Safe Spaces Lead to Strong Voices
As Project Officer for the Twinning Project at World Vision Afghanistan, I have the privilege of supporting women and girls who participate in our programmes, especially our safe spaces, and supporting the empowerment of women who lead Civil Society Organisations (CSOs).
As opportunities in the country are extremely limited for women, these safe spaces make a real difference for communities and provide protection, knowledge, and the chance to be heard.
Women and girls come to the safe spaces with many challenges. Some face violence and poverty; others have been married at a young age or face family pressures. Many arrive with little confidence and few opportunities to learn or be heard. What they seek most is support, knowledge, and a safe environment to share their experiences and find solutions.
I witness first-hand how transformative this support can be. When women gain knowledge, their attitudes shift—and this leads to stronger practices within their families and communities. Those who once felt isolated are now making decisions, advocating for themselves, and contributing actively to community life. Safe spaces truly act as platforms of empowerment.
What inspires me most is the resilience of Afghan women. Despite many barriers, they remain patient, hopeful, and determined to create change. My aspiration is that, through continued support, we can expand these networks, strengthen women-led CSOs, and help more women and girls develop the knowledge, confidence, and opportunities they need to thrive.
We support them in two key areas: One is to strengthen their capacity by providing training around organisational systems such as operations, finance, gender equality, and child protection. The second is policy development—so that each CSO has strong structures to guide their work.
World Vision’s support is both practical and long-term. Training is combined with coaching, mentoring, and ongoing monitoring to ensure sustainability.
When knowledge improves, attitudes shift, and this leads to stronger practices. This has a positive and hopeful impact, not just for the women themselves, but for their entire communities.
Through these efforts, World Vision is not only equipping individual women and girls but also building stronger organisations that will continue serving their communities long into the future.