Gaza Province, Mozambique — In the middle of a crowded accommodation centre set up in a school, the Maternal and Child Health technical practitioner, Dulia Esmeralda Manjate, stands inside a large tent. Around her, services are clearly defined: antenatal care in one corner, family planning in another, consultations held behind canvas partitions that protect privacy.
The structure is very different from the much smaller space where she was working in the days immediately following the flood, in December, where services overlapped. “Before, we were using a small tent to provide many different services,” she explains. “Now we can separate care and ensure privacy and confidentiality for our patients.”
The tent is one of four temporary health facilities assembled with the support of the UNFPA Emergency Fund and the Government of Ireland in flood-affected districts to help replace damaged infrastructure. Of the 151 health facilities in Gaza province, 99 have been affected by flooding, dramatically limiting access to life-saving care for women and newborns.
In addition to the improved structure, the temporary facilities ensure continuity of much-needed services, and women receive support to make informed reproductive health choices during a time of profound uncertainty.
The response goes beyond tents and equipment. UNFPA has also supported the deployment of trained Maternal and Child Health nurses to provide technical assistance and oversee the work in these temporary facilities, ensuring continuity of quality care even where permanent health centres have been closed or are inaccessible.
For Dulia, this support is transformative. With skilled staff and essential equipment on site, most cases can be managed safely, while complicated deliveries are referred to district or provincial hospitals.
Women and Girls Affected Disproportionately
However, safeguarding dignity extends beyond physical health, as displaced women also face an increased risk of gender-based violence (GBV).
In another accommodation centre in Gaza, Virginia, 23, describes a breakdown in safety that forces women to move in packs, even for the most basic needs. “I have serious problems with the bathroom,” she explains. “If you go alone, there are men who stay behind the girls’ bathroom… so we go out in groups.”
Recognizing that climate emergencies affect women and girls disproportionately, UNFPA supported the deployment of mobile health teams to conduct rapid assessments focused specifically on sexual and reproductive health and GBV. The information helps to avoid disruptions to essential reproductive health services and improve GBV prevention and response services to serve those most at risk.
Additionally, UNFPA and its partners established dedicated Safe Spaces for Women and Girls. These spaces are designed to provide physical protection, psychosocial support, and skills-building opportunities, ultimately helping displaced women and girls reclaim their confidence, routines, and economic independence.
“These safe spaces will be places where women and girls can feel protected, access critical services and begin to rebuild their confidence and livelihoods,” says Arlete Manquessa, Gender & GBV Programme Analyst, who joined UNFPA’s rapid assessment team and remains on the ground in Gaza Province.
“Together with communities and partners, we are committed to strengthening protection and support as the response evolves.”
