Beyond Fear: a great success of the first International Webinar

On 25 June 2026, the BEYOND FEAR consortium successfully delivered its International Dissemination Webinar, marking an important milestone in the project's mission to raise awareness of gender-based violence in European workplaces and promote safer, more inclusive working environments.

The webinar exceeded its participation target, bringing together 122 participants from across Europe and beyond, surpassing the project's goal of welcoming 120 attendees. Representatives from NGOs, trade unions, adult learning centres, higher education institutions, research organisations, public authorities and other stakeholders joined the event, demonstrating the growing interest in addressing workplace violence and harassment through research, education and international cooperation.

The event was coordinated by Smart Education Hub (Germany), with the support of all BEYOND FEAR consortium partners, and focused on presenting the findings of the project's Transnational Research Report—a comprehensive study exploring gender-based violence in workplaces across six European countries.

The webinar opened with welcoming remarks from Smart Education Hub, followed by an introduction to the BEYOND FEAR project and the Erasmus+ Programme delivered by Exeo Lab. Participants were introduced to the project's objectives, highlighting its commitment to supporting women affected by workplace violence while equipping organisations with practical tools to foster prevention, awareness and positive organisational change.

A key highlight of the event was the presentation of the BEYOND FEAR Transnational Research Report, delivered by Stichting Netwerkpro, the project's research lead. The presentation examined women's experiences of workplace violence and harassment, explored the barriers many women face when reporting incidents, and analysed employers' responses and existing gaps in prevention policies. Participants also gained valuable insights from cross-national comparisons involving Italy, Germany, Spain, the Netherlands, Cyprus and Malta, followed by practical recommendations for future training initiatives and workplace prevention strategies.

The webinar also featured an engaging panel of international speakers and practitioners with extensive experience in gender equality, workplace rights and violence prevention. Participants had the opportunity to hear valuable perspectives from Mariella Camilleri, Steve Farrugia (Malta) and Michele Varraso (Spain). Their contributions enriched the discussion by sharing practical experiences, national perspectives and recommendations for strengthening support systems for women experiencing workplace violence. The session concluded with an interactive question-and-answer segment, allowing participants to engage directly with the speakers through the webinar chat.

Looking ahead, Exeo Lab presented the next stages of the BEYOND FEAR project, introducing the forthcoming Training Curriculum, the MOOC learning platform, and the Digital Self-Assessment Tool that will be developed in the coming months. Participants were also invited to stay engaged with the project by taking part in future activities, testing new educational resources and contributing to the dissemination of project results.

The webinar concluded with closing remarks from Smart Education Hub, followed by a participant satisfaction survey and an invitation to future BEYOND FEAR events.

The strong level of participation and engagement demonstrated the relevance of the project's objectives and confirmed the widespread need for collaborative European action to prevent gender-based violence in the workplace. The BEYOND FEAR consortium would like to sincerely thank all speakers, participants and partners whose valuable contributions made the event such a success.

Together, we are taking meaningful steps towards creating workplaces where women can feel safe, respected and empowered.