The “Safe Space for Women and Girls” project is implemented by Necuvinte Association within the Accommodation Center for Displaced Persons from Ukraine organized in the “Edmond Nicolau” Technical College – Camino E in Bd. Dimitrie Pompeiu no. 3, district 2, Bucharest, in partnership with the City Hall of District 2 and the General Directorate of Social Assistance and Child Protection District 2.

The purpose of the Safe Space for Women and Girls is to provide refugees coming from Ukraine with a safe environment to identify their reproductive health and domestic and gender-based violence service needs. The Safe Space provides first-line support and counselling, referral of beneficiaries to any other specialist service in accordance with needs identified with the consent of the beneficiary and distribution of basic essentials – dignity kits.

The objectives of the project are:

• Facilitating beneficiaries’ access to information and specialized services to reduce the risk of domestic and gender violence;
• Facilitating beneficiaries’ access to reproductive health information and services;
• Facilitating beneficiaries’ access to relevant information and services offered by other institutions and organizations, according to identified needs;
• Providing social support and resilience-building activities;
• Supporting beneficiaries in creating social support networks.

The services offered within the Safe Space by the team of specialists of the Necuvinte Association:

Psychosocial, medical and socialization services

• Evaluation of the situation and service needs in the field of reproductive health and sexuality;
• Identification of persons affected by domestic and gender violence, including sexual violence in a war situation;
• Domestic and gender-based violence risk assessment and safety planning;
• Emotional support and basic individual psychological counseling;
• Information and social assistance;
• Social activities;
• Distribution of packages with essential items;
• Information, basic counseling in reproductive and sexual health and rights, and identifying solutions.

Referral

Referral to services that do not fall within the coverage area of Necuvinte Association team, according to the needs of the beneficiaries and in accordance with their choices.

The working principles within the Safe Space for Women and Girls are:

1. Focusing on the beneficiaries

The activities and services that the safe space provides will prioritize security and privacy. Services are open to all women and girls and their wishes, choices, rights and dignity will be respected.

2. Respecting human rights

The activity of the safe space will respect the rights of each beneficiary, without discrimination, to live a life in dignity, freedom and without violence, exploitation or abuse, in accordance with the principles of human rights.

3. Involvement of the affected community

A safe space provides an inclusive and empowering environment for the empowerment of women and girls. It is essential that refugees are included in the process of monitoring and evaluating activities to ensure relevance and accountability. By being included in the consultation and decision making process a sense of belonging to this space will be developed.

4. Safety and accessibility

Adherence to humanitarian response principles of impartiality, independence and neutrality will support the implementation of minimum standards to ensure access to services for the affected population.

5. Avoiding revictimization

All necessary measures will be taken to avoid exposing people in safe spaces to further harm as a result of the action of humanitarian actors or other people with responsibilities in providing assistance to refugees.

The project is funded under the UK Aid project – From the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain, through the Regional Office for Eastern Europe and Central Asia of UNFPA (UNFPA EECARO).

5 months of Safe Space: