The Global Network of Women’s Shelters

We are a global voice for survivors and the shelters that serve them. We work to strengthen and unite the women's shelter movement globally to end violence against women and their children.

What we do

Networking

Networking is a key aspect of the work of GNWS to unite women and the women's shelter movement globally.

World Conferences

The 5th World Conference will be held in Sydney, Australia from 15-18 September 2025.

Webinars

Join the Global Network of Women’s Shelters (GNWS) for two upcoming webinars.

Global directory of women's support sercives: Lila.help

Help us organize an international and national network of secure women’s support services with Lila.Help.

Goals

1
To be a strong and active global network with a recognized international voice.
2
To ensure global awareness of violence against women and their children.
3
To support and strengthen the women’s shelter movement.
4
To promote effective policies and their implementation in order to prevent violence and protect and empower women and their children.
5
To promote social change that ends violence and oppression against women and their children.

Join our shelter networks

Continental/regional networks and a network of First Nations Women’s Shelters form the heart of the Global Network of Women’s Shelters.

These networks differ in their stage of development: some of them are established networks, others just started. All networks had a continental meeting at the 3rd World Conference of Women’s Shelters in November 2015. The Asian and European Network had their (pre)conference a day before the World Conference in the Hague. The MENA network and the First nations Women’s shelters network joined GNWS during the conference in 2015.

Queen Máximaof the Netherlands

There is no justification for domestic violence, ever.
Emergency website exit