Vital Voices has named Safecity Global as the inaugural “Collective Impact Award Honoree”, at its 23rd Annual Global Leadership Awards held on 30 May 2024 at Kennedy Centre in Washington DC. Safecity is a global platform for anonymous reporting of sexual and gender based violence and Safecity Global refers to the collective impact achieved through collaboration with partners (mainly from the Vital Voices network) around the world in achieving safer cities and communities.
ElsaMarie D’Silva, Founder, Red Dot Foundation Global said, “I am extremely proud that our work has been recognized by Vital Voices. Safecity has been designed to be agile, empathetic to survivors and easy to use for all partners. The stories visually represented on a map are powerful because it shows the pervasiveness of the problem. Our collective action is critical in solving the issue and I am grateful to all our partners who have worked with us.”
Supreet K Singh, Co-Founder & CEO, Red Dot Foundation said, “It takes a village to raise a child and it has taken a global community to come together and bring Safecity to where it is today. Ensuring that the survivors of sexual violence have a safe empathetic platform to voice their stories, creating data that shows the real state of affairs with regards to women safety has been a journey of hardwork and constant evolution. Our work has been able to create impact and safer neighborhoods across the globe. Even though there is a lot more to be done, we are strengthened by the determination of our collective intent to end gender- based violence.”
Over the last ten years, Red Dot Foundation Global has partnered with several Vital Voices members around the world. These organizations have used the Safecity app in their environments to understand the scale of the problem, the continuum of violence and have designed solutions that are resonant to their communities. “This global collaboration demonstrates what is possible when a network of women leaders comes together. It’s a meaningful reminder that power expands the moment that it’s shared” said Alyse Nelson, President and CEO of Vital Voices Global Partnership
In Quezon City, Philippines, Red Dot Foundation has established a close partnership with the Mayor, academic and administrative offices in the University of the Philippines, and local Barangay Captains through its partner, Bayi Inc. This collaboration has fostered trust in institutions, leading to increased volunteer organization and greater utilization of government-provided survivor services. “Collaborating with Safecity has been transformative for us in many ways, particularly in leveraging technology to advance strategic solutions and policy reforms in the communities we serve,” said Maya Tamayo, Co-Founder of Bayi Inc., Philippines. Safecity also promotes responsibility and accountability among all stakeholders, according to Leizel Lectura, volunteer project manager, Safecity Philippines.
Our partner in Kibera, Nairobi, Kenya, formerly known as Polycom Development Project (now Polycom Girls) has used the data to engage local communities including religious leaders in understanding the nature and context of violence against women and girls. “We have influenced school administration to incorporate safeguarding policies for children and youth and have mobilized youth to advocate for their own safety. Through the Safecity partnership we were able to steer the sexual harassment conversation in Kenya. It is now beyond just defilement and rape.” said Jane Anyango, Founder, Polycom Development Project, Kenya.
In the formative days of the Ms. BraFit and Safecity partnership in Trinidad and Tobago, the app was introduced to undergraduate students of the Geography Department, whose support allowed early awareness of the platform on the University of the West Indies St. Augustine campus in 2017. “The Ms. BraFit brand has teamed up with Safecity to encourage more options towards inclusive interventions in support of women’s health and the underlying goals of contributing to safe and sustainable cities,” said Nicole Joseph Chin, Founder, Ms. BraFit, Trinidad and Tobago.
With Sensiblu Foundation, Romania, we work constantly with the local population to give them a safe space to talk about their experiences, and be in close contact with the Ukrainian refugees that have been through a lot between the war and the cases of gender violence, adding the backlash from the population that is supposed to receive them as migrants.
In Brazil, we are working with Fábrica dos Sonhos at the intersection of climate change and gender based violence, trying to map out women and girls’ experiences and advocate with the government for stronger policies and survivor centric resources.
In the Netherlands, Project4Equality has teamed up with us to engage the student community, hosting feminist raves, art exhibitions and marches around unsafe spots in their city.
Our other Vital Voices partners include Ms. Sophie Sandberg, Founder of Catcalls of NewYork (USA), Ms. Dunja Bonacci Skednerovic in Croatia (Association “Safe Spaces”), Ms Martha Lidia Oxi in Guatemala (MAIA), Ms Radziah Radzi (Sisterhood Alliance) and Omna Sreeni Ong (Engender Consultancy) in Malaysia and Ms Nkechi Udegboka in Nigeria (Whispering Hope Africa).
Red Dot Foundation’s 2030 vision is to design, develop and implement a social franchise model to build the capacity of 100 organisations in the Global South to use the Safecity model to end sexual and gender based violence, collectively improving the lives of 1 billion people.
