Women of Gaza: Finding strength in safe spaces – UNFPA Story

06 July 2025

“Women and girls in Gaza live in a reality that is anything but easy, and even the word “difficult” does not do it justice,” says Zainab, a staff member at the UNFPA-supported Hayat Centre in Gaza city, a safe space and shelter for women and girls that provides support for survivors of gender-based violence, including referrals to specialized services. “Some of the attendees at the centre have said that they have forgotten they are even a woman – a human being,” she adds, underscoring the profound psychological toll and ‘silent crisis’ gripping women and girls after more than 20 months of relentless conflict.

The visible devastation of Gaza’s war often overshadows unseen wounds. “People think they only need food and financial assistance,” says Itemad, a coordinator at the UNFPA-supported Women’s Affairs Centre in Gaza city. “But over time, they realize that they need to talk as well. Women in Gaza are in desperate need of psychological services.”

Heba’s story is a stark reminder of these unseen wounds. During a brief three-month ceasefire, she returned to her home to find it completely destroyed, stumbling upon human remains while attempting to erect a tent for her family. Her neighbour endured the unimaginable, sifting through rubble for hours for the rest of her husband’s body after finding his head.

Widespread bombardment, shelling, and shooting continue in Gaza, claiming scores of lives and inflicting countless injuries, including among those desperately seeking aid.  Since the ceasefire collapsed in March, more than 714,000 people have been displaced again, pushed into ever shrinking enclaves devoid of basic necessities.

Khetam, 58, has lost everything – her house, her sense of security – swept away by a conflict that has destroyed 90 percent of homes. “I feel overwhelmed, thinking about the house, the children, everything,” she shares, the psychological wounds deep and potentially lifelong.

With soaring malnutrition and food scarcity, women in Gaza continue to bear an immense, disproportionate burden as they struggle daily to feed their families. Two-thirds report depression and over half suffer from nightmares and anxiety. Reported cases of gender-based violence have soared since October 2023, exacerbated by the relentless strains of displacement, hunger, appalling living conditions, and lost livelihoods.

“Nowhere is safe. We are constantly afraid,” says Saadia, aged 60, articulating the pervasive fear that defines life for many women in Gaza.

Despite overwhelming adversity, women like Heba, Khetam, and Saadia demonstrate remarkable resilience, finding strength at one of 13 UNFPA women and girls’ safe spaces. These spaces, where operational, remain a vital source of protection and support in the Gaza Strip. From January to May 2025, around 3,000 women and girls benefitted from vital services, including  psychosocial support, and referrals to legal and health services as needed.

“Women have experienced immense loss, including through the death or imprisonment of relatives,” Ibtisam, 58, a safe space attendee shares. “Looking for water, living without any privacy, and constantly worrying—it’s exhausting”. The safe space is a lifeline for her, offering psychological support and teaching coping mechanisms, like breathing exercises, to manage ongoing anxiety and fear.

Ibtisam participates in activities at a UNFPA-supported safe space. ©UNFPA/Yasmeen Sous

Before the aid blockade, UNFPA and its partners also provided dignity kits—essential hygiene items that offered a semblance of normalcy and dignity–at safe spaces. “These simple bags became a symbol of hope and support—reminding women that they are not alone, and that even in the darkest times, their dignity matters,” recalls Amal Sayam, Director of the Women’s Affairs Centre in Gaza. For more than 16 weeks, however, no hygiene items have entered Gaza, leaving these crucial stocks completely depleted, and around 700,000 women and girls struggling to manage their menstruation. UNFPA trucks loaded with hygiene supplies have been stalled at borders for months.

The women and girls in this story represent a fraction of the many facing similar struggles. Yet, with the support of UNFPA and partners, they are finding strength within their communities. Despite their pain and loss, the spirit of solidarity, survival, and hope continue to shine through.

Maryam, 40, said the dignity kit she received through UNFPA partners helped her through a dark time. These kits are now depleted.  ©UNFPA/Yasmeen Sous

A UNFPA-supported safe space run by ACHA, Abdel Shafi Community Health Association, in Gaza city. ©UNFPA/Yasmeen Sous

Women and girls participate in an arts and crafts session at one of UNFPA’s safe spaces run by CFTA, Culture and Free Thought Association. ©UNFPA/Yasmeen Sous