Violence against Women During the COVID-19 Crisis

What Must Not Go

Unspoken: Gender Based Violence during COVID-19 - the Risk Communication and Community

Engagement response

A GLOBAL COLLECTIVE SERVICE

&

WHO INFODEMIC MANAGEMENT WEBINAR

November 10, 2020

Violence

against Women During the

COVID-19 Crisis

2

Saba Zariv,

Gender-based Violence In Emergencies Technical Officer

10 November 2020

Violence against women during the COVID-19 crisis ³

Overview of Violence Against Women (VAW) Globally

VAW increases during public health emergencies, including epidemics.

Women who are displaced, refugees, and living in conflict-affected areas are particularly vulnerable.

Older women and women with disabilities likely to have additional risks and needs.

The health impacts of violence on women and their children are significant. Include:

injuries and serious physical, mental, sexual and reproductive health problems, including sexually transmitted infections, HIV, unplanned pregnancies, depression, post- traumatic stress, among others.

1 in 3

Women have experienced physical and/or sexual violence by an intimate partner or sexual violence by

any perpetrator in their

lifetime

Violence against women during the COVID-19 crisis ⁴

Status of Violence Against Women During the COVID-19 Crisis

Women and girls represent

½

^{of the}

world population in lockdown

188

^countries

have imposed countrywide

closures

15 M

incidents of GBV are expected for every 3

months that lockdowns continue

10-50%

increase in domestic violence helpline

calls in some countries

83

^countries

have introduced social or protection measures providing explicit support to families & children

Women Confronting Increased Risks of Violence

•

Increases in violence can be due to reduced access to necessities, financial stress, the potential breakdown of societal infrastructures, quarantines and social isolation, family separation in conflict or fragile contexts, or the inability to escape abusive partners.

•

Female professionals in frontline services are also likely to experience an increase in sexual harassment, intimidation, and aggression

•

Disruption of services may compromise the care

and support that survivors need, like clinical

management of rape, and mental health and

psychosocial support. It may also fuel impunity for

the perpetrators.

Violence against women during the COVID-19 crisis ⁵ Governments and policy makers must include essential services to address violence

against women in preparedness and response plans for COVID-19, fund them, and identify ways to make them accessible in the context of physical distancing

measures.

Health facilities should identify and provide information about services available locally (e.g. hotlines, shelters, rape crisis centers, counselling) for survivors, including opening hours, contact details, and whether services can be offered remotely, and establish referral linkages.

Health providers need to be aware of the risks and health consequences of violence against women. They can help women who disclose violence by offering first-line support and medical treatment. First-line support includes: listening empathetically and without judgment, inquiring about needs and concerns, validating survivors’

experiences and feelings, enhancing safety, and connecting survivors to support services.

What Can Be Done to Address Violence Against Women in RCCE During the COVID-19 Response

Risk communication and community engagement (RCCE) strategies for

COVID-19 need to address GBV as a major public health problem.

Violence against women during the COVID-19 crisis ⁶ Humanitarian response organizations must to include services for women

subjected to violence and their children in their COVID-19 response plans and gather data on reported cases of violence against women. PSEA Codes of

Conduct and other safeguarding measures need to be circulated in humanitarian settings and staff reminded of the need to comply with them

Community members must be made aware of the increased risk of violence

against women during the pandemic, the importance of maintaining social

support networks, and how to safely support someone subjected to violence. It is important for communities to have information about where support services for survivors are available.

Women must be meaningfully engaged in risk communication and community

engagement actions. Potential misinformation and disease-related stigma should

be proactively addressed by mobilizing and empowering women’s groups through formal and informal communication channels

What Can Be Done to Address Violence Against

Women in RCCE During the COVID-19 Response

Violence against women during the COVID-19 crisis ⁷

Resources for Further Action

• WHO Infographics presenting key messages for communities on VAW and COVID-19

• Regional Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE) Working Group guidance

includes actions that can be taken to include GBV survivors in RCCE approaches (Eastern Mediterranean, Asia-Pacific). For West and Central Africa, see: https://coronawestafrica.info/

• Joint WHO, UNICEF and IFRC guidance addresses the role of community-based health care in

the pandemic context.

