Project presentation
Since November 2015, Gynécologie Sans Frontières (GSF) has been operating in France through an emergency humanitarian mission supporting exiled women living in camps, notably through the Caminor (Northern France) and Camparis (Paris–Ivry) missions. These initiatives provide comprehensive healthcare to women who have experienced multiple forms of violence—including female genital mutilation, rape, forced marriage and prostitution—which have serious consequences for their health, such as high-risk pregnancies, abortion, psychosexual disorders and HIV.
Volunteers from the GSF network across France identify and report the presence of exiled women living near them in informal settlements, known as spots. To respond to these needs, the organisation expanded its activities nationwide through the CamiFrance project and the creation of the Femmes-Exilées-France Platform. This national platform (or coordination centre) centralises GSF’s tools and methodology, enabling volunteers who wish to support exiled women in their local area to benefit from GSF’s expertise, including scheduling tools, training materials, medical certificates and prescriptions, and sexual health education resources.
Healthcare and psychosocial support are tailored to the needs of each spot and include primary healthcare, assistance with administrative procedures, improved access to gynaecological and obstetric care, and referrals to nearby hospitals and maternity units when specialised treatment is required.
The support provided through GSF’s spots improves the health and living conditions of exiled women and their children. The project also benefits healthcare professionals by strengthening their skills and capacity to provide appropriate care for this population.
