Enhancing Capacity of Women to prevent and respond to Gender Based Violence

Project Summary: Gender-based violence (GBV) is a term used to describe any harmful act that is perpetrated against a person’s will, and that is based on socially ascribed differences between males and females (Global Protection Cluster). Reports suggest that women and girls suffer higher incidences of violence. GBV is a universal phenomenon and is prevalent across all societies irrespective of income, wealth, status, class, age or culture.

There is an urgent need to decrease Gender-based violence incidents, through the adoption of a community-based, multi-pronged approach, and collaboration with multiple stakeholders. The International XYZ foundation is committed to addressing gender-based violence through advocacy, research and learning, and collaboration with stakeholders around the world. With the aim to reduce Gender-based violence incidents and to enhance impact we shall be adopting a collaborative approach and will be building capacities of field partners

Project Background

“Violence against women is perhaps the most shameful human rights violation. And it is perhaps the most pervasive. It knows no boundaries of geography, culture or wealth. As long as it continues, we cannot claim to be making real progress towards equality, development and peace.”—Kofi Annan

These lines clearly emphasize on the need to stop violence against women for a society to flourish and develop. There is growing recognition that violence against women has a negative impact on public health, social and economic conditions of an area. Gender-based violence (GBV) is a gross violation of women’s human rights and measures should be taken to stop it.

Gender-based violence (GBV) is a term used to describe any harmful act that is perpetrated against a person’s will, and that is based on socially ascribed differences between males and females (Global Protection Cluster). Reports suggest that women and girls suffer higher incidences of violence than men and boys. Some of the examples of Gender-based violence that women may face include sex-selective abortion, differential access to food and services, sexual exploitation and abuse, including trafficking, child marriage, female genital mutilation/cutting, sexual harassment, dowry/bride price abuse, honor killing, domestic or intimate partner violence, deprivation of inheritance or property, and elder abuse. Gender-based violence is a universal phenomenon and is prevalent across all societies irrespective of income, wealth, status, class, age or culture.

GBV occurs in various settings and can be classified into six categories suggested by the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), the International Rescue Committee (IRC), and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).  The six core GBV types were created for data collection and statistical analysis of Gender-based violence (GBV).

Rape: Non-consensual penetration (however slight) of the vagina, anus or mouth with a penis or other body part.

Sexual Assault: Any form of non-consensual sexual contact that does not result in or include penetration. FGM/C is an act of violence that impacts sexual organs, and as such should be classified as sexual assault.

Physical Assault: An act of physical violence that is not sexual in nature. Examples include: hitting, slapping, choking, cutting, shoving, burning, shooting or use of any weapons, acid attacks or any other act that results in pain, discomfort or injury.

Forced Marriage: The marriage of an individual against her or his will.

Denial of Resources, Opportunities or Services: Denial of rightful access to economic resources/assets or livelihood opportunities, education, health or other social services.

Psychological / Emotional Abuse: infliction of mental or emotional pain or injury. Examples include: threats of physical or sexual violence, intimidation, humiliation, forced isolation, stalking, verbal harassment etc.

Gender Based Violence is nothing less than a global pandemic as it affects women across the world at varying levels.

Gender-based violence (GBV) affects 1 out of 3 women in their lifetime.

35% of women worldwide have experienced either physical and/or sexual violence by an intimate partner or non-partner sexual violence.

Globally, 7% of women have been sexually assaulted by someone other than a partner.

Globally, as many as 38% of murders of women are committed by an intimate partner.

200 million women have experienced female genital mutilation/cutting.

Gender-based violence entails significant social and economic costs.

Gender-based violence increases the risk of suicide, alcohol abuse, depression and severe health deterioration.

Gender-based violence has dire economic consequences, costing an estimated 1.2%-3.7% of GDP.

Considering the data mentioned above, states that there is an urgent need to decrease Gender-based violence (GBV) incidents, through the adoption of a community-based, multi-pronged approach, and sustained engagement with multiple stakeholders. The International XYZ foundation is committed to addressing gender-based violence through advocacy, research and learning, and collaboration with stakeholders around the world. With the aim to reduce Gender-based violence (GBV) incidents and to enhance impact we shall be adopting a collaborative approach and will be building capacities of field partners (local women rights based organizations and activists).  Through the project we will be building a global network of activist organizations and activists that will be trained to deal with Gender-based violence (GBV) related issues across the world. The trained network will consist of qualified and reputable community activists (both women and men), including paralegals, health and social workers, teachers and religious leaders. They shall together work to enhance Women’s Capacity to Prevent and Respond to Gender Based Violence.

Project Description

2.1 Project Goal: To reduce incidences of Gender Based Violence globally by enhancing Women’s Capacity to prevent and respond to Gender Based Violence.

2.2 Project Specific Objectives

Objective 1.  To strengthen the capacities of women’s rights based organizations and women rights activists on issues related to Gender Based Violence through a series of training sessions, workshops and communication tools.

Objective 2. To develop an understanding of the extent of Gender Based Violence and identify areas which report a high rate of GBV.

Objective 3.  To improve women’s knowledge on types and extent of gender based violence, its consequences and their legal rights to fight against such crimes.

2.3 Project Activities

Objective 1.  To strengthen the capacities of the women’s rights based organizations on issues related to Gender Based Violence through a series of training sessions, workshops and communication tools.

Activity 1. Development of a comprehensive database of women right based organizations and activists across the world. 

