Gender-based violence is a key protection concern in the occupied Palestinian territory. According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) 2019 Violence Survey, an average of 29% of women in Palestine are victims of GBV. Domestic violence has increased during the COVID 19 pandemic, as women survivors of violence are spending more time in lockdown with their abusers, and with families in lockdown. Helplines are seeing a surge of cases requesting a multitude of services.
This project is a right-based approach that aims to actively bring back meaning and healing to the lives of women victims of Gender-based violence (GBV). We are doing this through the provision of psychosocial support to survivors of GBV using a survivor-centered approach to improve women’s mental health. To achieve women empowerment, we will provide women with greater knowledge, skills, and strategies that enable them to better manage their problems and increase their knowledge about their rights. Furthermore, advocacy aims to sensitize the Palestinian society about the effects of GBV and to create awareness on the situation of women survivors and victims. Through workshops on GBV, we will sensitize men and women on gender rights, raise the society awareness on GBV, and contribute to achieve long lasting changes in favor of women rights in the mind-sets of people. In addition, psychosocial support groups for women provide women with a space to challenge their isolation and find sources of reciprocal support.