The Network is a civil organization which was initiated in November 2004 with the aim of bringing together refuges offering security, protection and specialized care for women and their children who live at risk of domestic, gender-based or sexual violence, or who have been victims of people trafficking. The Network comprises both governmental and non-governmental refuges.

Why do refuges make a difference to the care of women in a situation of violence?

Refuges offer protection so that women are not victims of a worse crime such as homicide, disablement, mutilation, death from poorly-attended injuries, irreversible loss of mental health, or suicide. Refuges also provide psychological guidance and assistance with legal action.

The National Network of Refuges comprises five regional coordination centres. Each of these brings together refuges from various states according to their proximity. This allows effective communication, and work tailored to the regional violence, risk and socio-cultural characteristics. The coordination centres are structures as follows.

A refuge is a confidential place which provides protection and temporary shelter with a range of specialized care for women and their children who are at risk of domestic, sexual, or gender-based violence. The refuge provides a space in which the cycle of violence is interrupted, and a place where emotional tools and means of developing personal skills are offered to allow the cycle to be ended.

These methods help women to become self-sufficient and able to take assertive decisions to move towards a life without violence, from a perspective of gender equality.