UNICEF addresses gender-based violence through Laaha

In 2021, UNICEF’s Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in Emergencies team launched Laaha- the virtual safe space for girls and women in Iraq and Ecuador, with resources linked to financial literacy, legal rights and mental health. The platform encourages engagement through quizzes, podcasts and videos and connects users with vetted local resources. Those with poor literacy can access text-to-audio options, while an exit button quickly redirects to a ‘neutral’ external page. 

Women and girls were key architects in the design and testing of Laaha to ensure the right features and content were included. The inclusion of users with disabilities, for example, resulted in Laaha meeting WCAG 2’s web content accessibility standards. 

Since its launch, Laaha has helped thousands of women and girls feel less ashamed and isolated with interactive features and highlights the importance of collaboration for effective scaling, primarily with women and girls.

For more details on the program, read the full article:
Addressing Gender-Based Violence

As a proud partner of UNICEF, Zonta International has committed US$750,000 to UNICEF USA to support Laaha and provide quality and accurate information to girls and women about menstrual health and hygiene, healthy relationships, how to stay safe and know one’s rights, financial literacy, female anatomy and services for women and girls facing violence. In time, this digital space will replicate the sense of a safe social network that physical safe spaces provide. 

20 February 2025