This review finds that implementation of conflict and crisis related-sexual violence initiatives on the ground remains very limited. It also highlights an acute lack of evaluation of such interventions, leading to insufficient evidence for the effectiveness of any interventions to address or prevent sexual violence in conflict or crisis. However, it notes that strategies appear more effective when they have multiple components, including survivor care and community engagement.
The review team used a systematic search in electronic data-bases to capture studies from different disciplines and geographical areas, published from 1990 until September 2011. The synthesis was based on 20 outcome studies and another 20 studies which described only the implementation of programs to provide an understanding about what work is being done on this problem. Most studies described interventions for survivors in post-conflict settings. Few addressed prevention or the conflict context. Only one study specifically addressed the disaster setting.
Seven different strategies to reduce sexual violence were identified:
- survivor care interventions
- livelihood initiatives (presumed to reduce women’s vulnerability through financial independence)
- community mobilisation
- personnel initiatives, eg. gender-specific recruitment
- systems and security, predominantly firewood patrols or fuel alternatives
- interventions using a combination of these strategies
- legal interventions.
The review highlights the need for larger-scale multi-strategy interventions that are carefully evaluated. Other implications include the following:
- Risk to women can increase where court processes or other programmes are delivered with inadequate attention to protection, stigma and the risk of retaliation
- Fuel provision / patrols and well-enforced programmes to prevent sexual exploitation by peacekeepers may contribute to reducing sexual violence.
A Policy Brief (PDF, 332KB) is also available.
