Despite the ongoing conflict, instability, and limited humanitarian access in the Amhara Region, the Ethiopian Orthodox Church Development and Inter-Church Aid Commission (EOC-DICAC) continues to stand with vulnerable communities through its Integrated Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and Protection Response Project.
Implemented in two woredas of North Shewa Zone and three woredas of Awi Zone, the project is improving access to protection services for women and girls who are among the most vulnerable during emergencies.
A major milestone of the project achieved in Awi zone; three permanent Women and Girls Safe Spaces (WGSS) in Fageta Lekoma, Jawi, and Ayehu Guagusa wewre completed. Constructed at a cost of nearly ETB 12 million and furnished and equipped with an additional ETB 2.3 million, the safe spaces provide secure environments where women and girls can access psychosocial support, protection services, and opportunities for healing and empowerment.
To promote dignity and personal hygiene, EOC-DICAC conducted a community-based needs assessment and distributed comprehensive dignity kits to 300 of the most vulnerable women and girls. Each kit contained 14 essential items, enabling beneficiaries to maintain their health, hygiene, and dignity while facing the challenges of displacement and crisis.
The project also extended targeted assistance to 20 survivors of gender-based violence, providing essential household and personal care items to help meet their immediate needs and support their recovery. Also, provision of cash support for 120 survivors and vulnerable women and girls. This survivor-centered intervention reflects EOC-DICAC's commitment to restoring dignity and building resilience among those most affected by conflict.
Beyond material support, the project prioritizes emotional healing and psychosocial well-being. Through the Women and Girls Safe Spaces, EOC-DICAC has conducted 42 healing and learning sessions, creating safe and confidential environments where survivors and vulnerable women and girls can receive psychosocial support, develop life skills, share experiences, and strengthen their resilience.
The Integrated Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and Protection Response Project demonstrates EOC-DICAC's unwavering commitment to protecting women and girls, restoring hope, and strengthening community resilience in conflict-affected areas. By combining safe spaces, dignity support, survivor assistance, and psychosocial care, the project is helping vulnerable women and girls rebuild their lives with dignity, confidence, and hope for the future.