Safe YOU

Reducing Gender Based Violence via an app and platform that provides an emergency button, connections to professionals, and more.

Past and Current Partners

UNDP Boost Program for Women Innovators, Google for Startups SDGs program

Active Countries
Georgia, Armenia, Iraq
Thematic area(s)
Gender, Crisis
Technology
Open Source
Organisation Name
Impact Innovations Institute (IMIN)
READ MORE ON THEIR WEBSITE

The Problem

Safe YOU is addressing a two-fold problem which is hindering the pathway to women’s economic empowerment. Primarily, their solution is aimed at breaking down the structural barriers currently in place which limit women’s economic empowerment, in particular reducing Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and changing discriminatory social norms. Additionally, Safe YOU is aimed at equipping women and girls with the resources they need to be able to participate in the digital economy. We understand the needs of the population we are trying to serve as we are a female-founded and run enterprise targeted at addressing the needs of women.

The Solution

Safe YOU is a multifunctional mobile application and platform designed to reduce GBV by providing safety and community functions to users, connecting stakeholders who work in the field of women’s rights, and aiding in evidence-based policymaking.

How it works?

  • Step 1: After an end-user downloads the application, they add up to 7 emergency contacts who are contacted when the SOS button is activated.These contacts are alerted to their location when they are in danger
  • Step 2: The user can engage in the free anonymous forum rooms where they can share their concerns and get answers from vetted professionals (lawyers, gynecologists, psychologists)
  • Step 3: Safe YOU collects data anonymously from users of the application, and analyses that data to provide evidence-based policy recommendations to governments
Digital X Solution Safe YOU

Bridging the digital divide

The application has an extensive tutorial section for people who may not be familiar with mobile applications and is calibrated to ensure the most direct user experience after extensive feedback. Safe YOU also includes many accessible features for women with disabilities.

Impact and highlights

  • 24,000 users across 3 countries have downloaded the Safe YOU solution.
  • 5,000 users have activated their emergency contacts to send an alert in case of emergency.
  • The help button has been pressed more than 14,000 times, resulting in at least 2 cases of saved lives (with criminal prosecution) and 3 cases of confirmation of support to domestic violence victims.

Plans for expansion

Recently, Safe YOU has signed an MOU with two existing NGOs in Zimbabwe: Institute for Young Women Development (IYWD) and Zimbabwe Evidence Informed Policy Network (ZeipNet). They will be implementing their solution soon with these partnerships. Safe YOU is also working with the Albanian Women Empowerment Network (AWEN) and the Gender Alliance Centre for Development (GADC) to bring its solution to Albania, as well as the CEDAW Committee of Trinidad and Tobago, My Choices Foundation in India, and IOM in Bangladesh.

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