About this project
SAFE brings together Women Peace Makers (WPM), Transcultural Psychosocial Organization (TPO), and Johanniter-Unfall-Hilfe to improve protection from and response to gender-based violence and access to mental health support for Indigenous and marginalized communities in Ratanakiri and Stung Treng provinces. The project builds on a successful first phase implemented by WPM and TPO and focuses on strengthening community-based protection systems, gender equality, psychosocial support, and culturally grounded approaches to healing and prevention. The project works closely with Indigenous communities, local authorities, community protection groups, schools, and service providers to address barriers preventing women and girls from accessing protection and mental health support. Through community-led approaches including Gender Cafés, Men's Dialogues, community initiatives, psychosocial support, and awareness campaigns, the initiative seeks to strengthen local capacity to prevent violence, promote positive masculinity, improve referral systems, and expand access to safe and gender-sensitive support services. Particular attention is given to culturally relevant and trauma-informed approaches that respect Indigenous identities, languages, and traditions. Alongside community-level work, the initiative supports cross-sectoral coordination between civil society organizations, local authorities, schools, health actors, and provincial working groups on gender-based violence. The project also contributes to broader efforts to strengthen community-led protection mechanisms, improve awareness of mental health and gender equality, and support Indigenous women and girls to live safer and more self-determined lives.
Current focus areas
- Training community-based resource persons, as facilitators of Gender Cafés and Men's Dialogues, with ongoing coaching
- Delivering a dedicated training of trainers for male community-based resource persons to lead Men's Dialogues on gender equality in their communities
- Community-based psychosocial support and trauma-informed mental health interventions for survivors and vulnerable community members
- Capacity building for local authorities, schools, community protection groups, and service providers on gender-sensitive conflict resolution, referral systems, and mental health support
- Strengthening community-led protection and referral mechanisms related to gender-based violence and mental health
- Establishment of counseling spaces and support structures within Indigenous communities and schools.
- Community awareness campaigns addressing gender-based violence, mental health, stigma, and early prevention measures
- Collaboration with Indigenous networks, local civil society organizations, and provincial authorities to strengthen culturally grounded and community-led approaches
- Supporting district gender-based violence working groups in quarterly coordination and case follow-up, together with the Provincial Department of Women's Affairs, commune committees, police, and local authorities
Emerging outputs
- Community-based counseling and referral systems supporting Indigenous women, girls, and survivors of violence
- A first cohort of trained community facilitators, including Indigenous and LGBTIQ+ resource persons, confident to lead Gender Cafés and Men's Dialogues in their own villages
- Community awareness materials and campaigns related to mental health, gender equality, and violence prevention
- District gender-based violence working groups meeting quarterly, following up on cases, and strengthening coordinated response across sectors
- Training resources and practical tools for local authorities, community leaders, and service providers
- Participatory learning and documentation related to culturally grounded approaches to gender-based violence prevention and mental health support