Supporting the most vulnerable women and girls through the running safe spaces in high severity districts with displaced persons In 2019, OCHA estimates that 24 million people would be in need during the course of the year, of whom 15 million are targeted. Those targeted include 3.75 million women and girls in reproductive age and 600,000 who would be pregnant or delivering during the year. The ongoing clashes in Hodeida, Taiz, Sa’ada, West Coast, Dhalea’ and other locations have led to further vulnerabilities among this population. 

Yemeni women and girls suffer the most in the ongoing crisis. They suffer vulnerabilities arising from different cultural, social, poverty and political factors leading to magnified risks of gender-based violence including domestic violence, sexual violence and exploitation, as well as child marriage.  

Recent trend analyses of gender-based violence indicate increased numbers of women and girls (widows, orphans) engaging in negative coping mechanisms (especially child marriage) and an increase in reported cases of sexual violence, physical and psychological assault. GBV partners have seen an increased demand for GBV services by 36% in 2018..

The economic and institutional collapse of government agencies has translated into scarcity of social and medical care services. The collapse of the legal system and the lack of law and order prevent survivors from seeking protection or legal redress, thus, exacerbating impunity. Further, the conflict has led to widespread displacement, which in turn has dismantled the informal protection mechanisms that women, girls, and other at risk groups used to resort to at community level (e.g. traditional, tribal or religious leaders and extended family members). This means that GBV survivors and at risk groups are now left without any support and only rely on their personal resources to cope with or avoid the violence. In addition, GBV incidents often go unreported because of the social stigma and cultural barriers especially in certain governorates. 

The current situation continues to lead to the increase in the negative coping mechanisms within families, including child marriage and child labour. These factors are also associated with higher risks of domestic violence, neglect and physical or sexual abuse of children and women. The most vulnerable IDPs are obliged to opt for collective shelter arrangement, subjecting women, girls and children in particular to an increased risk of GBV.  

This project will aim at addressing some of these needs through the support to 15 women and girls safe spaces. These safe spaces will run in areas of highest vulnerabilities and severity indices, These areas are also in areas which are most volatile. These are the West Coast, Dhalea, Sa'ada, Hodeida, Lahj, Abyan and San'a (Nihm and Manakh)

It’s critical that women and girls especially in the current protracted conflict, humanitarian crisis and displacement context access safe spaces that provide information, support and services. A safe space is a formal or informal place where women and girls feel physically and emotionally safe. The term ‘safe,’ in the present context, refers to the absence of trauma, excessive stress, violence (or fear of violence), or abuse. It is a space where women and girls, being the intended beneficiaries, feel comfortable and enjoy the freedom to express themselves without the fear of judgment or harm. 

The key objective of the continued work of the two safe spaces is to continue providing an area where women and girls especially IDP women are able to:  
1.	Socialize and re-build their social networks
2.	Receive social support
3.	Acquire contextually relevant skills
4.	Access safe and non-stigmatizing multi-sectorial GBV response services (psycho-social, legal, medical) with referral to protection services.
5.	Receive information on issues relating to women’s rights, health, and services
6.    Cash assistance for vulnerable women and girls
7.    Income Generation Programmes, activities targeting GBV survivors and vulnerable women.