Preventing and responding to gender-based violence in humanitarian crises

In recent years, international concern over gender-based violence (GBV) in emergencies has grown exponentially. However, while international attention to GBV has increased substantially, there remains a lack of data on and understanding of good practice in relation to GBV programming in humanitarian contexts, and a lack of consensus on how to apply GBV concepts and terminology.

This Network Paper maps and critically analyses good practice in preventing and responding to gender-based violence in humanitarian contexts to support humanitarian practitioners and policymakers to improve the quality of GBV programming. It is based on a review of the literature relating to gender-based violence in emergencies, which aimed to answer a number of key questions around the monitoring and evaluation of existing programmes; key features of ‘successful’ programming; needs assessments, programme design and funding; the effects of mainstreaming GBV programming in humanitarian action; and the state of knowledge and use of GBV guidelines.

Key findings:

Overall, the literature in this area is inadequate. Very few programme studies used rigorous evaluation methods, and there was little mention of monitoring programme progress and outcomes, as opposed to process and outputs (a weakness not unique to this sector). Only 15 of the approximately 100 guidelines, tools, papers, evaluations, studies and other documents reviewed were deemed robust enough to be included on the basis of their quality and relevance.
Currently, knowledge of GBV in emergencies – its causes and forms, the attitudes and behaviours that enable, conceal and perpetuate it, the social and psychological context in which it exists, its prevalence in particular circumstances and what works in addressing it – is inadequate. In many circumstances concrete data simply does not exist; where there is any data, it tends to be anecdotal or circumstantial. To some extent this reflects the sensitivity of the subject: measuring the nature and prevalence of GBV in a crisis is much more complex and difficult than measuring malnutrition or reporting on the availability of drinking water, for example.
Particular research gaps identified by the study include a lack of evidence on the incidence of violence, and quality and outcomes of interventions; a lack of developed understanding of methods of addressing different forms of gender-based violence at specific stages of emergencies (and whether interventions are appropriate to the needs of survivors of particular types of GBV); a paucity of evidence on the impacts of GBV interventions in post-disaster settings; and a lack of evidence from regions other than Africa.

Policy implications:

There is a need to think more deeply and clearly about how GBV programming in emergencies ‘fits’ with the wider humanitarian response in particular crises. It is notable that, of the programmes looked at in this paper, the majority appeared to regard efforts to tackle GBV as somehow a discrete part of the wider humanitarian response, or, like the EA$E programme in Burundi, incorporated a GBV element in an effort to offset the possible ill effects of other programmes. Multi-sectoral interventions seem to be the exception rather than the rule.

Community-based programmes using awareness-raising techniques have succeeded in reducing the incidence and mitigating the impact of GBV and changing attitudes, perceptions, knowledge and (some) behaviour. Techniques include the use of media such as radio, or specifically engaging men either through targeted ‘talks’ or by organising men’s groups (complementary to women’s groups).

Community sensitisation targeted at men and boys is vitally important in tackling gender-based violence by changing attitudes and behaviour towards women, for example through clear messages on the root causes of GBV, encouraging male leadership for GBV prevention through training with male community members and using male community leaders as advocates.

Across all types of programming, there is a general need to improve coordination and to build the capacity of staff (and the local community). Investment is needed in continuous specialised and culturally appropriate training to staff to deliver GBV programmes, particularly in relation to the specialised skills involved in implementing awareness-raising programmes to change attitudes, perceptions and social norms, working with men and arranging referrals and service provision. In community-based programmes, ways must be found to strengthen the capacity of community workers (e.g. community health workers) and communities themselves to enable them to build on pre-existing systems and traditions to support the delivery of services to GBV survivors in a culturally and socially appropriate way.

Summary