On October 30, in Gherla, the final dissemination event of the European project HE4Her, hosted by the Gherla Penitentiary took place.
Under the theme "Connecting Health and Justice through Education", professionals from the fields of justice, health and education came together to share the results, resources and impact of the project's activities.
The event marked the official conclusion of the HE4Her project, co-financed through the European Union’s Erasmus+ programme, and highlighted the importance of inter-institutional collaboration to promote health literacy and social inclusion.
We enjoyed the presence of Mrs. @daianahuber, representative of the Center for the Promotion of Permanent Learning (CPIP), partner of the project in Romania, as well as the members from the top and middle management of the Gherla Penitentiary, Dej Penitentiaries and the Cluj County Police Inspectorate.
We thank all the partners, professionals and institutions involved for their collaboration and contribution to the success of the project @he4her.eu#HE4Her #ErasmusPlus #HealthEducation #Justice #Collaboration #LifelongLearning #CPIP #PenitenciarulGherla #PenitenciarulDej #IPJCluj #EuropeanProject #Partnership
On the 30th of October 2025, Freedom Gate Greece hosted online the HE4Her ‘’HealthEmpowerment for Women Involved with the Criminal Justice System’’ Project Promotion and Final Evaluation Public Hearing. The event brought together people from different fields who work with women.
During the session, we presented the full set of educational modules and the innovative methodology developed jointly by partners from Romania, Finland, Greece and Turkey. Participants explored cutting-edge content on women’s health, sexually transmitted infections, prevention strategies and health-literacy building tools designed specifically for community-level impact.
The atmosphere was energizing and full of solidarity, leaving everyone with a renewed sense of purpose and a shared commitment to equipping women with the knowledge they need to take charge of their health.
Participants emphasized the importance of such programs in Greece and stated that this could be a start of educating and helping women, who come into contact with the criminal justice systems, to understand the importance of their health and how they can be protected.
#HE4Her #ErasmusPlus #HealthLiteracy #WomenEmpowerment #ErasmusPlusProjects #AdultEducation #SocialWork #Equality
The HE4Her Project Promotion and Evaluation Meeting (Public Hearing) held at Raymar Hotel in Ankara, hosted by our association on October 18, 2025, was held with the participation of more than 30 representatives of civil society organizations working in the field of women from different parts of Turkey.
At the meeting, the educational modules and methodology of the project conducted in four countries (Romania, Finland, Greece, Turkey) were introduced; innovative educational content on women's health, sexually transmitted diseases, protective measures and health literacy were shared.
Participants passed on their own organization experiences and assessed future collaborations and collaboration opportunities. The event was a productive and inspiring gathering, reinforcing a common vision to empower women's health knowledge and awareness.
We sincerely thank all organizations and representatives who participated and contributed to this productive meeting.
#HE4Her #ErasmusPlus #HealthLiteracy #WomenEmpowerment #SosyalHizmetUzmanlarıDerneği #SHUDER #KadınSağlığı #SağlıkOkuryazarlığı #ErasmusPlusProjects #AdultEducation #SocialWork #Equality
On the 16th of September 2025, Silta-Valmennusyhdistys hosted a Public Hearing event as part of the Erasmus+ HE4Her project, “Health Empowerment for Women Involved with the Criminal Justice System.” The hearing was organized as part of Silta’s regular staff meeting, which brings together the majority of its employees, ensuring broad internal engagement and discussion.
The event served as a platform to reflect on the project’s outcomes and share insights gathered throughout its implementation.
The hearing also addressed cultural differences between partner countries (Turkey, Greece, Romania, Finland), especially regarding healthcare practices, gender roles, and perceptions of cleanliness and pain. In addition, it explored the varying approaches to working with female offenders, a recurring theme throughout the project that highlighted differences in societal attitudes, support structures, and professional practices across countries. Participants emphasized the importance of face-to-face meetings, open dialogue, and support for professionals navigating cross-cultural work.
On September 16, 2025, Silta-Valmennusyhdistys in Finland hosted a Masterclass in its premises as part of the Erasmus+ HE4Her project, aimed at improving health literacy among women involved with the criminal justice system. The event focused on gender-specific health education to help prevent chronic and infectious diseases during and after incarceration.