• IASC Guideline offers practical recommendations to integrate GBV risk mitigation approaches

into humanitarian action

Violence against women during the COVID-19 crisis ⁸

References

1. http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/618731587147227244/Gender- Dimensions-of-the-COVID-19-Pandemic

2. https://www.ifc.org/wps/wcm/connect/42b50ce3-3867-48b2-9818-

acfbc4080ea2/202007-IFC-GBV-COVID+D.pdf?MOD=AJPERES&CVID=ndOei13 3. https://www.unfpa.org/sites/default/files/resource-pdf/COVID-

19_impact_brief_for_UNFPA_24_April_2020_1.pdf

4. https://www.unwomen.org/en/digital-library/publications/2020/04/issue-brief- covid-19-and-ending-violence-against-women-and-girls

5. https://www.un.org/sites/un2.un.org/files/policy_brief_on_covid_impact_on_c hildren_16_april_2020.pdf

6. https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/331699/WHO-SRH-20.04- eng.pdf?ua=1

7. https://gbvguidelines.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/COVID- 19_CommunityEngagement_130320.pdf

8. EVAW – COVID-19 updates: Indicative Measures (grey literature)

9. EVAW – COVID-19 updates: Data Points (grey literature)

Use of Mass Media

Campaigns for GBV Risk Communication in the Health Sector Response to COVID-19

Dr. Kamal Olleri, Health Cluster Coordinator Dr. Rana Mohammed Ali, GBV Program Officer, WHO

Principles of Partnership

• Equality

• Transparency

• Results-oriented approach

• Responsibility

• Complementarity

Iraq Health Cluster’s Advocacy Messages on GBV

• During the WHO-EMRO GBV Tech Officer’s mission to Iraq in January 2019, it was decided to develop GBV Advocacy Messages from the Iraq Health Cluster’s

The document focuses on 3 key messages:

• GBV is a significant threat to public health in emergencies

• Health services for GBV survivors remain inadequate in humanitarian settings

• Health facilities should have private spaces to provide confidential care

• Early action during the acute phase of a crisis can address some of the most severe health consequences of violence

• Health cluster should ensure that GBV is prioritized in emergencies

• Mental Health of GBV survivors

• All HWs should be able to provide first-line support (PFA) and basic psychosocial support – integration

• Interventions should be survivor-centered and consider risks of involving family members

• Programs should address stigma specifically related to GBV

• Child marriage

• Need for preventive legislation and protective measures

• Women and girls must have free and safe access to health services

• Health services are critical for mitigating health impacts of child marriage and Intimate Partner Violence, prevention of HIV, STIs, unwanted pregnancies and MH outcomes

Remote/in-person counseling by health care providers

• The COVID-19 stay-at-home measures, isolation and restricted movement to contain the spread of the infection, were seen to increase the risk of domestic violence and abuse.

• Therefore, in collaboration with the GBV Sub-Cluster, WHO-EMRO and the Iraq Health Cluster developed the

“Remote counseling by health care providers (suspected or disclosed GBV case)” document, which includes a flow- chart, to facilitate an easy-to-use guidance for health partners if they encounter a potential GBV case, either remotely or in person (online or face-to-face).

• The flowchart guides the service-provider on the steps to undertake in case there is suspicion that the woman is subjected to any form of violence and abuse while during the response to her inquiries about her health condition.

• The document also includes:

• A list of updated referral pathway guides to Health and GBV services in Iraq

• Tips for coping with stress at home

• It is important that regular COVID-19 protocols are followed to reduce the risk of infection, because even women coming for health issues related to violence may be COVID positive.

WHO response

• Community GBV units in health facilities supported by partners, although community outreach services are non-existent in the Iraq health system.

