This resolution on Sexual and gender-based violence: Joint action on prevention and response was adopted on the 32nd International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent in December 2015. The resolution calls for action against:
Sexual violence in armed conflicts
Sexual violence well as in disasters and other emergencies
Towards Movement implementation, cooperation and partnerships.
Usage: Policy influence and reference
Audience: National Society Leaders and staff, Gender and Diversity practitioners.
The initial trainings for the field research on sexual and gender-based violence took place on from 9-14 May 2017 in Lao PDR. As part of this research project, all data collection teams have to be trained for six days. The trainings include sensitization on sexual and gender-based violence issues, introduction to the questionnaire and focus-group discussions (FGDs) and multiple practice sessions to ensure that the research is carried out in an ethical, safe and confidential manner.
The training was six days long with a series of debrief meetings on the seventh day.
Key sessions included:
1) An overview of what SGBV is, how it is different during disasters and how to define specific types of SGBV, including sexual violence, domestic violence, early/forced marriage and child sexual abuse. The multi-sectoral response for a survivor was also explained and reviewed. Participants were tested on their knowledge through a series of quizzes and case scenarios, including the gallery walk.
2) Detailed overview of the guiding principles, an ethical approach to data collection and prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse. The same key messages were reviewed every day during the training, including:
– gender inequality is the root cause of SGBV
– Putting the survivor at the center through the guiding principles: Safety, Confidentiality, Respect and Non-discrimination
– Definitions of SGBV
– Code of conduct during fieldwork
– Stress management for the data collection team
3) An in depth session on key sections of the fieldwork manual for data collectors, including duties and responsibilities of each team member, explanation of the full questionnaire and the rationale behind each question, explanation of the Focus Group Discussions, review of keeping safe in the field and how to implement the guiding principles of safety, confidentiality, respect and non-discrimination during interviews. Each team member had to sign a pledge of confidentiality and ethics and the Lao Red Cross child protection policy.
4) An overview of the open data kit (ODK), what it can and cannot do in the area of information management and how to use the hand held devices. This is also a key area in the fieldwork manual. Field supervisors also had an additional orientation session in which they learned how to manage the devices, including charging the phones, uploading of forms and how to review forms at the end of the day for mistakes.
5) Sharing of cultural considerations by the field supervisors coming from the Oudomxay and Sekong provinces on cultural practices and traditions the data collectors may have to face during field work. The most disaster affected villages include a number of different ethnic groups, who speak different language and have unique cultural rituals.
6) Two Lao Government representatives, one from the National Commission on the Advancement for Women (NCAW) and the National Statistics Bureau, shared their experience of working on the UNFPA supported 2014 National Level Prevalence Survey on Violence Against Women and Girls. This session reviewed the most important Do’s and Don’ts for the data collectors in the field (please see checklist below) and also gave further insight on how the field supervisors can finalize their fieldwork plan and do effective household respondent selection.
Purpose This report follows on from the global study Unseen Unheard: gender based violence in disasters which saw research being conducted in 9 countries globally, and included Bangladesh, Myanmar and Samoa from the Asia Pacific region. The Asia Pacific case studies provide an overview of gender-based violence (GBV) within each country context, as well as presenting findings and key recommendations with regards to 1) Awareness and understanding on GBV occurrence during disasters; 2) Availability and access to services; 3) Safety and security and; 4) Livelihoods and migration.
Overview This report features three case studies from that study, each from Asia-Pacific:
The first is from Bangladesh, a country with a legacy of cyclical disasters, including cyclones, floods and landslides. The study finds that some of the primary needs among those affected by cyclones include safe shelter settings for women and girls and, in particular, pregnant women, in order to prevent and reduce the risks of GBV.
The second case study is from Samoa. In the aftermath of the 2009 Tsunami and 2012 Cyclone Evan, survivors reported GBV in shelters created for people displaced by the disasters. They also told us of an increase in domestic violence following the disasters.
The third case study is from Myanmar, and looks at GBV occurrence and response after Cyclone Nargis in 2008. The results of this case study are interesting: half of respondents cited an increase in GBV after the cyclone, while others claimed that it did not arise at all because of strong family and community-based support systems. Such a puzzle may point to the culture of silence that surrounds GBV.
Usage: Policy reference and learning from experience
Audience: National Society staff, particularly gender and diversity practitioners.
See also: Resolution on “Sexual and gender-based violence: Joint action on prevention and response” which was adopted in December 2015 by the International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent .This resolution was a direct outcome of the studies we undertook in Bangladesh, Samoa, Myanmar and elsewhere.
This document provides case studies of initiatives that have been taken in Asia to promote equal treatment of all in society before, during and after disasters.