The day included theoretical discussions, project insights, interactive tasks, and reflection sessions. Topics covered ranged from sexual health, anatomy, and menstrual cycle education to emotional well-being, boundaries, and self-care. Participants explored personal and professional perspectives on sexuality, with tools like the “Sexuality Map” and “Sexuality Steps” to support dialogue and self-awareness.
The Masterclass welcomed ten in-person attendees, with an additional five participating online due to Silta’s nationwide office network.
The National Masterclass in Greece was successfully held by Freedom Gate on the 4th of August.
Participants: Students of social sciences and teachers
During the Masterclass, the project was presented and the main modules of the program were discussed (The Female Body, Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs), Preventive Methods, Health Literacy).
Participant Feedback:
Participants mentioned that the masterclass based on the project He4her was incredibly engaging and went beyond what they anticipated. They also mentioned that they wished to have more time to dive deeper into the topics. Furthermore, they highlighted the importance of such programs especially in Greek prisons and more specifically targeted to the female population. This training represents a significant milestone in advancing professional skills to promote women's empowerment through health education, aligning with the HE4Her project's mission.
Organized by the Turkish Association of Social Workers (SHUDER), the Women’s Health and Health Literacy Masterclass Training was successfully held online on 8–9 July 2025.
Over two evenings on Zoom, 27 participants – social workers, child development specialists, NGO representatives, and students from across Türkiye – engaged in intensive sessions focusing on four core modules:
The Female Body
Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs)
Preventive Methods
Health Literacy
Trainers:
Dr. Müjdegül Zayifoğlu Karaca
Nahide Doğrucan, MSW
Süleyman Kaçmaz, MSW
The training combined interactive discussions, short animated videos, case examples, and hands-on methods. At the end of the program, participants reinforced their learning by delivering short presentations.
Participant feedback highlights:
“It was two full days. It exceeded my expectations.”
“We became more aware not only for ourselves but also for how to raise awareness among others.”
“We wish it could have lasted longer.”
This event marks an important step in building professional capacity to empower women through health education and literacy, in line with the HE4Her project’s goals.
Special thanks to our trainers and to all dedicated participants from Istanbul, Ankara, Adıyaman, Hatay, Izmir, Antalya, Manisa, Burdur, Elazığ, Konya, and beyond for their active contributions.
#SHUDER #HE4Her #HealthLiteracy #WomenEmpowerment #SocialWork #ErasmusPlus #EmpowermentThroughKnowledge #WomensHealth #Training
Gherla Penitentiary linked the Masterclass activity to the analysis of the institution's activity for the year 2024 which took place on 03.02.2025. The activity was attended by Ms. Penitentiary Police Quaestor Ioan Morar, Deputy General Director National Prison Administration and 50 people from all penitentiaries in the North-West region, namely Dej, Bistrita, Baia-Mare, Satu-Mare, Oradea, Aiud, as well as representatives of important institutions that collaborate with Gherla Penitentiary.
This activity provided opportunities for the director of Gherla Penitentiary, Mr. Deputy Commissioner of Penitentiary Police, to share with the audience an audience consisting of social reintegration management but also specialists, the themes of the educational material and the content developed so far.
Subsequently, discussions were held in small groups regarding the activities and methodologies that will be used for the educational material "Empowerment through Knowledge".
From September 30 to October 2, 2025, the partners of the HE4Her project gathered in Helsinki for the 4th and final international project meeting and conference which was organized in combination with the project meeting. The event was hosted by Silta-Valmennusyhdistys and brought together all project partners for a meaningful conclusion to the initiative. The program began on September 30 where the consortium revisited the project’s original goals, evaluated progress across work packages, and addressed remaining tasks — particularly those related to dissemination and final reporting.
On October 1, participants engaged in meaningful site visits that deepened their understanding of the Finnish correctional system. A guided tour of the Vanaja open female prison offered firsthand insight into the rehabilitative environment for incarcerated women, including family support facilities and healthcare services. The group also explored the Hämeenlinna Vankila prison Museum, gaining historical context on the evolution of prison life in Finland.
