Amman: SOS Children's Villages Jordan has launched an evaluation study of its "Safe Homes" model as part of the "Enhancing Access to Comprehensive Gender-Based Violence Services in Jordan," project.
According to Jordan News Agency, the initiative is implemented by the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID), with support from the European Union and in partnership with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Jordan. The event is part of a broader effort to highlight the study's outcomes and facilitate knowledge sharing.
Amal Awawdah, Director of the Center for Women's Studies at the University of Jordan, presented a detailed summary of the evaluation, outlining key challenges as well as the strengths and unique aspects of the Safe Homes model.
The study highlighted that the model provides secure, comprehensive shelter for women survivors of gender-based violence and their children, in line with international guidelines aimed at avoiding institutionalization.
It employs an innovative community-based approach that fosters recovery and reintegration, offering a wide range of services in partnership with local actors. These include education, healthcare, psychosocial and legal support, and economic empowerment initiatives designed to help women and children achieve independence and long-term well-being.
A rights-based empowerment strategy is central to the model, ensuring that respect for women's dignity and agency is at the heart of protection services. Survivors are treated not only as service recipients but also as active participants in shaping their lives, managing finances, working, and making personal decisions thereby promoting autonomy and social reintegration.
The event was attended by key figures including Secretary General of the Jordanian National Commission for Women Maha Ali, Secretary General of the National Council for Family Affairs Mohammad Miqdadi, Family and Juvenile Protection Department Director Brig. Gen. Ziad Nsour, and National Director of SOS Jordan Rania Zoubi, alongside representatives from the EU, AECID, UNFPA, and other local and international partners.