Spazi sicuri in Siria
Supporting and protecting civilians affected by the war in North-East Syria, in the community of Raqqa.
Starting date
1 July 2022Duration
6 monthsRealized by:
Un Ponte PerObjectives
Through a safe space, promoting physical and emotional safety and fostering empowerment processes for women and girls who are survivors of gender-based violence.
Ensuring education and social and emotional well-being for children and teenagers, as well as protecting them from violence thanks two dedicated spaces, one for pre-school children and one for adolescents.
Raqqa is one of the Syrian cities most deeply affected by the consequences of war and bombardments. Safe spaces for women and children—where there are no harassment and violence and protection and access to humanitarian services are granted – are extremely rare in this destroyed city.
Thanks to this project, 690 women and girls and 640 children, adolescents and caregivers will have access to services within safe spaces. Furthermore, 2,200 women, men and children from the Raqqa community will be reached by initiatives for awareness-raising and human rights protection. Overall the project will supply protection and empowerment to 3,557 community members in Raqqa.
The project includes the following actions:
- Within the safe spaces for women and girls, developing programs for psychological and social support, skill development, support to parents, recreational activities, information and awareness-raising sessions.
- Within the safe spaces for children, organizing recreational, psycho-social and skill development activities, as well as playing sessions to help recover relational and social abilities among peers in a safe environment.
- Strengthening the skills of local field staff as regards protection and human rights; supervision and continuous training will also guarantee specialized support for the most vulnerable cases.
- Given the level of violence, harassment and risk hindering freedom of movement in the streets of Raqqa, guaranteeing access to the safe spaces set up through the project. The spaces are next to a hospital that offers pediatric, psycho-social and reproductive healthcare services: the project will therefore enable women and girls to safely access the healthcare facility without fearing the social stigma.
- Promoting awareness-raising initiatives for the local community through campaigns on the radio and individual sessions. These initiatives will focus on issues such as: gender-based violence prevention, protection of minors, women’s rights, as well as specific topics related to protection (e.g. the rights of people with disability).