• To overcome this challenge WHO focuses on integrating GBV services into the health and mental health services in the PHCCs.

• Preparing consolidated key messages on GBV prevention and MHPSS, jointly by WHO/Health Cluster (through the National MHPSS TWG) and GBV sub-cluster, to be used in dissemination campaigns on social media, through SMS, TV and radio channels.

• For better linkage of the survivors with the needed GBV services, WHO in coordination with UNOPS, included the IIC call center number to the awareness raising products prepared by WHO, which were translated into local languages (Arabic, Kurdish- Sorani, Kurdish-Badini and Kurdish-Kurmanji).

Challenges

• Because of the curfew, many of the Women Centers and other facilities providing GBV services are

stopped, which is badly affecting the survivors in finding accessible services.

• Not all the health care providers and the survivors are familiar with the online services.

• Additionally, the availability of proper internet connection and phone coverage were a big challenge facing the health care providers

• Providing online services by using phones may put the survivor in more risk, especially in certain community areas according to their traditions .

• Not all the health care centers have/update the

referral pathway for GBV survivors.

Lessons Learned

• During the curfew only the health care providers working in the emergency units were able to provide the services in KRI, and they are still the main

responders in Federal MoH.

• Online services and trainings play an important role in the emergency situations, despite the drawbacks, as this is the only method to avoid complete stoppage of services

• Integrating the GBV services within the health and mental health services reduced the stigma to provide culturally appropriate evidence and community-based services to the most vulnerable population groups particularly

• Additionally, once established, it is planned to

handover this service to the DoH during the transition phase and it is expected to be a long-term method to ensure access of GBV services at the initial point of contact for the survivor

Some references

• Health Cluster Guide – A Practical Handbook – 2020

• Iraq Health Cluster page

• Iraq Health Cluster Annual Reports 2017, 2018 and 2019

• Iraq Health Cluster GBV Advocacy Messages

• Flowchart on Remote counseling by health care providers (suspected or disclosed GBV case)

• COVID-19 Outbreak Preparedness and Response in IDP Camps - to guide partners in Iraq to set-up and run Quarantine/Isolation areas in IDP camps

• Iraq Health Cluster Transition Plan – 2020/2021 – one of the objectives being to improve knowledge/education on WHO Handbook for GBV for HWs in

PHCCs and hospitals

HEALTH

programme

EMERGENCIES

ENGAGING COMMUNITIES TO STRENGTHEN PERCEPTION OF HEALTH WORKERS AND THEIR ROLES IN PROVISION OF CARE FOR GBV SURVIVORS DURING COVID19

Dr. Inigbehe Oyinloye GBV Focal Point, North East, Nigeria.

10 November 2020

13 November 2020

HEALTH

programme

EMERGENCIES

Situational Analysis

• The crisis in northeastern Nigeria has led to massive levels of displacement, food insecurity, and vast

humanitarian needs.

• The three most affected states of this crises have been Borno, Adamawa and Yobe (BAY).

• Approximately 6.9M people are in need of humanitarian

assistance. Of these, 5.3m need health assistance

13 November 2020

HEALTH

programme

EMERGENCIES

Gender-based Violence and COVID-19

Crisis Increases GBV Risk

• GBV has been on the increase since the

onset of the humanitarian crisis in Nigeria in 2009 (with the crisis peaking in 2014-2015)

• Women and girls, in particular, are targeted for abduction, forced/early marriage, rape, and forced prostitution

• Estimated 700,000 female IDPs confront acute risk.

Impact of COVID-19

• Since onset of the pandemic in 2020, the number of people in need of urgent

assistance in north-east Nigeria rose from 7.9 M to 10.6 M.

