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In times of conflict, disaster and displacement, women and children are often among those most affected. Families may lose their homes, children may become separated from loved ones, and communities can face prolonged uncertainty, trauma and insecurity. Women frequently carry the responsibility of caring for their families while facing increased risks of gender-based violence, exploitation and economic hardship.
Women and Child Friendly Spaces provide a safe and supportive environment where women and children can recover, reconnect and begin rebuilding their lives. These spaces are more than physical locations. They are places of protection, healing, learning and hope.
At Islamic Relief, we recognise that protecting women and children is essential to building stronger, more resilient communities. Our approach reflects both international humanitarian best practice and our faith-based commitment to dignity, compassion and justice.
Humanitarian crises affect every aspect of a person’s life, but women and children often experience the greatest challenges.
Children living through conflict or displacement face interrupted education, exposure to violence, loss of routine and separation from family members. These experiences can have lasting effects on their emotional, social and physical development if they do not receive appropriate support.
Women and girls frequently encounter increased protection risks during emergencies. They may face gender-based violence, harassment or forced marriage, interrupted education and limited access to essential services. When combined with factors such as disability, poverty or caregiving responsibilities, these risks become even greater.
Safe spaces help reduce these vulnerabilities by providing structured environments where women and children can access support, build resilience and regain a sense of normality.
A Women Friendly Space is a secure environment where women and girls can gather free from fear, discrimination and harassment.
These spaces provide opportunities to:
Women Friendly Spaces empower women to become active participants in their own recovery while strengthening their ability to protect themselves, their children and their communities.
Many humanitarian programmes establish integrated Women and Child Friendly Spaces rather than operating separate centres.
This approach recognises that the wellbeing of children is closely connected to the wellbeing of their caregivers.
Combined spaces also enable organisations to:
The result is a more comprehensive response that supports entire families rather than addressing individual needs in isolation.
Islamic Relief has established Women and Child Friendly Spaces across multiple humanitarian contexts, adapting each programme to local needs while maintaining a strong focus on protection, inclusion and psychosocial wellbeing.
Although every community faces different challenges, each space is built around the same principle: creating a safe environment where women and children can heal, learn and thrive.
Since 2017, Islamic Relief has established Women and Child Friendly Spaces across parts of Idlib and Aleppo, providing consistent protection services for communities affected by years of conflict and displacement. These centres support both resident and returnee families, offering safe, structured environments where women and children can recover, rebuild confidence and access essential services.
For women, the centres provide individual and group psychosocial support to help manage trauma, anxiety and the daily stresses associated with prolonged conflict. Awareness sessions address key protection issues including gender-based violence prevention, early marriage, reproductive health, emotional wellbeing, parenting and strengthening family relationships. Women are also supported through vocational and livelihood training such as sewing, hairdressing and home-based food production, helping them develop practical skills that improve household resilience and create opportunities for income generation. Where required, women are referred to healthcare, social services and specialised protection support, including gender-based violence case management in selected locations.
Children benefit from structured psychosocial and recreational activities designed to restore a sense of normality while supporting healthy emotional and social development.
By combining psychosocial support, protection services, education and livelihood opportunities under one roof, these Women and Child Friendly Spaces have become trusted community hubs where families can access comprehensive support. In areas where conflict has disrupted public services and weakened community networks, the centres continue to provide women and children with opportunities to heal, build resilience and strengthen their ability to recover from the long-term impacts of crisis.
In Lebanon, Islamic Relief has implemented both dedicated Child Friendly Spaces and integrated Women and Child Friendly Spaces.
Children participate in recreational activities, sports, expressive arts, gardening projects and psychosocial support programmes within rehabilitated school environments.
Caregivers receive parenting support, awareness sessions, referrals and essential assistance while orphaned children benefit from structured learning, emotional support and case management.
Through the Orphan Sponsorship Programme, Women and Child Friendly Spaces support vulnerable families living in rural communities.
Children participate in storytelling, creative play, sports, career guidance and child protection sessions, while women receive vocational training, livelihood support, psychosocial services and awareness programmes covering parenting, mental health, gender-based violence prevention and reproductive health.
The spaces also connect families to legal, healthcare and social welfare services.
Amid significant reductions in humanitarian funding, Islamic Relief continues operating one of the few remaining Women and Child Friendly Spaces serving refugee and host communities.
Women access counselling, protection awareness, and peer support sessions, while children benefit from structured recreational and educational activities that promote emotional well-being, creativity, and positive social interaction.
Women and Child Friendly Spaces are not simply emergency interventions.
They are community-centred programmes that strengthen resilience, promote inclusion and support long-term recovery. By combining protection, psychosocial support, skills development and access to essential services, these spaces help women and children regain confidence, rebuild social connections and create safer futures for themselves and their communities.
As humanitarian needs continue to evolve, Islamic Relief remains committed to expanding approaches that place dignity, protection and hope at the centre of every response.
Islamic Relief has integrated Women and Child Friendly Spaces into humanitarian and development programmes across multiple countries, demonstrating how safe spaces can effectively respond to protection, psychosocial and inclusion needs in both emergency and early recovery settings.
Read the full report to explore the evidence, programme models and lessons learned from Islamic Relief’s global experience.