Thank you to all our partners and friends who joined the ANWS Meeting yesterday. It was wonderful to see so many of you — and for those who couldn’t attend, we look forward to reconnecting soon.
Meeting Recap & Appreciation
We extend our sincere thanks to:
- Lorraine (ANWS Board Member; DCEO, SCWO) — for sharing valuable updates on the upcoming 5th World Conference of Women’s Shelters (5WCWS), and for reporting on the GROW Project’s efforts toward perpetrator improvement. Your emphasis on male engagement as a core element of long-term change sparked important reflection on cross-country learning.
- Jessie (GOH Fellow) — for presenting observations from recent visits to shelters and organizations across the region. Your field-based insights helped us better understand the diversity of service models and challenges confronting women’s shelters in Asia.
2026 Collaboration Themes — Collective Priorities
Thank you to everyone who completed the registration questionnaire and contributed to the discussion. Based on your feedback and the meeting conversation, we have identified seven priority themes for regional collaboration in 2026 (also summarized in slide p.16):
- Act as a united Asian coalition
- Build capacity through training and shared learning
- Lead coordinated advocacy and push governments for accountability
- Strengthen survivor services and cross-country referral pathways
- Address digital violence and emerging tech-enabled gender-based violence
- Secure sustainable funding — especially for shelters
- Promote survivor-centered and culturally responsive practices
Given the importance of these priorities, we propose organizing theme-based meetings in 2026 to allow deeper discussion and concrete planning with all member organizations.
Discussion Highlights from the Meeting
During the open discussion, participants underscored several important issues and shared updates from their contexts:
- Sustainable Funding:
- Representatives from Saathi (Nepal) pointed out ongoing challenges in securing long-term funding for shelters, describing the fragile financial situation in Nepal.
- Representatives from Cambodian Women’s Crisis Center (Cambodia) highlighted the need for the network to demonstrate collective impact when approaching donors—underscoring how regional collaboration can strengthen funding appeals.
- Shelter Services & Cross-border Collaboration:
- Members from CSAGA (Vietnam) shared updates on sexual harassment education programs in factories, and expressed hope for the reopening of hotline services soon.
- Several participants voiced strong interest in expanding support for survivors of technology-facilitated abuse (especially women and children), reflecting a growing concern about digital violence across member countries.
- There was broad agreement on the need for cross-border collaboration, shared learning, and regional referral pathways — underscoring the value of working together to strengthen services and collective advocacy.
- Advocacy in Challenging Contexts:
- Representatives from Korea Women’s Hotline (South Korea) gave updates following last year’s political crisis, noting that women constituted over 30% of rally participants. Despite challenging circumstances, they continue to organize events and advocacy efforts — demonstrating resilience and ongoing commitment.
We deeply appreciate these contributions and the courage and dedication of everyone who shared their realities and ideas.
Shared Resources & Useful Links
For those who wish to revisit information shared during the meeting, here are the relevant links:
- Asia Regional Get-Together @ 5WCWS (2025): tps://shelterasia.org/2025/10/02/anws-asia-regional-get-together-5wcws/
- 5WCWS Official Website: https://fifthworldshelterconference.org/
Taiwan Study Visit on Domestic & Sexual Violence Prevention (2024):
- Domestic Violence Prevention – (Article)
- DV Study Visit – (Video)
- Sexual Violence Prevention – (Article)
- SV Study Visit – (VIdeo)
Looking Ahead — Gratitude and Invitation
We are deeply grateful for your time, energy, and ongoing commitment. Your contributions help strengthen the regional network of women’s shelters and bring us closer to our shared mission of supporting women and children across Asia.
If you have more reflections, suggestions, or would like to propose agenda items for upcoming 2026 theme-based meetings, please don’t hesitate to reach out. We look forward to continuing this important journey together.
Asian Network of Women's Shelters 