• COVID-19 is deepening humanitarian needs including the need for healthcare services, including timely access to

health services for GBV survivors

HEALTH

programme

EMERGENCIES

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT APPROACHES

Strengthening Response to GBV during COVID-19 Humanitarian Response Efforts

HEALTH

programme

EMERGENCIES

Engaging Community Leaders and Officials

• SENSITIZATION MEETINGS on GBV with targeting community gatekeepers including

traditional leaders, IDP Camp chairmen and Government officials

• STAKEHOLDER ADVOCACY to strengthen GBV referral

linkages including SMOH,

SPHCDA, Nigeria Police Force, Ministry of Justice, Religious leaders, Traditional leaders from communities as well as IDP camp chairmen and their secretaries

13 November 2020

HEALTH

programme

EMERGENCIES

Engaging Community Leaders and Officials

• Traditional leaders shared their concerns and challenged to

address GBV and expectations of the health sector

• The role of the health worker to improve health service

accessibility was also clarified at the meeting by WHO and MoH

• Meetings provided a platform to inform the leaders on the role of the health sector.

KEY MESSAGES

– Health worker are NOT to blame survivors

– Health workers are NOT to make decisions on behalf of GBV survivors

– Health workers ensure the survivor receives adequate holistic care

– Health workers ensure

referral to other services, as

permitted by the survivor

HEALTH

programme

EMERGENCIES

Hard-to-Reach (HTR) Mobile Health Teams

• Established in 2015 to scale up emergency interventions, strengthen the health system and provide health services for the conflict affected areas

• Link communities to health services in over 70 hard-to- reach areas:

– Remote settlements

affected by armed conflict – Camps for internally

displaced persons in areas challenging to access

13 November 2020

HEALTH

programme

EMERGENCIES

Hard-to-Reach (HTR) Mobile Health Teams

• Each team includes 4 health workers and a supervisor

• Other health services offered include:

– Medical consultations (treatment of Minor ailments),Focused

Antenatal Care (FANC) – Health promotion

– Immunizations

– Nutrition Screening

– GBV first line support and Referral

– Nutrition screening

13 November 2020

HEALTH

programme

EMERGENCIES

• Health workers in HTR mobile teams are the frontline in

service provision for GBV survivors

- Trained on COVID 19 IPC - Provide GBV services with

COVID 19 sensitization and awareness integrated at the community level

• WHO HTR frontline workers conduct daily health education sessions increase awareness and sensitization messages on GBV and COVID 19

13 November 2020

Hard-to-Reach (HTR) Mobile Health Teams

HEALTH

programme

EMERGENCIES

Hard-to-Reach (HTR) Mobile Health Teams

Prior to COVID 19, sessions were held

with sensitizations generally on KHHP however with COVID

19 integrated key messages,

prevention messages is also shared using pictorials by the team

at the community level.

13 November 2020

HEALTH

programme

EMERGENCIES

Community Leaders as Change Agents

Community leaders have been identified as key decision makers and the community members easily

comply with what they see their community leaders

involved in.

HTR mobile teams continue to work closely with communities to model hand

washing, social distancing and use of facemasks during

daily health education sessions in the

communities.

- 13 November 2020 -

HEALTH

programme

EMERGENCIES

Shehu of Borno State, a community leader, models hand washing as strategy to prevent COVID-19 transmission

13 November 2020

HEALTH

programme

EMERGENCIES

Information, Education, and Communication Materials

Messaging tools were

developed focusing on the role of the health worker in

prevention of GBV in English and translated into other

languages.

IEC materials are also used for campaigns and advocacy during 16 Days of Activism

Against GBV to engage communities and increase awareness on GBV and its

impact on the society

- 13 November 2020 -

HEALTH

programme

EMERGENCIES

• Integration of GBV services and COVID 19 sensitization into the WHO HTR program has been effective to increase service awareness and utilization

• Critical to identify cultural barriers and norms (e.g.

culturally taboo for women to discuss IPV or speak freely in the presence of men).

