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In many communities, including refugee camps, resources are dominated by men and boys, limiting the participation of women and girls in almost every aspect of life, from leadership to sports. To counter this imbalance, some camps have spaces like the Nyamiganda Women and Girls Safe Space in Uganda’s Kyangwali Refugee Settlement, providing access to services and a place where women and girls can comfortably take part in activities and connect with one another.
Yet financial constraints and other restrictions had been limiting the potential impact of the Nyamiganda Safe Space. Originally built by UNHCR and now managed by Alight, it was struggling to fully engage the women and girls in the community.
Concerned about this decline, Owen Mweteise, Alight’s Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Protection Officer at the time, proposed a co-creation strategy to give the local community more control. Who better to decide how the Safe Space should be used? With Alight’s support, women and girls from the community elected a committee to oversee the center's operations, and this shift marked the beginning of momentous changes.
