Creative tools for capturing impact of gender-based violence in emergencies interventions

WHAT IS THE HUMANITARIAN NEED?

Gender-based violence in emergencies (GBViE) programming in the Philippines has been guided by international guidelines and standards as well as by national policy and legal frameworks on gender and development, child protection and disaster risk reduction and management.

Though several preventive and life-saving interventions have been put in place, there is still a need to gather empirical data on how GBV has been prevented and responded to effectively.

In improving its GBViE programming, it is important that organisations engage crises-affected individuals and communities - not just as beneficiaries but also as co-innovators in finding solutions that are inclusive and empowering.

It can guide the pathway for a more harmonised approach on GBV management, coordination, mainstreaming to other clusters, and monitoring and evaluation.

WHAT IS THE INNOVATIVE SOLUTION?

This innovation project is in the problem recognition phase, and therefore aimed to provide a deeper understanding of localised GBV M&;E approaches.

This GBV consortium, composed of five organisations from the Visayas Region of the Philippines, was formed to conduct the very first study on the impact of GBViE programming in partnership with local communities.

Creative measurement tools were co-designed by key humanitarian actors from the government agencies, UN, INGOs and local government units who had hands-on experiences on GBViE programming.

The initial tools developed were field tested, refined and validated while documenting the innovation process, its challenges and lessons learned. Members from crisis affected communities acted as co-innovators in defining better and stronger GBV preventive and response measures.

The generation of evidence-based data on the impact of GBV in emergencies programming is set to inform the government, humanitarian clusters and local actors on how to better approach GBV prevention and response in terms of policies, allocation of resources, standardising, coordination works and innovation.

WHAT ARE THE EXPECTED OUTCOMES?

The project provided new insights, greater understanding and creative opportunities to better develop minimum and comprehensive GBViE programming in humanitarian situations.

It will guide the pathway for a more harmonised approach on GBViE management, coordination, mainstreaming to other clusters, and monitoring and evaluation.

By capturing the impact of GBV prevention and response measures from the previous and on-going humanitarian response, future interventions can better engage the local communities on strengthening existing community-based protection mechanisms. Through this, the research will help to increase local capacities, resiliency and sustainability.

As a result, knowledge, attitudes and behaviours challenge existing gender norms, traditional practices and inequalities that contribute to the prevalence of gender-based violence even in times of emergencies.

Read the report in the Tools and Research section below.