Women and Girls safe spaces: A Toolkit for advancing women’s and girls’ empowerment in humanitarian settings
Publisher: Co-created by the International Rescue Committee (IRC) and International Medical Corps (IMC)
Date Published: 2020
Languages: English and French
The toolkit is a comprehensive guide for creating Women and Girls Safe Spaces (WGSS) in humanitarian settings. It includes guidance, best practices, and tools for empowering women and girls.
Main Contribution
The main contribution of the toolkit is to mobilize organizations of persons with visual impairments, emphasizing gender equality and the empowerment of women. It aims to raise awareness about the importance of including gender considerations in decision-making processes and organizational activities.
-
The toolkit is designed for individuals, teams, and organizations involved in humanitarian settings, with a focus on advancing women’s and girls’ empowerment.
-
Provides guidance on implementing WGSS and outlines the impact on the lives of women and girls in humanitarian crises.
Includes a logical framework and monitoring and evaluation tools co-authored by Betsy Laird.
GBV Prevention
The toolkit addresses Gender-Based Violence (GBV) prevention, emphasizing the importance of safe spaces for women and girls in displacement, conflicts, and natural disasters.
Creating Normative Change
Aims to create normative change by emphasizing the necessity of women and girls-only safe spaces and involving women and older adolescent girls in the co-creation and implementation of WGSS.
How it could be adapted to the communities
To establish trust within the mobile model for Women and Girls Safe Spaces (WGSS), a comprehensive approach is essential. This involves actively engaging the community during the assessment phase, utilizing tools like the WGSS Focus Group Discussion Guide and WGSS Community Mapping to identify stakeholders and develop outreach strategies. Decision-making should be a collaborative effort with the community, fostering a sense of shared ownership. During the start-up phase, particular emphasis should be placed on building trust and addressing tensions within the community regarding the roles of women and girls. Integration of GBV responders into the WGSS structure is crucial, with strategies such as co-facilitating information sessions, participating in group activities, and offering one-on-one sessions for any woman or girl in need. Regular individual and team supervision meetings, mentorship programs, and prioritizing staff well-being contribute to a healthy working environment. Open communication, transparency about program capabilities, and continuous community involvement are key elements. Utilizing trust-building toolkits like "Building Trust in Diverse Teams" and "GBV and Disability Inclusion Toolkit" further enhances these strategies, ensuring a supportive and trustworthy environment for displaced women and girls.
Keywords
Building trust, Service providers, Humanitarian Settings, Safe Spaces, Women’s Protection, Empowerment, Normative Change, Collaboration, Guidance, Action.
