Reduce Risk – Increase Safety II (UNDP Serbia)

Duration

6 September 2022 – 31 May 2023

Beneficiary/ies

Ministry of Interior, Institute for Public Health “Dr Milan Jovanovic Batut”, CSOs and institutions working on the prevention of domestic violence and suicides.

The primary beneficiaries are persons who are or may become victims of firearms misuse, either in the context of domestic violence or suicide by firearm.

Donor/s

Western Balkans SALW Control Roadmap Multi- Party Trust Fund

Funding Amount

USD 170,700

Funding gaps (if any)

N/A

Objective/s

The objective of the project was to reduce the risk of misuse of firearms for domestic violence or suicides by persons who have access to firearms as civilians, or based on their occupation or hobby, as well as those who have access to illegal firearms. The project applied a comprehensive approach to develop implementable and sustainable actions to strengthen the healthcare system’s role in the prevention of firearms misuse for domestic violence and systematize the understanding and knowledge of the various dimensions of suicide by firearms.

Contributing to the Roadmap goal/s

Contributing to the Roadmap overall targets

Goal 4:

• Increase awareness among licensed private and legal entities about the danger of misuse and illicit proliferation of FAE.
• Increase awareness among general population, both women and men, on the danger of misuse, illicit possession and trafficking of FAE.
• Increase awareness and reduce the misuses of firearms in violence against women, domestic violence and other forms of gender-based violence.

Key activities implemented up to date

• The project created a strong network of stakeholders dedicated to enhancing the prevention of firearms misuse, by successfully connecting with over 250 representatives (75% women and 25% men) of institutions (public and private) and civil society organizations (CSOs).
• The project capacitated 86 healthcare workers to recognize risks of firearms misuse for violence and respond to domestic violence cases through a multi-sectoral approach. To further support their work, the project developed guidelines to improve healthcare workers’ readiness to recognize and provide support in domestic violence cases and overcome dilemmas regarding concrete steps and responsibilities.
• The project provided police officers with access to customized e-training and standard operating procedures (SOPs) to guide them in addressing domestic violence cases and to enhance their knowledge on how they can contribute to preventing firearms misuse.
• One knowledge paper was developed on the various aspects of suicide by firearms, focusing on identified challenges in suicide prevention and providing possible solutions.
• The project conducted research on the phenomenon of intimate partner femicide-suicide cases committed with firearms, highlighting specific risk factors and circumstances, with a view of improving institutional response and prevention of such cases;  
• The project completed research on interventions to prevent suicides committed with firearms and recommendations for improvements provided, focusing on 45+ male population and firearms carrying professionals; In addition, also completed was an analysis on existing roles and responsibilities of the healthcare system in suicide prevention and responding to suicide risks;
• The project improved the capacities of 50 journalists (60% women, 40% men) in ethical media reporting and raising public awareness on the link between SALW misuse, gender-based violence, suicides, and the importance of prevention. The project developed Guidelines for ethical media reporting on suicide, including firearms-misuse suicide, to inform journalists on preventative media reporting;
• The project furthermore capacitated 29 MoI representatives  (27 women and 2 men) to provide psychological support to staff, to improve suicide risk prevention and prevention of violence by police officers (including by firearms misuse).
• Through networking of different stakeholders and training activities, the project improved understanding of firearms misuse and the capacities of institutions to plan measures in immediate response to the firearms misuse crisis in May 2023. The project also enabled the networking of experts and media, leading to placement of knowledge- and evidence-based messages for the public, serving awareness raising and alleviation of community trauma in the aftermath of the tragic events.