Project presented by Centre Primo Levi

Supporting the empowerment of women victims of torture and political violence, asylum seekers and refugees in Île-de-France (France)

Defending women's rights and combating violence against women

In France, in 2020, a third of all applications for political asylum came from women, and most of these were lodged in the Île-de-France region. Many of these women have been victims of torture or other forms of violence in their country of origin or on the way to exile (rape, sexual violence, forced/early marriage, domestic/intra-family violence, genital mutilation, etc.). All this violence has left multiple physical and psychological scars that profoundly affect their lives and their ability to invest in a future for themselves and their families.

Founded 28 years ago, the Centre Primo Levi is a benchmark association for the care and support of victims of torture and political violence in their own countries and exiles in France. At its care center in Paris, the Primo Levi Center supports some 160 women from a wide range of backgrounds every year, thanks to a multidisciplinary team comprising receptionists, doctors, psychologists, a physiotherapist, social workers and legal experts, with the support of interpreters where necessary. This support lasts an average of 2.5 years.

The Centre Primo Levi needs additional resources to continue its work on behalf of these women, and to ensure that the reconstruction process is a long-term one.

Use of the prize:

The Public Choice Awards will enable the Centre Primo Levi to continue providing care and support to women victims of torture and political violence, asylum seekers and refugees in France, and thus help strengthen its mission.