Daphne II programme 2004-2008: combating violence against children, young people and women

PURPOSE : to establish the second phase of the Daphne Programme and combat violence against women, children and young people. LEGISLATIVE ACT : Decision 803/2004/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council 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 (the Daphne II programme). CONTENT : This Decision establishes a second phase of the Daphne programme building on the experience gained during the implementation of the Daphne I programme (2000-2003). The structure of this proposal is similar to that of the original Daphne programme. The programme will contribute to the general objective of providing citizens with a high level of protection from violence, including the protection of their physical and mental health, within the framework of an area of freedom, security and justice. It is intended to prevent and combat all forms of violence against children, young people and women. By so doing, the programme will contribute to health and social well being. All areas of violence (domestic violence, violence in schools, in institutions, in the work place, commercial sexual exploitation, genital mutilation, health impact, gender violence, trafficking, treatment of offenders, etc.) remain important and are the subject of actions. Organisations responsible for assistance to victims are still the best relay to reach and help the beneficiaries of these actions. In addition, training bodies, universities, voluntary associations, research centres and local authorities are also eligible under the programme. It aims to assist and encourage non-governmental organisations and other organisations active in this field. The programme's budget is EUR 50 million as suggested by the European Parliament. The first phase of the Daphne programme had a budget of EUR 20 million (please see COD/1998/0192). An envelope of EUR 29 million is available until 31.12.2006. Beyond this time the amount will be deemed to be confirmed if it is consistent for this phase with the financial perspectives in force for the period commencing in 2007. The scope of the programme has been extended so that "children" will include adolescents up to the age of 18 years, in accordance with international instruments relating to the rights of the child. However, projects with actions particularly designed for beneficiary groups such as, for example, "teenagers" (13 to 19 years old) or people 12 to 25 years old, will be considered as targeting the category of so-called "young people. The actions to be implemented under the Daphne II programme are set out in the Annex, and are intended: - to promote transnational actions: - to set up multidisciplinary networks, particularly in support of victims of violence and groups at risk; - to ensure the expansion of the knowledge base, the exchange of information and the identification and dissemination of good practice, including through training, study visits and staff exchange; - to raise awareness of violence among targeted audiences such as specific professions, competent authorities and identified sectors of the general public with a view both to improving understanding of, and promoting the adoption of zero tolerancetowards violence and to encouraging support for victims and the reporting of incidences of violence to the competent authorities; - to study phenomena related to violence and possible methods of preventing it and explore and address the root causes of violence at all levels of society; - to implement complementary actions, on the initiative of the Commission, such as studies, the formulation of indicators, data gathering, statistics broken down by gender and by age, seminars, and meetings of experts or other activities to reinforce the programme's knowledge base and to disseminate the information obtained under this The list of eligible participants is set out in the Decision. To be eligible for funding under this programme, projects must involve at least two Member States, have a maximum duration of two years and be geared to the objectives set out in the programme. The proportion of financial support from the Community budget will not exceed 80 % of the total cost of the project. However, complementary actions on the commission's initiative may be financed up to 100 %, subject to a ceiling of 15 % of the programme's total annual financial allocation. The Commission is responsible for the management and implementation of the Daphne II programme and must ensure that any result or product funded by the programme is available free of charge and in electronic form. It must also ensure a balanced approach, in respect of the three target groups, namely children, young people and women with regard to the implementation of the programme. At the latest by 1 June 2006, the Commission must submit an evaluation report to the European Parliament and to the Council, assessing the relevance, utility, sustainability, effectiveness and efficiency of the Daphne II programme so far. ENTRY INTO FORCE : 30/04/2004.