On 15 November in Portugal, the National Support Centre for the Integration of Migrants (CNAIM) - Algarve opened a Victim Support Office (VSO) to offer assistance to people affected by domestic violence and/or harmful traditional practices, namely victims of female genital mutilation and early or forced marriages.
 
Harmful traditional practices, namely FGM, constitute a violation of human rights based on gender inequality, which limits the self-determination of girls and women, depriving them of their right to physical and psychological integrity. Violence against women and domestic violence affect people in all parts of society, however migrant women and women descendants of migrants have been found to be in a situation of increased vulnerability in this context.
 
The opening of this new office follows the establishment of other VSOs in Lisbon and the north of the country in recent years. This VSO is the result of joint effort between Portugal's High Commission for Migration, the Commission for Citizenship and Gender Equality and the Association for Family Planning. The opening of a VSO at CNAIM - Algarve represents the expansion of integration support across the southern region of Portugal.

These three VSOs reinforce the support network for victims of domestic violence and/or harmful traditional practices in Portugal, as recommended in the country's Action plan for the prevention and combatting of violence against women and domestic violence (of the national strategy for equality and non-discrimination 2018-2030, 'Portugal + Igual'). The opening of these VSOs comes as part of a package of measures created under the Portuguese High Commission for Migration's Annual plan for equality 2021.