On 29 May 2025, the BRAVE-WOW project was presented at the conference “Innovation and Sustainability: the Grand Societal Challenges”, hosted by the University of Porto and jointly organised with SHINE 2Europe.
Ana Vieira, on behalf of the University of Coimbra (UC) who is the project coordinator, introduced BRAVE-WOW by highlighting the pressing issue of gender-based violence (GBV) in the workplace, particularly within the healthcare sector. She explained how GBV may manifest in physical, psychological, or sexual forms, and remains a persistent challenge across professional environments.
Ana presented how the project, developed by a consortium of 14 partners across four countries (Portugal, Italy, Slovenia, and Spain), is built upon a methodology rooted in the concept of decent work and outlines key strategies to tackle workplace GBV. The project involves analysing existing research, legislation, and public policies; developing targeted tools such as a workplace GBV questionnaire and a Decent Work Framework; and designing and testing interventions within healthcare organisations. It also engages stakeholders through participatory approaches like focus groups, surveys, and roundtables, while incorporating technological solutions, such as AI-based sentiment analysis, to detect and prevent online manifestations of GBV. Furthermore, the initiative includes the development of an open-access digital platform providing training resources, reporting tools, and practical guidelines, and it aims to establish a European Community of Practice to foster long-term impact and knowledge exchange.
Ana concluded by highlighting how tackling the phenomenon of GBV requires an organisational culture rooted in respect, accountability, and ethical governance, across both public and private sectors.
