Action to prevent violence against children, young people and women: the DAPHNE II programme (2004-08)

This programme is the second phase of the Daphne programme. Its aim is to prevent and combat all forms of violence against children, young people and women by taking preventive measures and providing support for victims. It also seeks to assist organisations active in this field and to encourage cooperation between them.

ACT

Decision No 803/2004/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 April 2004 adopting a programme of Community action (2004 to 2008) to prevent and combat violence against children, young people and women and to protect victims and groups at risk [OJ L 34 of 30.04 2004].

SUMMARY

Thanks to the Daphne programme, the EU provides added value to actions predominantly undertaken by the Member States to prevent violence through the dissemination and exchange of information and experience, the promotion of an innovative approach, the joint establishment of priorities, the development of networking and the mobilisation of all parties concerned.

Scope

Three target groups have been clearly identified. These are children (up to the age of 18), young people (12-25 years old) and women.

All types of violence and all aspects of this phenomenon are concerned, whether occurring in public or in private. It includes violence in the family, in schools and other educational institutions or in the workplace, commercial sexual exploitation, genital mutilation and human trafficking.

The programme is open to the Member States of the European Union and the European Economic Area (EEA), Turkey, Romania and Bulgaria (subject to certain conditions as regards the last three countries).

Access to the programme

The programme is open to participation by public or private not-for-profit organisations and institutions (local authorities at the relevant level, university departments and research centres) working to prevent and combat violence against children, young people and women, to provide support for victims, to promote rejection of such violence or to encourage attitude and behaviour change towards vulnerable groups and victims of violence.

Programme objectives

An annex to Decision 803/2004/EC describes the transnational actions which are eligible for aid. This basically involves the development of networking, exchanges of information and good practice and awareness-raising measures. The Daphne programme covers the following types of action, which form part of the call for proposals for specific co-financed projects ("Call for Proposals I"):

• identification and exchange of good practice and professional experience;
• production of surveys, studies and research;
• field work involving the beneficiaries in project design, implementation and evaluation;
• creation of sustainable multidisciplinary networks;
• training and use of educational packages;
• treatment and support programmes for victims and perpetrators;
• development and implementation of information and awareness-raising activities for specific target groups;
• identification and promotion of activities which help to generate respect for persons who are vulnerable to violence and to ensure their well-being and development.

Provision has also been made for additional activities at the Commission's initiative to fill any gaps in the programme or to complement areas which have not been sufficiently taken into account in the proposals. These activities form part of the call for proposals for the transfer, adaptation and use of the available results ("Call for Proposals II"). Examples include studies, development of indicators and data gathering or other activities to reinforce the knowledge base of the programme.

Eligible projects

To be eligible for funding, projects must involve at least two Member States. "Call for Proposals 1" projects may last 12 or 24 months and financial support from the Community budget may not exceed 80 % of the total cost of the project. "Call for Proposals II" projects must last 12 months and may receive support equivalent to 100 % of the total cost.

Implementation and follow-up

The Commission is responsible for managing and implementing the programme. It must ensure that any results or products funded by the programme are available free of charge and in electronic format. It must also ensure a balanced approach towards the three target groups (children, young people and women). It is assisted in these various tasks by a committee.

The Commission is required to submit a progress report to Parliament, the Council, the Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions by 1 June 2006 at the latest and a final report on completion of the programme.

Background

Daphne II follows up the Daphne I programme, which expired at the end of 2003. Daphne I was a great success and met a real need in terms of strategies to combat violence. The financial framework for the second phase of the programme (2004-2008) is EUR 50 million, as against EUR 20 million for the first phase. Daphne funds projects which aim to provide support to victims of violence and to prevent their being exposed to violence in future. Projects of this kind should help to raise awareness of the personal and social damage which violence does to victims, families, communities and society at large.

See also

• For further information, see the Daphne programme website

Last updated: 28.01.2005