A Safe Space for Women in Gaza

DCA Palestine

The Issue

As the war in Gaza and hostilities by Israeli forces persist, the most vulnerable civilians, including women, children, and the elderly, continue to bear the heaviest burden. Direct targeting, displacement, and the subsequent psychosocial disorders have become rampant issues, placing an urgent and critical demand for targeted humanitarian assistance. Several reports from the UN as well as DCA/NCA’s and partners’ expertise emphasize the severe mental, social, economic, and physical impact on women and girls, who are not only direct targets but also face increased responsibilities in carrying family burdens. In response to this alarming situation, DCA/NCA and its local partner in Gaza, Women Affairs Center (WAC), designed this project to address the urgent and specific needs of war-affected women and girls in Gaza.

The Project

For this project, DCA/NCA and local partner WAC contributed to saving lives and alleviating the suffering of war-affected women and girls in Gaza during the ongoing emergency. The overall objective of the project was to improve protection of war-affected vulnerable women and girls while providing them with dignified humanitarian assistance. Over a five-month implementation period, the collaborative initiative aimed to provide timely and targeted assistance, including psychological first aid to displaced women and girls, emergency multipurpose cash assistance to women, and dignity/hygiene kits to women and girls. This endeavour reflects our shared commitment to mitigate the immediate impact of the conflict and fostering resilience for the most vulnerable members of the internally displaced Gaza population.

The project targeted war-affected displaced women aged 18 and above, as well as girls aged 14 to 17, who have stayed behind in north of the Gaza Strip or sought refuge in Rafah governorate from various areas across the Strip. These internally displaced women and girls are staying in informal shelters, including hosting communities, NGOs, hospitals, governmental schools, and tents in open spaces within Rafah.

The Results

The project targeted a total of 2,400 women and girls (including survivors of gender-based violence) with group psychological first aid sessions as well as 400 women and girls with individual psychological first aid sessions. These sessions enabled women and girls to be informed of available mental health and psychosocial support services, to learn stress relief techniques, and to be more aware of their own mental needs within the war.

The project distributed hygiene/dignity kits to 470 women and girls (including survivors of gender-based violence) who remained in Gaza City with limited access to markets and aid. The project also targeted 475 women and their households with emergency multipurpose cash assistance allowing them to address their most urgent needs. With an average of 5.5 members in each household this benefitted more than 2,600 individuals. Priority was given for women-headed households, survivors of gender-based violence, and households with people with disabilities.

Our Partner

DCA/NCA works with Women Affairs Center (WAC) to implement the project. WAC is an independent and non-profit Palestinian NGO. It has a declared purpose of empowering women and advocating women’s rights and gender equality through women’s protection and empowerment, research and knowledge management, as well as community engagement and advocacy programs.

WAC was established in August 1991 by a group of activist professional women and registered in 2001. The organisation has a long experience in providing safe, dignified and gender responsive multisectoral protection including services to the most vulnerable women/girls, survivors of gender-based violence, people with disabilities, internally displaced persons, and female-headed households.

Our Work

DCA and NCA work in Palestine to support Palestinian communities in Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem to be economically and socially resilient and active participants in decision making processes affecting their lives. This includes advocating for respect for international humanitarian law, human rights and a just peace.