Project dldl/ድልድል

This Thursday 7th November is Supporting Male Victims of Domestic Abuse Day. Mark Brooks OBE from ManKind Initiative kindly did a recording with me which we’ll share accross the Age UK network on Thursday along with resources and contact information for organisations supporting men. If your organisation hasn’t prepared resources, there is still time… Visit their website for images & resources https://lnkd.in/dtD37tXt My focus on LinkedIn is raising the visibility of women in mid & later life affected by domestic abuse & trauma, but as Mark said to me in our conversation ‘We can think 2 things at the same time’. #menyouarenotalone

We can ALL contribute to #decolonisation. But our role and what we have to offer depends on our #identity, #privilege and #positionality. This awareness is applied in Dr Romina Istratii's attempt to #decolonise #research with Project dldl/ድልድል in #Ethiopia which takes innovative approaches in its work on intimate partner violence (#IPV, #domesticviolence, #VAWG) finding ways to support male #normchange in both #Ethiopia and the UK. Listen to Dr Romina Istratii talk to Dr. Nompilo Ndlovu (Ph.D) and Kate Bird on our #podcast https://lnkd.in/eSDEwmPd And learn more about the approach that Project dldl/ድልድል takes to work with men (including community and faith leaders) to change norms around male violence. #decolonise #decolonize #antiracist #shiftthepower #eurocentric #mixedmethods #research #domesticviolence #SGBV #GBV #IPV #southsouth #circularlearning #power #positionality #agency #normchange #masculinity #misogyny #patriarchy

I enjoyed talking to you, Carrie Bower and sharing my thoughts, experiences and research on #domesticviolenceandbangladeshiwomen. A group that is significantly underrepresented in research and lacks appropriate support for women and their children in this community. When talking about seeking support, the perception is that women do not seek it. This may be limited for so many women, but the reasons for each individual woman's seeking support are different, as is what they are offered. But does the state help or hinder them? Women’s intersectionality is not understood by those who aim to support them. The cultural misunderstanding lets women down to offer. Understanding the work with Bangladeshi women and their children is urgently needed, and professionals working with them need to be further trained in understanding cultural differences and what appropriate support looks like. If you want to discuss this further, connect and chat!

What works to end #violence against women and girls (#VAWG)? #DomesticViolenceAwarenessMonth encourages a search for answers. Research led by Dr Romina Istratii (Project dldl/ድልድል) takes an innovative approach, working with #women and #men, consulting with #faith and #CommunityLeaders and applying the results in #Ethiopia and the UK. Listen to our #podcast interview with her: https://lnkd.in/eSDEwmPd Some of the themes discussed include how the project applies: 💥 Community-Grounded Approach: The Project dldl/ድልድል in #Ethiopia aims to address #DomesticViolence by developing culturally appropriate and theologically informed interventions in #partnership with local #communities, including #religious and community leaders. 💥 #Decolonial Perspective: The project explicitly rejects #Eurocentric frameworks, focusing on #community needs and #cultural contexts in #Ethiopia and East #Africa, and encouraging #equitable knowledge exchange between Europe and Africa. 💥 #Epistemological Reflexivity: Dr Romina Istratii emphasizes the need for epistemological reflexivity, aiming to avoid extractive and reductionist #research practices by acknowledging the #historical inequalities in research and #development systems. 💥 #Interdisciplinary Focus: The project uses an #interdisciplinary approach, integrating #religious and #cultural factors in domestic violence interventions, which challenges the typically #secular frameworks used in development work. 💥 #CircularLearning & Two-Way #Knowledge Transfer: It reverses the traditional knowledge flow, bringing insights from #Ethiopia & #EastAfrica to improve programming in the UK, particularly among #religious and #ethnicminority communities. 💥 Collaboration with diverse #stakeholders: The project partners with #feminist organizations, religious institutions, businesses, and charities to develop practical, research-informed solutions. 💥 Challenging Secular Frameworks: The project critiques secular, reductionist approaches to gender-based violence (#GBV), advocating for culturally contextualized responses. 💥 Focus on #Indigenous Knowledge: understanding religious & cultural worldviews matters in designing effective interventions to halt #GBV. 💥 Applies to the UK: By engaging UK-based practitioners and policymakers with Ethiopian models, the project aims to respond sensitively to intimate partner violence (#IPV) in the UK, especially in #minority faith communities. 💥 #Decolonising Research Initiatives: Project dldl/ድልድል - rooted in the Decolonising Research Initiative at @SOAS, supporting the development of research practices that are #ethical, context-aware, and collaborative with local communities. #intersectionalfeminism #intersectional #feminist #patriarchy #domesticviolence #IPV #SGBV #GBV #violenceagainstwomenandgirls #VAWG #toxicmasculinity #masculinities #interdisciplinary #interdisciplinaryresearch #decolonise #decolonize #epistemology #shiftthepower

💢 Faith and faith traditions can play a powerful role in addressing domestic violence, especially in very religious societies. 💒 Tidar (‘Marriage’), a compelling docudrama, tells the story of Genet, an Ethiopian Orthodox Christian woman navigating abuse within her marriage. Based on real-life testimonials gathered by Dr Romina Istratii, the film highlights how Genet’s religious beliefs shape her approach to seeking help. 💌 The message is clear: Faith *can* be both a source of strength and, with the right guidance, a path toward transformative interventions - but often faith actors themselves are badly equipped to do so. By weaving theological insights from the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, Tidar calls for better training for clergy to support survivors in faith-aligned ways.

