 

II. SUPPORT TO DEVELOPMENT OF CIVIL SOCIETY AND COMMUNITY

The objective of the program: contribution to the development of civil society and community aimed at development of values of:

 

1. Civil society

- Encouragement of activism among citizens on strengthening democracy and civil society in the field of association's work

- Promotion and advocating for generally accepted values of our society

- Initiation and acceptance of partnerships and cooperation among subjects of all sectors in the field of association's work

- conducting research and analyzing of special appearances in society in the field of association's work

- Answer of civil society to corruption

- The objective: networking and affecting the positive society change in community and society in general

 

2. Cohesion in the community

- taking care for elderly persons in community and advocating for new policies of social care for elderly and disabled persons

- providing free legal protection to elderly persons

- strengthening the network of organization in the region which work in the field of providing care for elderly and disabled persons

- Encouragement of cooperation and unity among people in the community

- Promotion of volunteerism in community and advocating for social valuation of volunteer work in civil society organizations

-  The objective: improvement of quality of life of elderly and disabled persons and linking people in the community by valuating of volunteer work

 

3. Social Entrepreneurship

- Economic empowerment of women and other marginalized groups in the community through strengthening creative, educational, and other resources

- Cooperation with economic and other subjects regarding strengthening of resources and initiatives

- Support in development of business ideas and plans

- conducting research of market, trends, and EU funds

- The objective: empowerment of women and other marginalized groups in the community

 

Projects within this program:

1. "Care for elderly persons"

- the overall objective of the project is to improve the quality of life of elderly and disabled persons throughout the work for common good and social valuation of that work

- the main aim of this project was to develop capacities within the state in it's battle against corruption using the standardized civil approach through following the legal framework based on corruption.

 

2. "Support for the social cohesion"

The aim of the project: encouraging social inclusion of marginalized groups through support in access to the labour market and encouragement their role in community in the City of Osijek and Osijek - Baranja County.

Partners on project: Home for mentally ill adults Osijek and Volunteer Centre Osijek

 

III. ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

 

The aims of the program:

- to ensure own development and sustainability of the organisation

- intervention for the comprehensive society status of the civil society organisations who work for a general good

- to ensure own development and productivity

- to support to volunteer and encouragement of volunteer work and verifying the same

- to contribute towards intersectional cooperation, partnership and networking in intervention for general good

 

One – off grant

 

Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (MHSW) in October 2010 approved us one –off grant with which we have insured implementation for the most important activities in supply services to citizens.

 

In 2010, 25 volunteers (18 female and 7 male) with 3.891,5 volunteer hours participated in activities of the association.

 

The earning for 2010. was 415.406,48  HRK / 56.315  €

 

In 2010 financial activities of the association was supported by Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Ministry of Science , Education and Sports, Ministry of Justice, Osijek - Baranja County, The City of Osijek and European Union –  ( European Instrument for Democratisation and Human Rights) EIDHR, IPA IV. Component ´Human Resource Development´.

 

Tenja, March 2011