Handbook - UNICEF

1 Handbook for Coordinating Gender-based Violence Interventions in Humanitarian Settings Gender-based Violence Area of Responsibility Working Group July 2010. The GBV Area of Responsibility Working Group would like to thank the Australian Government and ECHO for their contributions towards producing this Handbook . Foreword The international humanitarian community is more united than ever in its commitment to ending sexual and other forms of gender-based violence. Humanitarian actors are working alongside communities to develop comprehensive programming for survivors and craft prevention strategies in some of the hardest-to-reach areas of the world.

2 The horrific accounts that span the globe on the scope and brutality of sexual violence during conflict and in the wake of natural disasters have not only generated unprecedented international media attention but have triggered the United Nations Security Council to adopt Security Council Resolution 1888 on Sexual Violence in Conflict, which underscores accountability and more comprehensive and coordinated action. Yet, incidents of sexual violence and other forms of gender-based violence are being perpetrated with impunity and prevention of violence and support for survivors is insufficient. In our rush to deliver emergency food, water, and shelter and to address health needs, we often neglect the hidden devastation experienced by untold numbers of women and girls.

3 In the face of so much need, we may fail to recognize the urgency of addressing sexual violence; and our decision is sometimes echoed by the survivors themselves. As a woman who was raped during Kenya's 2008. post-election violence explained: in a crisis like this, your first thought is to care for your children, get settled down, you don't even think to report you are trying to figure out how to live. As a community, we must prioritize action that could end this injustice and ensure that humanitarian services are provided in a manner that protects women and children from gender-based violence. If the issue of gender-based violence in conflict and natural disasters is not directly, immediately and aggressively confronted, the cumulative consequences can negate our most essential humanitarian goals and stall global progress made on the issue.

4 The risk of further entrenching a culture of tolerance for this staggering violation of human rights requires us to exhort practitioners, policy makers and humanitarian and political leaders to stamp out gender-based violence in all its manifestations. This coordination Handbook represents a key tool for all sectors of the humanitarian community to work together in the prevention of and response to gender-based violence. Drawing from and building upon a growing body of international tools and resources, it provides the most comprehensive guidelines to date on how to establish coordination mechanisms to address gender- based violence in emergencies.

5 Its purpose is to facilitate concrete action from the earliest stages of humanitarian intervention to safeguard survivors and protect those at risk, and to accelerate efforts aimed at ending gender-based violence. All those working in humanitarian settings have a responsibility to familiarize themselves with this Handbook as an essential tool in meeting our responsibility to protect the communities we serve and provide services to meet the myriad needs of gender-based violence survivors. Tony Lake John Keys Thoraya A. Obaid Nancy A. Aossey Executive Director Senior Vice President Executive Director President & CEO.

6 UNICEF International Programs UNFPA International Medical International Rescue Corps Committee Handbook for Coordinating GBV Interventions in Humanitarian Settings i Acknowledgements This Handbook is a product of the Gender-based Violence Area of Responsibility Working Group (GBV AoR), with project oversight provided by representatives of the United Nations Children's Fund ( UNICEF ), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the International Rescue Committee (IRC) and the International Medical Corps (IMC). The Handbook was developed by Jeanne Ward, with assistance from Julie Lafreniere on select content and Jeanine Bashir Kanyana on the preliminary formatting.

7 Alex Krueger and Tirana Hassan of Child Frontiers generously shared materials developed on behalf of the Child Protection Working Group for the IASC Child Protection Coordinators' Handbook 2009 for Clusters, which have been adapted for use in this Handbook . Lisa Ernst was responsible for editing this Handbook , and Lenny Tin produced the final design. UNICEF , UNFPA, IRC and IMC would like to especially acknowledge members of the GBV AoR. and many other GBV field experts who provided guidance and feedback and who will continue to provide inputs to this provisional edition. The designations employed and the presentation of the material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the United Nations or partners concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.

8 The GBV AoR welcomes requests for permission to reproduce and/or translate this Handbook in part or in full. This provisional edition will be field-tested in various humanitarian settings across the world, after which it will be finalized to reflect lessons learned and further contributions from colleagues. A form to provide feedback on this Handbook is included at the back, and is also accessible at Additional comments, enquiries and any adaptations or translations of these materials should be forwarded to This Handbook is available in a word document (accessible online and on CD) in order to allow readers to easily extract and share select sections and/or adjust the content of the annexes according to the needs of the setting.

9 Both PDF and word versions of the Handbook may be consulted and downloaded at ii Handbook for Coordinating GBV Interventions in Humanitarian Settings List of acronyms ARC American Refugee Committee BCC Behaviour Change Communication BPRM Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration CAP Consolidated Appeals Process CBA Community-Based Approach CCA Common Country Assessment CCF Christian Children's Fund CEDPA Centre for Development and Population Activities CERF Central Emergency Response Fund CHAP Common Humanitarian Action Plan CIDA Canadian International Development Agency DCAF Democratic Centre for Armed Forces DFID Department for International Development- (United Kingdom).

10 DPKO Department of Peacekeeping Operations DSRSG Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary- General ECHA/ECPS Executive Committees on Humanitarian Affairs and Peace and Security ERC Emergency Relief Coordinator ERF Emergency Response Fund FAO Food and Agriculture Organization FP Focal Point GBV Gender-Based Violence GBV AoR Gender-Based Violence Area of Responsibility GBVIMS Gender-Based Violence Information Management System GenCap IASC Gender Standby Capacity Project GHP Global Humanitarian Platform HC/RC Humanitarian Coordinator/Resident Coordinator HIV/AIDS Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome HRBA Human Rights-Based Approach HRSU Humanitarian Reform Support Unit IASC Inter-Agency Standing Committee ICRC International Committee of the Red Cross IDP Internally Displaced Person IGO Inter-Governmental Organization IEC Information Education Communication IFRC International Federation of Red Cross IRC International Rescue Committee ISDR UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction INGO International Non-Governmental Organization IOM International Organization for Migration JSI John Snow International JPO Junior Professional Officer MDTF Multi-Donor Trust Fund Handbook