H.E. Demitu Hambissa, Minister of Women and Children Affairs, today paid a visit to a UNFPA supported safe house run by the Association for Women's Sanctuary and Development (AWSAD). Minister Demitu appreciated the support being provided to survivors of gender based violence sheltered in the safe house. She had an interactive discussion with the survivors and expressed the government’s keen interest to support the effort. 

“This is not only AWSAD’s burden,” the Minister noted adding that the “government will explore opportunities to minimize your costs by engaging different governmental and non-governmental institutions.”

The Minister also suggested to partner with different private and public institutions to collaborate on this effort and share the responsibility by hiring GBV survivors trained in various skills.

The safe house provides a comprehensive set of services for GBV survivors consisting of psychological support, shelter, meal, medication, counseling, basic literacy, empowerment sessions, self-defense training, legal aid and skills development.

AWSAD was established to advance women's social and economic development and to provide support for women and girls that faced physical and psychological violence. AWSAD has supported hundreds of women and girls since its establishment