In Cahul, the Community Comes Together to Prevent Gender-Based Violence

On 12 September 2026, A.O. Centrul Regional de Dezvoltare Comunitară, in partnership with Community Center Cahul and the General Inspectorate for Migration / Southern Regional Directorate, organised the community activity “Together We Say NO to Violence”, dedicated to promoting safety, solidarity and the prevention of gender-based violence.

The activity brought together refugee, migrant and host-community girls and women, alongside young people, children and older persons, providing a shared space for interaction, dialogue and creative expression.

The event is part of a broader initiative through which CRDC aims to contribute to the prevention of gender-based violence while also strengthening social cohesion between refugee, migrant and host communities in Cahul. Particular emphasis is placed on creating safe and accessible spaces where people can discuss violence, support, relationships based on respect, and the role of the community in protecting women and girls.

Messages that go further into the community

During the creative workshop, participants painted textile bags, turning them into visible messages of support, courage, respect and non-violence.

The creative activity also served as a tool for dialogue. Participants discussed the importance of mutual support, the need not to remain indifferent to violence, and the contribution each person can make to building a safer environment.

At the end, each participant left with their own painted bag and a message they can carry further. In this way, the messages created during the activity go beyond the event itself and reach the wider community, helping to raise awareness among others.

Through activities such as this, we aim to bring the discussion on violence prevention closer to people and contribute to a community in which women and girls are aware of available support mechanisms, feel supported, and where solidarity and non-violent relationships are promoted as a shared responsibility.

The activity was organised within the project “Together for Safety: Social Cohesion and Prevention of Gender-Based Violence in the Cahul Region”.

This activity is organised by A.O. Centrul Regional de Dezvoltare Comunitară under the aegis of the Gender Equality Platform, with the support of Gender-Centru, and is part of a programme aimed at empowering women-led organisations in their efforts to prevent and respond to gender-based violence.

The initiative is supported by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and funded by the United Kingdom.