Overview
The document provides an overview of the following case studies: a disaster risk reduction (DRR) gender checklist prepared to ensure the implementation of gender inclusive and responsive DRR in the Philippines; women-friendly spaces set up in Pakistan in the aftermath of floods that hit Pakistan in 2010. These centres provide safe spaces for women affected by gender-based violence, providing psychosocial support as well as opportunities to participate in local support groups and receive information about gender-based violence; and promoting gender equality in disaster response in Nepal after the earthquake in 2015.
Page 6 contains a gender emergency checklist for Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Usage: Learning from experience
Audiences: Gender and diversity practitioners, Technical staff, Volunteers
This document provides guidelines to volunteers on the following issues: what is gender; gender and HIV; gender and HIV prevention; gender and HIV treatment; and the role of gender in care and support.
Overview
The purpose of session one is to ensure that community based volunteers (CBVs) are able to define gender and understand the role that gender plays in the lives of men, women, girls and boys in their community.
Session two seeks to understand how gender and HIV are related and explore how gender inequalities, gender-based violence (GBV) and sexual and reproductive health rights (SRHR) are linked to HIV.
Session three explores the ways in which gender influences the vulnerability of women, men, girls and boys to HIV infection/re-infection and the role of CBVs in providing information and support.
Session four builds knowledge and skills to understand how gender influences the ability of people to access, prepare for and adhere to antiretroviral therapy (ART) and the role of CBVs in providing gender-responsive support.
The purpose of session five is to provide participants with the knowledge and skills to understand how gender influences the ability of CBVs to provide care for others and to care for themselves.
Usage: Guidance for project implementation, Training
Audiences: Volunteers; Gender and diversity practitioners
This document provides a checklist for the response design phase of a programme to enable reflection on the risk of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (SEA), and approaches for mitigating this. It also provides guidance on minimising harm linked to Red Cross presence through PSEA.
Overview
No staff or volunteers shall: commit any act of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse or sexual violence; engage in any sexual activity with persons (adult or child) that look to or benefit from assistance; exchange money, employment, goods or services for sex, or sexual favours; engage in any acts which could be considered harassment, abuse, discrimination or exploitation.
Managers’ responsibilities include ensuring all staff and volunteers are: aware of all people involved in project activities; are briefed on a staff and volunteer Code of Conduct and sign it; explain this code of conduct to others; and know their roles and responsibility as part of this. Managers should also inform beneficiaries and community members about: their right to be protected from abuse and exploitation by staff and volunteers; what conduct they can expect from staff and how to raise concerns; programme activities, entitlements and targeting processes. Finally, they should design and implement programmes through a PSEA lens and ensure community and staff reporting options are in place.
Usage: Guidance for project implementation
Audiences: Technical staff, Gender and diversity practitioners, Volunteers
Reference: British Red Cross (2013). Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) Emergency Programme Checklist and Quick Reminder for Managers, (pp. 1-2).
This report documents the key findings and lessons learned from a project the International Rescue Committee (IRC) and the Women’s Refugee Commission (WRC) conducted to identify the barriers that people with disabilities face in accessing programmes and services designed to prevent and respond to GBV, and to pilot and evaluate solutions for promoting disability inclusion in Gender-Based Violence (GBV) programmes in conflict-affected settings. It concludes with practical recommendations for a range of humanitarian actors, governments and donors to improve disability inclusion in GBV programming in humanitarian settings.
The project was conducted in conflict-affected communities in Burundi, Ethiopia, Jordan and the Northern Caucasus in the Russian Federation.
Overview
Negative attitudes and discrimination by GBV service providers, family and community members prevented access to GBV prevention activities and response services.
Inadequate transportation to activity locations and service centres, and lack of use of appropriate communication approaches by GBV practitioners, particularly for people who are deaf or with intellectual disabilities, also served as a barrier to access and participation.
Caregivers of persons with disabilities report being excluded from activities as a result of being unable to leave the people they care for.
Usage: Learning from experience
Audiences: National Society leadership;Technical staff; Gender and diversity practitioners
This film describes Malawi Red Cross (MRCS) leading efforts, in partnership with UNHCR, to rally the Dzaleka Refugee camp community against Gender Based Violence (GBV).
Overview
Some of the challenges faced by women include abuse by their spouses, and unwanted pregnancies. Malawi Red Cross carries out GBV activities in two areas: prevention and response. In terms of prevention they conduct open days where they sensitise communities to the dangers of GBV. They also train committees to conduct education on GBV in the camp, in the languages spoken there.
The Malawi Red Cross tries to mediate cases of GBV, provides counselling to survivors and empowers women economically to earn a living. Upon sensitisation on GBV people are more open to reporting cases.
Reference: International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. (2009). Let’s talk about it- Gender based violence in Dzaleka refugee camp, Malawi. Duration: 8.47 minutes[Online]Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZItAqH_ntk [Accessed: 20th September 2015].
