The study, commissioned and funded by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Representation in Bulgaria, looks at the responses to sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) faced by forced migrant women and children in Bulgaria during their asylum procedure and possible integration in Bulgaria.

The study draws on analysis of policies and practices, as well as through in-depth interviews. It aims to support the dialogue between all stakeholders and institutions, and inspire the update of the operating procedures in response to SGBV faced by migrant women, which would ensure the empowerment of women and assist their integration in the country. 

Some of the problems that surfaced include: 

• the few psychologists available to asylum seekers at the state reception centres lacked the time and resources to address SGBV;
• migrant women were skeptical towards in-house psychologists but would prefer to talk to external ones, especially in the context of targeted SGBV consultations;
• the a lack of access to women healthcare;
• the need for systemic prevention work both during initial asylum procedure and later integration stages;
• the need to work with women who live at external addresses