Women and girls face an increased risk of gender-based violence during emergencies. Women and Girls Safe Spaces (WGSS) are places, where women and girls can feel physically and emotionally safe free of violence, and free of the fear of violence and abuse.
WGSS are a first point of contact, linking women and girls to lifesaving GBV response services and information. WGSS also offer various activities that enable women and girls to gain knowledge, life and leadership skills, and build support networks.
CARE has accumulated a vast knowledge of operating WGSS in various humanitarian contexts, including in Bangladesh, South Sudan, Egypt, Yemen, Lebanon, Uganda, Türkiye-Northwest Syria, and Nigeria. WGSS are logistically feasible, cost-effective, and flexible, and can be applied even in the most complex emergencies.