Violence against women: undertaking to rebuild

In September 2021, Adnane Maalaoui, teacher-researcher and director of the Entrepreneurship & Family Business Center, created the CEFAIRE centre, whose mission is to help women victims of violence to rebuild their lives through entrepreneurship.

Since then, the association Led by Her, which has acquired real expertise in supporting women victims of violence, has joined the project. Together, IPAG and Led by Her are now offering an entrepreneurship programme specifically designed and adapted to help these women rebuild their lives. The recruitment of the next class is underway and the programme will start on 7 February 2022.

A shocking assessment

According to the WHO, one in three women experiences physical or sexual violence in her lifetime. In its briefing note on the impact of COVID-19 on women, it reports an increase of over 25% in gender-based violence against women. France is no exception, despite a growing body of legislation, nearly 220 000 women reported experiencing violence in 2021.

The urgency to act

In view of this, it is now essential that concrete solutions be proposed to victims so that they can gradually rebuild their lives. One of these solutions is entrepreneurship, a process of creation that is suitable for freeing oneself from the psychological hold of the abuser, regaining self-confidence and financial independence. “We share this observation with our partner Led by Her and we have joined forces to set up programmes of personal and professional reconstruction,” explains Adnane Maalaoui. For Chiara Condi, founder of Led by Her, “the entrepreneurial path represents a tremendous opportunity in that it allows the women involved to build an accessible horizon in which economic independence and self-realisation are among the primary benefits”.

Entrepreneurship to rebuild oneself

Since September 2021, some 15 women have benefited from a tailor-made and individualised programme. Organised over five months, it includes entrepreneurship courses given by teachers and experts from IPAG and Led By Her. The strength of the programme also lies in the support that each participant receives from the assigned mentors and volunteer coaches mobilised to support them. Little by little, within an inclusive ecosystem, participants learn to trust themselves, trust others, express their talent and ultimately create their own jobs.