Humanitarian crisis in Lake Chad: safe spaces have a positive impact on women's lives!  

The Lake Chad province is experiencing a humanitarian crisis resulting from a complex combination of factors. Under the combined effects of poverty, climatic hazards and attacks by non-state armed groups, the population of the Lake Province is being faced with the problems of major displacement, with its corollaries of social precariousness and the risk of gender-based violence.

It is against this backdrop that humanitarian actors, including UNFPA in its regalian mission, are working to reduce the risk of GBV and respond effectively if it does occur.  One approach is the establishment of safe spaces for women and girls, which are programmatic interventions implemented in humanitarian contexts to prevent and respond to gender-based violence (GBV). These spaces are essential refuges for women facing violence. They serve to protect individuals from the devastating physical, emotional and social consequences of violence. Secondly, by preventing GBV, they help to create safe      and more equitable environments for individuals, particularly women and girls, who are often the most affected by such violence.

UNFPA and the Association des Femmes Juristes du Tchad (AFJT) have set up "safe spaces for women and girls" as part of the project "Building community resilience and transforming lives of women and youth in humanitarian and conflict high-risked provinces in Chad     ", funded by the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA).

Drastic reduction in violence against women and girls thanks to safe spaces 

Fatimé Ali Moussa, General Secretary of the Bagassola safe space, is proud of her work. 

We do prevention and awareness-raising work in our communities. We work collectively with the women of our communities for our own emancipation and for the improvement of our economic and social situation. We want our lives to change, for every woman and girl to be fulfilled", 

she exclaims.  

The safe spaces directly provide legal, medical and social services to the women       they need. These include legal advice , medical examinations, temporary shelter provision and counseling services.

We've been doing this work on a voluntary basis for over seven (7) years, but it's bearing fruit. For example, our girls used to have difficulty accessing school, but now they have the same access as boys. Cases of early marriage, forced marriage and violence against women have also fallen drastically. More and more, women are becoming aware of their situation, and they denounce any cases of violence that occur," 

enthuses KINGUI AFONO, another community relay and president of a women's group in Baga Sola. 

In safe spaces, women can express themselves freely without fear of being judged. Trained professionals offer psychological support, listen to their stories and help them overcome their trauma. These spaces are also a vital entry point for women and girls to expand their social networks and forge meaningful relationships outside the home.

Support for the "Building community resilience and transforming lives of women and youth in humanitarian and conflict high-risked provinces in Chad     " safe spaces project has contributed to the emergence of a more peaceful and stable society, and strengthened social cohesion by promoting respect for the fundamental rights of all individuals.  This is a significant contribution to the protection of women's rights and the promotion of gender equality in the humanitarian context.