• Use of community leaders to convey health behavior change messages strengthens community acceptance and compliance

• Interpretation of IEC materials into local languages has increased community engagement in GBV and COVID-19 prevention at community level

- 13 November 2020 -

Lessons Learned

HEALTH

programme

EMERGENCIES

13 November 2020

• OCHA Response Humanitarian Response Plan 2018.

• National Demographic Health survey, 2018.

• Health Response to GBV in North East Nigeria: Scoping Mission Report 2018

• Scoping Mission Nigeria Paper 2018

• WHE Hard To Reach report, 2019.

• OCHA : Nigeria situation report, 14

^th

October, 2020 https://reports.unocha.org/en/country/nigeria/

• North East Nigeria: COVID-19 Situation Update.

https://reliefweb.int/report/nigeria/north-east-nigeria-covid-19- situation-update-30th-august-2020

References

Facilitators and Barriers to Community Engagement to Prevent GBV in COVID-19

Health Response for the Rohingya (IOM, COX’S BAZAR-BANGLADESH)

COVID-19 and the Rohingya Refugee Crisis

❑ The Rohingya people have faced statelessness, systematic discrimination and targeted violence in Myanmar’s Rakhine State for decades.

❑ Mass exodus from August 25, 2017, over 850,000 Rohingya Refugees were driven across the border from Myanmar to Bangladesh

❑ Approximately 860, 243 individuals as of 31^stMay 2020 (Source: UNHCR) Rohingya reside in 34 extremely congested camps formally designated by the Government of Bangladesh in Ukhiya and Teknaf Upazilas of Cox’s Bazar District

❑ 51% of the population is children under 18 years and 52% of the population is women and children (Source: NPM)

❑ Response by Government of Bangladesh, UN, NGO’s and other civil society, generous support of donor community

Trends in COVID-19 Cases in IOM Health

Programming

Trends in COVID-19 Cases in IOM Health Programming

• The current COVID trends in the camp are much lower than had been anticipated. This is attributed to low

testing rates, low case detection, fear and mistrust among the community on COVID-19 testing, isolation,

quarantining and treatment.

• IOM established three SARI isolation and treatment centres (SARI ITC) with bed capacity of 230.

• The COVID-19 situation also resulted in a worrying reduction of the health seeking behaviours of Rohingya refugees for general health services, as evidenced by notable decrease in

– consultation rates, vaccination coverage, SRH including GBV, maternal and child health consultations in 2020

IOM Migration Health Program and COVID-19

To improve health service utilization, IOM established and deployed 10 teams of Health Outreach Teams (HOT). HOT work in

collaboration with CHWs from protection and MHPSS

–

Enhance ongoing and planned activities for COVID-19 community- based surveillance

–

Provide risk communication and community engagement and home- based care for COVID-19 cases who refuse facility-based isolation

–

Strengthen continuity of other

essential health services through

community outreach and referral

RCCE and Health Outreach Teams (HOT)

1) Reinforce existing community-led activities and identify/amplify new community solutions to contain the outbreak

2) Contain COVID-19 through individual prevention behaviors and social responsibility.

3) RCCE support for contact tracing and quarantine.

4) Support public confidence in health system and outbreak response measures

5) Enhance community participation in defining local solutions and address barriers to key containment measures

6) Develop/update, test, and regularly share tailored messages/materials on relevant topics

7) Amplify information and support from trusted health experts, community leaders and influencers

8) Scale up trusted sources of mass media

communication and promote social mobilization through peer to peer and community meetings

Linkages Between IOM Health and GBV Programming to address COVID-19

• Due to the COVID-19 and its gendered effects and disproportionate impact on women and girls, IOM incorporated sexual and

reproductive health services within the ITCs, including the provision of SRH- GBV- Maternity services.

• It was key that IOM Women and Girls Safe Spaces (WGSS) remained operational as they serve as critical, multipurpose and adaptive spaces for at-risk women and girls in need of access of life-saving information and services.

• IOM integrated non-case-management WGSS activities for COVID19 such as mask making and hygiene promotion.

