To support social and labour inclusion of women and adolescent girls’ victims/survivors of trafficking by establishing safe spaces where women and girls are supported through processes of empowerment.
The project was mentioned on the European Commission’s website as a project contributing to the protection of third-country national women/girls and potential survivors/victims of trafficking.
Context
Trafficking in human beings is a human rights violation which is rooted in gender inequalities and is increasingly growing due to the recent humanitarian crisis. Most of the victim/survival of trafficking are women between the age of 13 and 24 (IOM, 2019). Most of them are exposed to sexual exploitation, which is one of the most prevalent purposes of human trafficking in EU (European Commission, 2020).
As a key strategy for the protection and empowerment of VoT women and girls, and based on findings of the previous AMIF-funded projects coordinated by CESIE, HEAL and WINGS, it is necessary to support social and labour inclusion of women and girls who were exposed to trafficking, by establishing Women and Girls Safe Spaces (WGSS), i.e. places co-created with women and girls survivors of trafficking, who are supported through processes of empowerment. Safe Hut responds to the provisions of the EU Strategy on Combating Trafficking in Human Beings 2021-2025 to improve the assistance, support and integration of VoT for sexual exploitation in the host society and to the last European Parliament Motion for a Resolution (2022) which calls on the EU to prioritize protection from sexual and gender-based violence.
The main target of the project are third-country national women and adolescent girls who were exposed to trafficking with the special focus on women and girls’ survival of trafficking due to the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine. SAFE HUT involves 7 experienced partners from 6 EU countries (Italy, Germany, Greece, Lithuania, Romania, Bulgaria) and aims to the building of 4 new WGSSs in Greece, Lithuania, Romania and Bulgaria, on the WGSS model developed by the International Rescue Committee experienced at Centro PENC as well as to the creation of a child care service in WGSS in Palermo. Finally, the project will advocate for a long-term financial sustainability of the WGSS created and its replication to different countries.
Objectives
- To provide a place where women and girls victims/survivals of trafficking are encouraged to voice their needs and collectively raise attention on their rights and specific needs.
- To facilitate access for women and girls’ victims/survivals of trafficking to knowledge, skills and information, as well as receive psychosocial support, at the same time strengthening their labour inclusion opportunities.
- To ensure long-term assistance and support to women and girls’ victims/survivals of trafficking and violence through the mutually empowering partnerships serving as a key entry point for specialised services for victims/survivals of trafficking.
- To establish informal local collaboration networks with different stakeholders and community members who are involved in actions related to protection and support to women and girls’ victims/survivals of trafficking and violence.
Activities
- Internal capacity building for project partners on the IRC WGSS Toolkit, methodology and all steps for the effective establishment of WGSS and a study visit to WGSS in Palermo
- Capacity building for the staff operating in WGSS and other relevant stakeholder on gender-based violence and other standards on working with victims of violence, diversity & inclusion.
- Launch of the WGSS model in Greece, Lithuania, Romania and Bulgaria and sustainability of the WGSS established in Italy.
- Ad-hoc staff workshops for the staff working in the WGSS in cooperation with other local organisations working on protection and support for women survivors of violence.
- International staff retreat organised in Lithuania focusing on self-development, reflections, expectations (personal and professional) and providing space for group and individual activities.
- Internal capacity building for WGSS communication officers
- Lobbying activities at the national and EU level.
- A 1-day international conference in Athens, Greece, to provide space to talk about the support, assistance and protection of victims of trafficking (focus on emergencies) and present the outcomes of the project, impact of WGSSs and advocate for replicability in different countries and sustainability.
Resources
- Public evaluation report on the effectiveness and importance of WGSS.
- Four Country-specific contextual briefs on WGSS presenting findings from the assessment conducted in partner countries and recommendations for WGSS establishment.
- Curriculum for capacity building activities dedicated to the staff working in the WGSS.
- Handbook with tips and hints for launching WGSS and develop activity plans in co-creation with the beneficiary women and girls.
- Conference proceedings, a document including all presentations delivered during the international conference that will be widely promoted across Europe and beyond presenting WGSS model and further advocating for the importance of safe spaces for women and girls victims/survival of trafficking and violence.
- Newsletter.
- Press releases.
Impact
- 4 WGSSs established in Greece, Lithuania, Romania, Bulgaria for physical and emotional safety of women and girls victims/survivals of trafficking and sustainability of the WGSS in Palermo.
- Increased knowledge and awareness of women and girls victims/survivals of trafficking on the rights and services available to support them as well as on different topics of their interest.
- Improved specific professional skills of the beneficiaries to improve their employability by being recruited by the project as educators for child care and WGSS communication officers.
- Increased knowledge and awareness of service providers, local authorities, civil society, communities, and the general public about human trafficking.
- Increased skills of first-line professionals working for women and girls victims/survivals of trafficking ensuring better assistance and quality support.
- Enhanced psycho-social wellbeing and increased opportunities to participate in the labour market for women and girls victims/survivals of trafficking in the country of arrival.
Partners
- CESIE (Italy, coordinator)
- Centro PENC. ANTROPOLOGIA E PSICOLOGIA GEOCLINICA ONLUS (Italy)
- International Rescue Committee (IRC) (Germany)
- KENTRO MERIMNAS OIKOGENEIAS KAI PAIDIOU (KMOP) (Greece)
- KOVOS SU PREKYBA ZMONEMIS IR ISNAUDOJIMU CENTRAS VSI (KOPZI) (Lithuania)
- ASOCIATIA ECUMENICA A BISERCILOR DIN ROMANIA A (AIDROM) (Romania)
- ANIMUS ASSOCIATION FOUNDATION (AAF) (Bulgaria)
