In collaboration with the State Committee for Women in Azerbaijan, USAID provided support through the Women’s Participation Program (WPP) to help sharpen the knowledge and skills of regional employees providing social and psychological assistance to victims of domestic violence.

From February 27 to March 1, 2013, a three day training program was held for twelve employees of the regional offices of the State Committee for Family, Women, and Children’s Affairs. The facilitator of the course was expert mentor Ms. Aytakin Huseinli, a graduate from School of Social Work of Washington University. Part of USAID cooperation with the State Committee is to increase levels of professional expertise and institutional capacity. Training sponsors and participants alike agreed that the training represents an important investment in the capacity of regional representatives to serve the interests of both communities and individual victims of violence.

This course is only one in a series of similar initiatives supporting the State Committee’s capacity building efforts. The WPP has previously provided capacity building training to both junior and regional staff of the State Committee beginning in July of 2012 with training on strategic planning and project management.   In September 2012, Ms. Sadagat Gahramanova, the Deputy Chairwoman of the State Committee, expressed interest in strengthening the capacity of regional employees in the sensitive and specialized areas of social and psychological assistance to victims of domestic violence. She also stressed the importance of continuing strategic management training for field staff.

The Women’s Participation Program, supported by USAID and implemented by Counterpart International, seeks to improve the socio-economic status of women in Azerbaijan by raising public awareness on issues that affect women, and empowering more women to engage in the political and decision making processes.