medicusmundi and Hixikanwe organized a workshop on self-knowledge and empowerment for 40 women survivors of gender-based violence (GBV) on October 2 and 3 in the city of Maputo, within the framework of the project “Consolidating exit routes from gender-based violence in Maputo”, funded by the Catalan Agency for Development Cooperation (ACCD).
Psychological autonomy is an essential tool to ensure that financial support does not result in economic violence, but in empowerment.
medicusmundi maintains that, in order to achieve true empowerment of girls and women, it is essential to work on the component of self-knowledge and psychological autonomy. These aspects are crucial for women to improve the way they perceive the world and interact with others, creating solid foundations for successful financial empowerment.
medicusmundi recognizes that simple financial support, without proper emotional and psychological preparation, may not produce the same positive results. Psychological empowerment is the starting point for women to develop true autonomy, allowing them not only to successfully manage their businesses, but also to prevent financial support from becoming a new source of violence or dependency.
During this week, the workshop continues the psychological support that was already being carried out with the participants, through several therapy sessions led by a psychologist from the Hixikanwe Association. The training held on October 2 and 3 marks the culmination of this process, focusing on self-knowledge as an essential pillar for autonomy. Only with a solid emotional foundation will women be able to fully benefit from the technical-professional training and financing that will follow to start their own businesses.
Psychological autonomy is an essential tool to ensure that financial support does not result in economic violence, but in empowerment. Women with a clear understanding of themselves and their environment are better prepared to manage their businesses effectively and break cycles of violence. The opposite scenario, where emotional and psychological development is ignored, often does not generate the same results in terms of financial empowerment and sustainable growth.
To ensure greater effectiveness, the training was conducted in the local language and followed a methodology appropriate to the target audience, under the direction of Dr. Honório Isaías, psychologist and specialist in Communication for Behaviour Change.
Activity carried out within the framework of the project “Consolidating exit routes to gender-based violence in Maputo”, funded by the Catalan Agency for Development Cooperation (ACCD), executed by medicusmundi, in collaboration with the Hixikanwe Association and Fórum Mulher.