Women’s and Girls’ Emergency Centre (WAGEC) is a feminist, grassroots organisation that supports women and children in crisis.

WAGEC was established in 1977 by Jeannie Devine, a woman who established a drop-in centre for women and girls in crisis after her own experience of homelessness.

Almost 50 years later, WAGEC has grown to support over 200 women and children escaping domestic violence, homelessness and systemic disadvantage each night. We do this by providing material aid, case management, wrap-around support, accommodation and crisis responses.

WAGEC operates a drop-in-centre, four crisis refuges and 45 transitional properties, providing short to medium term accommodation to women and their children.

Equally, we seek to stop violence against women and children before it starts, by addressing the causes of gender-based violence through advocacy, education and training. As we grow our work in primary prevention, we are creating generational and cultural change that will stop violence against women and children before it starts.