Psychotherapy sessions help women break the cycle of violence in Maputo

The sessions foster collective reflection on the impacts of GBV.

Since last year, weekly psychotherapy sessions have been held for women survivors of gender-based violence, an activity of the project “Consolidating exit routes from gender-based violence in Maputo (Mozambique)”, funded by the Catalan Agency for Development Cooperation (ACCD).

This initiative is implemented by medicusmundi, in partnership with the Hixikanwe Association and Fórum Mulher, and aims to provide emotional support and promote the rebuilding of self-esteem for women in vulnerable situations. The sessions are held twice a week and involve a group of 50 women, covering topics such as the different types of violence, women’s human rights, and the available mechanisms to break the cycle of violence.

In addition to serving as safe spaces for sharing experiences and personal stories, the sessions also foster collective reflection on the impacts of gender-based violence in society and on possible strategies to overcome it.

The survivors are identified by community-level paralegals and referred to the Integrated Support Office (GAI), located at the Hixikanwe Association, in the Malhazine neighborhood, Kamubukwana municipal district. In this space, they receive psychological counseling, legal assistance, and social support. So far, around 750 women victims of violence have been supported through this transformative action.