With the increasing use of technology by society as a whole, coupled with the growing numbers of social media platforms, the issue of cyberbullying is on the increase.  For some young people this has reportedly led to tragic consequences, and the ability to hide behind technology means that people are regularly being trolled by others. In Jordan, overall, protection systems and enabling environment for the protection of children and women continue to be weak and violence against children/ women is culturally and socially condoned and accepted in all settings. 

The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) addresses social norms and attitudes in a culturally sensitive manner, with respect for local practices. LWF aims to contribute to changing cultural norms and creating an environment where women and children’s rights are respected and protected, thereby limiting the risk of violence and abuse, etc. To achieve this objective, LWF Jordan implements a Community Center Approach, providing holistic psychosocial support with the aim of increasing the psychosocial wellbeing of refugees and vulnerable Jordanians.

LWF focus on women and children within the holistic Community Center structure, by raising awareness on main protection issues rising in the community such as Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) on the one hand and assisting survivors with case management on the other. 

This two-fold tactic is part of the overall community center approach; by embedding this culturally sensitive topic within a strategy aimed at increasing psychosocial wellbeing for the wider community, issues surrounding stigma and shame are more easily addressed. 

In an increasingly digitized environment, there is now a need to improve the capacity of institutions working with women and children in their ability to support vulnerable communities with online safeguarding and against bullying, etc. LWF is now looking to fund workshops around the following topics:

• Online safeguarding
• Peer pressure
• Bullying and self defense
• Conflict resolution
• Social media behavior and protection
• Children first aid and how to deal with emergencies
• Learn more about the Jordan consultancy opportunity.