The Safe Steps-2 Project aims to develop a comprehensive and integrated approach to address the protection needs of vulnerable individuals—particularly children, women, and refugee communities—living in the provinces of Hatay and Şanlıurfa in Turkey.

As part of the project, psychosocial support (PSS) services will be provided to children and adults affected by the 2023 earthquakes; case management processes will be implemented for individuals at high risk. In addition, awareness-raising sessions will be organized on child protection and gender-based violence (GBV), and community-based child protection initiatives will be implemented.

The project aims to create safe spaces for children and adolescents, support the referral of individuals in need to essential services, and strengthen the capacity of community members and service providers.

As a result of these efforts, it is expected that the psychosocial well-being of children and adults will be strengthened, communities’ awareness of and resilience against protection risks will be enhanced, harmful coping mechanisms such as child labor and early marriage will be reduced, and access to support services will be facilitated for both host communities and refugee communities.

Application and Target Audience

The Safe Steps-2 Project aims to establish not just a temporary but a sustainable support system for individuals in southern Turkey who have been affected by the earthquake and are at risk of displacement; it offers a community-based, dignified, and inclusive protection model.