The Spouses of CARICOM Leaders Action Network (SCLAN), the Office of the Special Envoy for the Development of Families and Children, and the Spotlight Initiative supported Belize’s safe houses with groceries, food hampers and essential household items. The safe houses all received support totalling BZ$56,516.12.
Safe houses provide an important service to victims and survivors of domestic violence, human trafficking, and other forms of gender-based violence. There is an urgent need for these safe houses to be provided with support as they are key to aiding survivors of gender-based violence when they are displaced and in need of a safe space for themselves and their children. SCLAN and the Office of the Special Envoy have worked in collaboration with the safe houses to improve the quality of services provided to survivors of gender-based violence including women and children who reside in these homes for up to three months.
This support is helping the safe houses to make them more accommodating and secure for abused victims in search of safety. These three safe houses provide service to the entire country and provide shelter for victims of various socioeconomic backgrounds, including marginalized populations, to ensure that “no one is left behind”. These safe houses are a lifeline to women survivors as they not only provide a physically secure place where survivors can have their basic needs taken care of, but they also provide other support services including referral services.
About the Spotlight Initiative:
The Spotlight Initiative is a global initiative of the United Nations which has received generous support from the European Union to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls by 2030. The Initiative is addressing legislative and policy gaps, strengthening institutions, promoting gender-equitable attitudes, and providing quality services for survivors. Interventions are also strengthening systems for collecting data on violence against women and girls.
