Federal Government Action Programme (Prevention and Service Provision)

Brief Description

A Federal Government action programme is planned to prevent violence against women, support women victims and their children, and improve support structures. Key components of the overall programme include the round table of Federal Government, Länder and municipal authority representatives, whose kick‐off meeting was held on 18 September 2018, and a nationwide investment, innovation and restructuring programme – the federal funding programme “Gemeinsam gegen Gewalt an Frauen” (Working Together to Combat Violence against Women). The aims of the collaboration between the Federal Government, all 16 German Länder (states) and the top municipal associations within the framework of the round table are needs‐based expansion and safeguarding the work performed in women’s shelters and by walk‐in help and support organisations. In addition, the Federal Government aims to use the federal funding programme in its promotional efforts to test models for use in closing known gaps in the help and support system. This includes improving access to the support system, the provision of care and support for as yet unreached target groups, and innovative practice‐based models for use in providing support for victims of violence. The federal funding programme thus comprises two pillars. In one, financial resources are allocated for innovative projects aimed at supporting all women victims of violence and their children in a target group appropriate way. In the other, within the scope of the budget allocation, construction‐related measures are to be funded under the programme to increase capacities and improve access to women’s shelters and specialist counselling centres. The first innovative, model projects and accompanying measures of relevance to the entire help, support and counselling system and which are linked to the specific mandates contained in the Coalition Agreement will be implemented in the course of 2019.