SOSTE Suomen sosiaali ja terveys ry
Jungman Conference room Helsinki Finland
The HE4Her International Conference held on October 2, 2025, marked a powerful culmination of the HE4Her project, bringing together voices from across Europe and the United States. The day began with a compelling presentation by the HE4Her team, who traced the project's journey from its initial concept to full implementation. Their reflections offered a clear view of the project's impact and the valuable lessons learned along the way.
Throughout the day, speakers delved into the importance of trauma-sensitive and gender-specific care in correctional environments. Presentations highlighted the need for inclusive approaches to sexual and reproductive health, culturally sensitive practices, and support systems tailored to the unique experiences of incarcerated women.
Real-world insights were shared by professionals each offering a glimpse into their work with justice-involved individuals. These contributions underscored the value of cross-border collaboration and the innovative strategies emerging from diverse contexts.
More than just a showcase of achievements, the event served as a vibrant platform for dialogue, connection, and the continued exchange of good practices at both national and European levels.
Within the framework of the ERASMUS+ HE4Her project, each partner country conducted a pilot of the newly developed educational program with a group of women who have involvement with the criminal justice systems.
A pilot project is a small-scale test designed to assess how a new approach works in practice in a given environment and to gather feedback for improvement. This pilot phase provided valuable insights from both participants and professionals, which will help refine the final version of the program.
The pilot activity in Romania took place within the Gherla Penitentiary and was carried out with 3 groups of detainees in total number of 35 who completed the program, the feedback received was positive regarding the utility of the program and the implementation method starting from the video and ending with the discussions.
Considering the need to answer some more personalized questions, we organized an extra module that added value to the information, namely, 4 question and answer sessions with a gynecologist, a dermatologist, a make-up specialist and a hair stylist as a bonus. We also have feedback from a specialist in Obstetrics and Gynecology who appreciated the usefulness and the fact that valuable and essential information for women's health is provided through the program.
The HE4Her pilot program was implemented in Greece under the responsibility of the NGO Freedom Gate Greece. It was conducted at the women’s prison in Eleonas of Thebes, with coordination provided by Emmanouela Kostaki, a forensic and legal psychologist, and Anna Salomidou, a criminologist. Sixteen women were included as participants, and high levels of engagement were observed throughout the sessions. Questions were asked, personal experiences were shared, and trust was gradually built with the coordinators. Positive and optimistic feedback was given, and a desire for the program’s extension was expressed by the participants.
The Turkish Association of Social Workers (TASW), one of the He4Her project partners, has successfully completed two pilot implementations of our “Empowerment Through Knowledge: Women’s Health and Health Literacy” training program. In these pilots, we engaged 26 women from the project’s target group and delivered our four core modules. The sessions - enriched with interactive videos, case studies, and group discussions - included Understanding the Female Body, Sexually Transmitted Infections, Prevention Methods, and Health Literacy. Thanks to our participant-centred approach, both groups experienced effective learning and active engagement throughout.
Throughout the program, we observed that women not only deepened their understanding of essential health concepts but also gained confidence in making health-related decisions. The power of group dynamics facilitated knowledge sharing and mutual support, creating a truly empowering environment - both physiologically and psychosocially. As project partners, we will build on these positive outcomes by further enriching our training materials and reaching even broader audiences. We invite you to join us in strengthening women’s health literacy and making a real difference.
Silta-Valmennusyhdistys, the Finnish partner in the Erasmus+ HE4Her project, recently piloted a women’s health and well-being group. The training combined practical workshops, discussions, and informative sessions to support body awareness and health literacy. Participants explored topics like hormonal cycles, contraception, STIs, and pelvic health in a safe and open environment.
The interactive approach helped build confidence, encouraged sharing, and made it easier to discuss sensitive issues. The positive experience from this pilot provides a strong basis for expanding the program and reaching more women across Europe.
The 3rd Project Meeting of the ERASMUS+ HE4Her - Health Empowerment For Women involved with The Criminal Justice System project was held in Athens Greece the second and third day of April 2025 and it was hosted by Freedom Gate Greece.
During the project meeting, we discussed the remaining activities and finalised the dates of the mobility to Finland. The details of the pilot projects and their implementation were reviewed.
