Building Capacity, Influence, and Change Together: A Workshop For ‘By and For’ VAWG/DVA Organisations (Event Report)

On 5 March 2026, IDVRM hosted a workshop bringing together 17 organisations from across the domestic violence and abuse (DVA) and violence against women and girls (VAWG) sector to discuss the challenges and priorities facing service providers, particularly ‘by and for’ organisations. Participants included representatives from ‘by and for’ organisations as well as generalist domestic abuse services and organisations working at the intersection of migration, faith, and community advocacy. The workshop created a space for these organisations to reflect on shared challenges, exchange frontline experiences and identify priorities for strengthening sector responses to survivors from minoritised and migrant communities.

Discussions during the workshop revealed several persistent structural barriers within the sector – findings which strongly echoed themes raised during the Project dldl/ድልድል Annual Conference in 2024, highlighting that many of these challenges remain unresolved.

Four key insights emerged from the report:

Continued lack of cultural and religious sensitivity within statutory services, shaped by wider structural inequalities, which can create barriers for survivors and increase the advocacy burden on frontline organisations.

A need for more comprehensive cultural, religious and interfaith training across the DVA and VAWG sector.

A shortage of ‘by and for’ specialist organisations outside major urban areas, limiting access to culturally responsive support.

Funding pressures and resource constraints that limit organisations’ ability to contribute to policy, advocacy and sector learning.

Addressing these issues will require stronger collaboration, sustainable funding models and greater recognition of the expertise held by grassroots and specialist organisations.