Take Action: A safe space for every woman and girl

by Jessica Notwell

Creating sexual and reproductive health programmes from a faith perspective

Developing programmes that address sexuality with a holistic approach is challenging for many YWCAs. To be effective, programmes on sexual and reproductive health and rights must reach out to women and young women facing discrimination, stigma or exclusion. World YWCA Vice President Jessica Notwell calls on the YWCA movement to ensure YWCAs are safe spaces for all women and to place compassion before judgement when reaching out to women who may normally be excluded.

At the 2003 World YWCA Council in Brisbane, Australia, the YWCA movement adopted a resolution on reproductive health and sexuality committing to “promote and work towards the provision of extensive access to quality education, resources, information, discussion and counselling for women and girls regarding their reproductive health rights and sexuality.” [1] As a global Christian, women’s and youth movement, the YWCA is taking leadership in speaking about women’s sexual and reproductive health and rights. As part of its strategy, the World YWCA has committed to creating safe and inclusive spaces for women, young women and girls and calls on member associations to nurture an environment where women can share sensitive information on HIV, sexuality, reproductive health and violence.

How are YWCAs creating safe spaces where women and young women can share their personal experience on sexuality through stories, questions, concerns and celebrations?

As a faith-based movement we are challenged to protect the human rights of all women including young women, yet some women, who may be consider difficult or complicated to reach, continue to be excluded and silenced: a young woman seeking a safe space to talk about her feelings toward a child born of rape, a woman who carefully hides the identity of her female partner, a girl who wants to talk about her sexuality. Yet the Christian tradition says, “God chooses to protect the rights and citizenship of those who are excluded.” [2] 

In such a powerful movement as the YWCA, we have the opportunity to learn from associations already creating safe spaces for women and young women. An example is the YWCA Trinidad and Tobago’s TRIM (The Responsibility is Mine) programme that builds confidence in young women to make responsible sexual and reproductive health choices. YWCA Canada’s Girlspace provides girls with a safe online space to discuss healthy relationships and sexual health. The YWCA of Ethiopia offers safe spaces where young women can learn about reproductive health including HIV and safely access health products like condoms and sanitary pads.

But we still have a long way to go as a movement before we can truly say all YWCAs are safe spaces for all women. Sexuality can be a contentious issue in the YWCA movement and there are spaces within the YWCA where young women who are HIV positive and want to become pregnant, girls who want to understand their sexuality, lesbians, or women who have chosen early termination of pregnancy feel unable to talk openly about their experiences or ideas.

The YWCA’s commitment to safe spaces challenges all of us to ask these important questions: What am I doing to ensure my YWCA is a safe space for all women? Are there women and young women who do not feel welcome or comfortable at my YWCA? What can I do to change this?

The way forward is clear. Imagine a future where every YWCA is a safe space for every woman. Imagine yourself leading change inside the YWCA. Start a conversation, start a programme, start a campaign, start today.

Jessica Notwell, World YWCA Vice President, Manager, Women’s Economic Council
 (formerly Canadian Women’s CED Council)

[1] World YWCA Global Strategy on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights and HIV and AIDS 2008-2012

[2] Ecumenical Women. (2009). Faith at the UN Gender in the Church: Ecumenical Women’s Guide to Advocacy, p. 69.