• IOM participated in the Inter-Agency

Coordination platforms (RCCE WG, GBV WG, SRH WG and Health Sector meetings)

Risk Communication & Community Engagement Related to GBV and COVID19

❑ Rapidly contextualize national, District and camp-level risk communication and community engagement strategy and action plan for COVID-19 through the GBV/SRH /RCCE WGs

❑ Develop GBV integrated key messages and pre-test through a participatory process

❑ Engage trusted community groups including women and girls

❑ Accountability to affected populations through

Information feedback centers, with a primary focus on closing the feedback loop as in the WGSS.

❑ Disseminate GBV integrated messages and behavior change communication materials

❑ Ensure changes to community engagement approaches are based on evidence and needs (shown through rumour tracking mechanisms such as Rumor Tracking Tool, What Matters and COVID 19: Explained)

❑ Strengthen large scale community engagement for social and behaviour change approaches to ensure preventive community and individual health and hygiene practices are in line with national public health recommendations.

Household Visits

Inter-Personal Communication Sessions

Religious leaders - miking/loudspeaker CNG/Tomtom

based loudspeaker messaging

Adolescent radio listener club

sessions

X stan banner

IEC Materials developed

Leaflets

Festoons

X Stand banner Health

card Posters

Radio programs

PSA

Songs

Magazine Bulletin

Live phone ins

INTERVENTIONS IN THE CAMPS & HOST

WASH, Education, GBV, Child

Protection,

Nutrition , Health

Facilitators and Barriers to RCCE

❑ Establishing a strong and cohesive RCCE coordination at IOM Global, Regional and Local levels

❑ Integration into the existing community structures like CHWs/Vs

❑ Provision of simplified tools and resources, training and guidance and rapid deployment of RCCE expertise.

❑ Integration of multi-sectoral key messages

including GBV/SRH/Health into the job aides and tools

❑ Engagement of translators to support accurate messaging to the community

Facilitators

❑ Rapidly equipping and facilitating the RCCE teams appropriately e.g. Bicycles, PPE

❑ Involvement of the key opinion members of the community like Majhis, religious leaders, CICs

❑ IOM Intersectoral collaboration and referrals (Health and GBV) at the WGSS

Barriers

❑ Less acceptance of HCWs at community level

❑ In the highly congested crowded camps, ensuring social distancing is very difficult, if not impossible.

❑ Limited availability of supplies for Home Based Care

❑ The COVID-19 directives curtailed IOM’s outreach effort, and reduced staff and volunteers including Child Protection and GBV case workers.

❑ Government restriction on phone and internet connections made it difficult to use the remote communication channels like social media campaigns.

❑ Availability of Minimal in-person case services via the WGSS, which were complemented by phone counselling

❑ Language Barriers

❑ High prevalence of stigma and superstitions due to low education level and religious or social conservativeness.

❑ Far-reaching information does not necessarily translate into effective messaging and therefore behaviour change..

Expected Benefits

• Strengthen and complement ongoing and planned RCCE, HBC and community-based surveillance activities through addition of skilled and trained healthcare workers

• Identification and referral of health, SRH including GBV cases by the CHWs to the respective health and community facilities like the WGSS

• Address the community fears and myths about COVID-19

• Establish and utilize expedited processes for timely dissemination of messages and materials in local languages and adopt relevant communication channels

• Increase community understanding of COVID-19 treatment and services, and trust in health care workers and SARI ITCs

• SARI ITC health care workers are more engaged with and are knowledgeable about the community and their concerns related to COVID-19

• Supportive supervision/on the job training for CHWs on community surveillance and Home-Based Care

• Supportive transition to Home Based Care for identified health care workers if high-transmission Home Based Care protocol is activated

• Improved care to COVID-19 patients who refuse facility isolation and treatment

• Balanced community outreach activities which do not focus solely on Covid-19 but the continuation of essential health services/holistic approach i.e. maternal and child health, vaccination, nutrition

• Strengthen collaboration between site management, CwC and community health workers.

