The project was approved as regionally important at the meeting of Nordic Baltic Senior Officials on Gender Equality in December 2021.
The Ministry has a role of administrating the project, responsible for the contents (in line with national policy of gender equality) and usage of funds.
Background information: responding to men’s emotional needs
In Lithuania, there are 9 Men’s Crisis Centers (further – MCCs) which render services in 18 municipalities. MCCs are nongovernmental organizations that works with violent men and men who face social and psychological problems (eg. divorce, relationship problems, depression, bereavement, loss of jobs etc.) of different social backgrounds, including ex-prisoners.
Services that they provide include: provision of legal, social and psychological consultations for men, mediation service (by telephone, online and in person); conduction of crisis management programs; facilitation of various support/therapy/educational groups and/or activities; provision of assistance to victims of violence; thematic seminars organization; advocating the importance of men’s psychological and emotional health and spread of awareness about the topic through various means (articles in media, social campaigns etc.). Services include assistance of psychologists, lawyers, various consultants, addiction counselors, social workers, and trained volunteers.
Due to wide range of activities and complexity of problems that each individual is facing, MCCs cooperates with many different institutions like: municipalities Probation Service, Police, Public health centers, Educational institutions and centers, Correctional facilities, Social service centers, Prosecutor’s Office, State Service for the Protection of the Rights of the Child and Adoption and others.
Project purpose and goals
- To exchange examples of good practices between Baltic and Nordic countries participating in the project in order to develop MCC’s and/or Men’s NGOs activities and strengthen competences of their staff.
- To exchange examples of good practices on development of services for victims of domestic violence and perpetrators.
- To establish a network of Nordic Baltic partners involved in the project dedicated to further communication as well as exchange of good practices in the future.
- To organize a conference for Nordic-Baltic representatives of responsible ministries, MCCs’ and other men’s NGOs staff working on men’s issues and developing services for boys, young and adult men, also migrant men.
Key events and activities
- Study visits of the representatives from Baltic MCCs, as well as national authorities for gender equality policy to Finland and Sweden.
- Seminars, training sessions (in Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia) co-organised with NCM Offices in the Baltic countries.
- Nordic-Baltic conference “Men’s Emotional Health: Towards Support and Well-Being”on 8th June 2023 in Vilnius, Lithuania. Experts, researchers, policymakers, and representatives from men’s organizations across diverse backgrounds will come together to share best practices and explore effective strategies for addressing men’s emotional needs. Watch the conference recording in English.
Partners
Lithuania: representatives of three men’s organisations: Gentys, Men’s Hotline at Klaipeda Psychological and Social Centre, Kaunas County Men’s Crisis Centre
Estonia: NGO “Peaasjad”, NGO “Meeste Garaaž”, NGO “Vaiter”, support line renouncing violence at the Estonian Social Insurance Board under the Ministry of Social Affairs
Latvia: Foundation “Fathers / Tēvi”, NGO “Mācību centrs MKB”, Ministry of Welfare
Finland: “Miessakit” association, NGO “Family Federation of Finland: Poikien puhelin” (Boys Line is a helpline telephone and web service for boys and young men), NGO “MIELI Mental Health Finland”, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Ministry of Social Affairs and Health
Sweden: Ministry of Employment, Division for Gender Equality, MÄN, Manscentrum, Mansjouren, Rikskriscentrum
Norway: MannsForum, Reform – ressurssenter for menn