We are nearing the end of #DomesticViolence Awareness Month. Violence against women and girls is a #global problem. Understanding how to reduce #intimatepartner #violence is really important. #Evidence and the stories we are told matter - they influence our thinking, #policy making, #programme design and what is funded and how. So the way that #research is done matters, too. Dr Romina Istratii cares deeply about the research that she does into challenging violence against women and girls in faith-based communities. She talks in our podcast about the research she does in #Ethiopia and the barriers to #decolonial #research - including #funding practices and #regulation. Listen to our podcast at https://lnkd.in/eSDEwmPd #intersectionalfeminism #intersectional #violenceagainstwomenandgirls #intimatepartnerviolence #domesticviolence #backlash #SGBV #VAWG #ipv #decolonise #decolonize #shiftthepower #globaldev #gender #womenandgirls

#Men are often excluded from conversations about #domesticviolence - with a single-minded focus on #survivors. Dr Romina Istratii takes a different approach - working with #men, #communityleaders and #faith leaders to understand what might be most effective to reduce #violence against #women and #girls. Her work with #partners in #Ethiopia creates opportunities for #southsouth and #circularlearning - applying evidence based approaches in #Ethiopia and in the #UK too. Listen to her describe her work https://lnkd.in/esvDifjw #decolonise #decolonize #research #intersectional #intersectionalfeminist #intersectionalfeminism #shiftthepower #VAWG #SGBV #GBV #violenceagainstwomenandgirls #genderbasedviolence #IPV #intimatepartnerviolence #malebacklash #backlash #toxicmasculinity #masculinities #patriarchy #gender #equity #genderequity #power #empowerment #agency #feminist

We're #hiring for a Communication Officer!! SOAS University of London is a great place to work. Take your next career step with SOAS University of London! What's in it for you? 📍 Hybrid working (job share applications considered) 💰 Competitive salary 📅 38 days leave per year (inc. bank holidays) Apply now! Don’t meet all the person spec? Want to chat it through? Have some questions? Drop me a message 📩 Want to know what it’s like working in our team? Get in touch with us. Dr Romina Istratii

31 October marks the end of the first phase of Project dldl/ድልድል! We are now four years' old and are entering our next 3-year phase with renewal funding from UK Research and Innovation. More excitingly, we are evolving into a spin out with the support of SOAS University of London, about which I will say more in coming weeks. So, watch out this space! I would like to give a shout out to all our partners, collaborators, mentors, advisers, technical supporters, associates and many more, who probably span half a dozen of countries and a few dozen in number! Firstly, my sincere thanks to the core team over the past for years, but especially in the past year Dr Natalia Paszkiewicz and Mahmoud Ali Gomaa Afifi and our co-investigators Professor Parveen Ali and Gene Feder. This is as close as it gets to a dream team and it is with a sad heart that I say goodbye (for now) to such an amazing crowd! Prior to this team, I'd also like to give a shout out to our previous project managers, Estela Papagianni and Haben Abraha Hill, our previous postdoctoral researcher Dr Linda Mshweshwe, and my two brilliant assistants in Ethiopia, Liya Desta and Etsegenet Hailemekeal! A shout out also to our associated researcher in Ethiopia Benjamin Kalkum, and our community-based researchers in the UK Dr Aysha Ahmed and Elsabeth Gezahegn King. My sincere thanks to all the partners and collaborators in Ethiopia, all the teams we worked with at EOTC DICAC, including the Commissioner Ato Yilikal Shifarew, Bantamlak Gelaw, Kesis aklil damtew, the extended team in Debre Birhan, Amhara region, our team at EMIRTA, Dr Zinawork Assefa (PhD), Tesfaye Gonite, Yonas Habte, Yohannes Demiss, and the extended EMIRTA Board, our trainers Henok Hailu and Bezaweet Birhanu, our team at Fnot, Kesis Yigzaw Mekonnen and Mesfin Betru W., our translators Fresenbet G.Y Adhanom, Selamawit Reta, Yeshihareg Abebe, Haile Gezae and Mesfin Wodajo and our brilliant film production teams in the UK and Ethiopia, including Yidnekachew Shumete Desalegn, Max Conil, Hermon Hailay, Kedest Firdaweke and Gedam Geto. Many thanks to all the supporting organisations, including Ethiopian Women Lawyers association (EWLA) and especially the support of Lensa Biyena and the wonderful Wendimneh Lemma. The list goes on to include our brilliant mentors, Erminia Colucci, PhD and Lisa Fontes, and the members of our Advisory Board, but especially Mandy Marshall, Professor Nancy Nason-Clark and Hulluf Weldesilassie Kahsay for their regular advice. I cannot fit everyone in this post! While we are still reflecting on the impact achieved, we would like to share some photographs capturing our work and spirit as a team. Today we celebrate people, not outcomes, and here is a shout out to the people! THANK YOU ALL for your contributions, energy and commitment. You have all been my teachers in the past four years. I hope that we will continue to collaborate in new ways! #achievements #people

In the past four years I have run Project dldl/ድልድል, a UKRI-funded research and innovation multi-partner project that seeks to strengthen and develop responses to domestic violence in East Africa and Europe. Whilst this has not been a formal business, it has pretty much operated as one and is currently evolving into a spin out with the support of SOAS University of London. In the online panel on Entrepreneurship and Enterprise, I will reflect on the journey I have come so far to bridge social innovation with academic research, skills that I believe a social entrepreneur should have and how these can be cultivated, and the importance of a research-robust and community-grounded approach to business and entrepreneurship. Join us if you can!