• Establish and utilise two-way‘channels’for community and public communication and information sharing

Thank you!

@iom_news iommigration

user/iommigration

46

Gender Based Violence during COVID-19 - the Risk

Communication and Community Engagement response

Saa Eric Dentor

UNICEF

47

UNICEF’s Institutional commitments

▪ Strategic Plan

▪ Gender Action Plan

▪ CCCs, AAP, PSEA

▪ Safer and more effective programming

▪ Contributes to better sector outcomes

▪ Builds longer-term capacity and systems

▪ Oslo 2019

▪ Call to Action

Addressing Gender-Based Violence in Emergencies (GBViE)

Specific GBV risks related to RCCE for women and girls

❑ Women, girls and other at-risk populations often have less access to information and services.

❑ Women, girls and other at-ris populations often excluded from key decision-making processes.

❑ Women, girls and other at-risk group has less opprotunity to access to community- based feedback mechanismq. Even less due to their increased workload at home.

48

UNICEF’s support to GBV integration in RCCE

❑ Global webinar on GBV and RCCE.

❑ Partnership with SDD to train

UNICEF’s partners on GBViE including community engagement on GBV

through strategic communication and messaging.

❑ Training of UNICEF personnel and partners responding to COVID-19 on GBV risks mitigation and GBV

referrals.

❑ Developed GBV core community

messages and information materials for COVID-19 response.

❑ GBV integration in RCCE in countries responding to COVID-19 (GHRP).

49

GBV & RCCE: Effective collaboration

❑ Adapting GBV referral pathways to make them more easily understandable for affected communities.

❑ Working together to understand/address barriers to services for women and girls-using the AAAQ framework.

❑ Mapping out how/where/from whom different sub-groups of the population receive information about humanitarian aid and services to inform RCCE efforts.

❑ Supporting community feedback mechanisms and support hotlines.

❑ Understanding of cultural norms, power dynamics, influencers, gatekeepers, etc in the community to inform positive help-seeking messaging.

❑ Consulting with women and girls to understand their needs.

50

Essential Good Practices in Communications

❑ Messages are context specific, targeted and simple.

❑ Use various communication channels.

❑ Address multiple levels of society.

❑ Engage women and girls to help identify their needs.

❑ Combine media campaigns with face-to-face engagement.

❑ Engage men and boys, but not at the expense of leadership of women and girls.

❑ Involve gatekeepers and influencers.

❑ Use a human rights framework and a gender perspective.

❑ Establish a monitoring, evaluation and learning system- feedback mechanisms.

51

Dos and Don’ts: GBV related messaging

52

❑ Make the safety and well being of all women the first priority.

❑ Recognize that gender inequality and discrimination cause GBV.

❑ Be alert for intended/unintended consequences.

❑ Coordinate with other local services.

❑ Offer messages that demonstrate how gender equality and non-violence benefit the entire community.

❑ Involve men without jeopardizing women’s safety and confidentiality.

❑ Never use messages that exploit, stigmatize or stereotype.

❑ Create materials that reflect positive role models, interactions and behaviors.

❑ Be part of an ongoing effort rather than a ‘one off’ campaign.

Dos and Don’ts: RCCE efforts

Do’s

❑ Ensure all frontline are equipped to facilitate referrals for GBV services as needed

❑ Speak to GBV specialists/service

providers about general GBV issues in the community

❑ Collaborate with GBV specialists to consult with women and girls about their needs, including safety concerns

❑ Ensure GBV response services are in place before awareness raising begins

❑ Create fictional vignettes that combine multiple sources of information

Don’ts

53

❑ Attempt to identify/document GBV cases

❑ Proactively seek out survivors to interview them

❑ Ask communities to share detailed stories about GBV incidents that have occurred

❑ Conduct GBV awareness where there are no response services are available

❑ Use individual stories (even if names have

been changed)

Thank you!