During the 2-days training event, 3 specialists from each partner who work with women involved with the Criminal Justice System, were familiarised with the new educational content and its application methodology. The developed gender-specific health education program aims to increase health literacy and empower women involved in the Criminal Justice System through addressing the prevention mainly of transmissible diseases in detention and after release.
The program addresses 4 topics resulting from the needs analysis carried out by applying 300 questionnaires in the partner countries.
HE4Her project’s dissemination activity at the "Good practices - elements from the theory and practice of the case law of the judge supervising deprivation of liberty" meeting which was held in Cluj-Napoca Romania on 24th of November 2024.
The purpose of the meeting was to develop inter-institutional collaboration to streamline the application of legal provisions regarding persons deprived of their liberty.
The event was attended by Representatives of the National Penitentiary Administration, Directors of the Oradea, Dej, Baia Mare, Satu Mare and Bistrita penitentiaries, the Supervising judges from the aforementioned penitentiaries and the President of the Cluj Court of Appeal and Judges from the Cluj-Napoca Court of Appeal.
The activity was opened by the director of Gherla Penitentiary Mr. Aldea Razvan who opened the event by presenting the HE4Her project and the results obtained so far.
Projects that are currently being piloted and that will later be implemented at the national level were presented. At the end of the activity, the judges present mentioned the good collaboration they have with the prison management in terms of ensuring the act of justice.
The event was concluded by the director of Gherla Penitentiary who thanked the participants and offered them promotional materials created within the HE4Her project.
The ERASMUS+ HE4Her project’s second working group was held 3-4.10.2024 with participation of specialists from each partner organisation who are involved in health education in their countries. The event was hosted by Sosyal Hizmet Uzmanlari Dernegi (Turkish Association of Social Workers) and held at the Karanfil Sk. Zafir Work Center in Ankara, Türkiye.
The main objective of the working group was to outline the content and structure of the new education program to promote the health literacy skills of women who are involved with the criminal justice systems.
The topics which have been chosen for the the new education program are:
• The female body
• What are STDs?
• Preventive measures
• Health literacy
These topics were chosen based on the needs of women who are involved with the criminal justice systems and findings from the survey on health literacy conducted by Dr. Mugur Geana from the Center for Excellence in Health Communication to Underserved Populations - University of Kansas School of Journalism and Mass Communications CEHCUP USA.
The participants of the working group in the continuation, worked together on the above topics. It had been decided that the content of the educational program should be in the format of animations / videos.The next activity of staff training will take place 28 - 29 January 2025 in Athens Greece.
The HE4Her project’s 2nd Project Meeting was held 12th and 13th of September 2024 in Ankara Turkey.
The purpose of this meeting was to analyse the implementation calendar, to discuss the upcoming interim report and activities, and to find the best improvement solutions for the project.
On second day focus was given on the Needs Analysis "Findings from the survey on health literacy, STD knowledge, and preventive behaviour with incarcerated women in Romania, Greece, and Türkiye" and its author Dr. Mugur Geana from the Center for Excellence in Health Communication to Underserved Populations - University of Kansas School of Journalism and Mass Communications CEHCUP USA presented the conclusions of the survey, that were behind the choice of topics on which the new educational materials will be developed in the working group that will take place on the 3rd and 4th of October in Ankara Turkey.
The ERASMUS+ HE4Her project’s first working group was held in Timișoara Romania 3-4.6.2024 with participants from each partner organisation. The event was hosted by CPIP CENTRUL PENTRU PROMOVAREA ÎNVĂȚĂRII PERMANENTE TIMIȘOARA ASOCIAȚIA and held at the Atlas Hotel in the centre of Timișoara town.
Participants in this face-to-face working group were specialists who are involved in health education in their countries. During the event, the participating specialists analysed the identified needs and the inventory of existing programs and started the creation of the new educational content for health in digital format.
The next working group will be held in October in Turkey.
The 1st Transnational Project Meeting (TPM) was held in the Gherla Prison in Romania on the 11th and 12th of January 2024. Representatives from all partner organizations took part in the first meeting, where the specific features and procedures concerning the project were handled in good cooperation. Details of the capacity building mobility were also finalized.
Co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Commission. Neither the European Union nor the European Commission can be held responsible for them.