To get an understanding of the organizations and women activists in different countries, our team will compile a database of existing agencies and people associated with women rights in different countries. This will be done through our local offices who will be developing a database with the complete details of the organizations and individuals working in the field of women rights. The database will have the following information:

Activity 2. Selection of local field partners:  We shall be selecting a few organizations and individuals from the database to implement the project in their respective countries. The selection will be done by scoring these organizations against a few parameters (eg. Expertise, experience in women rights campaigning, years of experience, reputation, achievements and rewards etc.).

Activity 3.  Training local field partners: Online training of identified partners on Gender Based Violence and ways to resolve GBV/VAW cases in their countries. Our experts will provide a comprehensive training to all the selected organizations and individuals on various aspects of GBV/VAW . The following training module will be used for training.

The training will help in the following:

Building the skills on identification of Gender-based violence (GBV) risks within their respective countries.

Understanding various mitigation strategies for GBV risks.

Learning ways to reduce risk of girls and women to GBV.

Understanding principles of safe and ethical data collection from GBV victims.

Developing skills to prevent GBV and overcome existing bottlenecks.

Understanding local, national and international laws and legal framework to deal with GBV.

All the trained organizations and activists will come together as a women rights network and will be working closely with us in developing communication material, designing campaigns and conducting research on GBV issues.

Objective 2. To develop an understanding of the extent of Gender Based Violence and identify areas which report a high rate of Gender-based violence (GBV).

Activity 1. Literature Review on laws and legal framework: A comprehensive literature review of laws and legal framework in different countries to explore the treatment of women’s rights.  Our local teams/field partners will compile a report on the existing laws and legal framework in different countries.  This will help us to get an understanding of how the law defines GBV and what are the provisions for crime against women.

Activity 2.  Secondary Research on GBV cases: This will include secondary research on existing reports and literature available on GBV across the different countries. Through this study we will be categorizing the reported incidents of GBV into the six categories (categories suggested by the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), the International Rescue Committee (IRC), and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). The criteria that will be used to generate the classifications of the types of GBV have the following advantage:

• Universally recognized categories
• All categories are mutually exclusive
• Focus on the specific act of violence

Objective 3.  To improve women’s knowledge on types and extent of gender based violence and its consequences.

Activity 1. Development of ICT material and toolkits:  Comprehensive GBV material will be developed in the form of training tool kits, leaflets, audio-video material and comic books. The training material will be used for distribution in schools, offices, shops and amongst parents. Culture plays a very essential role in shaping the way people perceive sexual education/gender equality and therefore the educational material will be developed considering the culture and local traditions. All the material will be made in vernacular language which is easy to understand so as to engage the local populace.

Activity 2. Awareness Generation: A mass awareness drive will be carried out in different countries with the help of local field partners. The following activities will also be undertaken as part of the awareness sessions across the world.

Production and broadcast of radio shows

TV roundtable discussions to discuss the practical applications of women’s political, economic and social/civil rights.

Distribution of Comic books amongst school children, so as to engage them in the program. The comic book will have short stories on various aspects of gender equality, gender mainstreaming and women rights which would enhance the children’s awareness level on gender issues.

• Marathons and cycle rallies
• Exhibitions
• Wall Paintings

Activity 3. Development of Activist Kits: We shall be publishing activist kits for our women’s rights network. The activist kits will contain the following:

• T-shirts and Caps
• Booklets on GBV issues
• Posters related to GBV
• Resource Guides on starting campaigns against GBV.

The activist kit will ensure that all the organizations associated with the project follow a standard protocol and have common reference/ communication material. This activist kit will be used during the campaigning against GBV.

Activity 4. Campaigning against all forms of GBV: The International XYZ foundation will initiate a worldwide Campaign against GBV/VAW. Campaigns over the past decades have helped in increasing awareness against GBV and highlighting it as violation of human rights. There is a need to rally support and initiate a worldwide campaign to end violence against women and bring together the efforts of local, national and international organizations. A global campaign will be an appropriate tool to tackle GBV issues, because of the following reasons:

• Campaigns can highlight the fact that GBV is a global issue and affects all segments of the society.
• It will catalyze the initiatives of different organizations.
• Can lead to a well coordinated and integrated movement.
• Make the victims aware about their rights and claims.
• Brings together people from different backgrounds to learn from each others’ experience.
• Helps to form networks.
• Develop leadership skills
• Empowers women and men, girls and boys to become individual agents of change.

Activity 5. E-Campaigning: Along with initiating an offline campaign, we shall also be initiating an E-campaign to mobilize a large number of people. E- Campaigning has become a major feature in campaigns to end various social evils and has proved to be a very effective tool.  For the e-campaigning the following will be integrated:

• Social media- Twitter, Facebook, Instagram
• Active engagement through Websites and Blogs
• Emails
• Podcasts
• SMS and Mobile phone campaigning
• Cyber Dialoguing
• Internet videos.

Budget Narrative

• Project Personnel: 1 Project director, 2 project managers, 2 research officers and 2 communication officers to be hired.
• Administrative support: Staff time for the finance officer and accountant is approximately for 24 months.
• Office travel: Official visits as and when required through public transport in the project site.
• ICT material: This includes budget for the publication and printing of material, as the project seeks participation of community members, there will be a need to develop interesting and educative material in form of Flyers, booklets, comic books, audio-visual aid, activist kits.
• Capacity building: This includes the honorarium for the trainer, onsite field training, and training module development.
• Campaigning

Sustainability

The toolkits and awareness generation material will help in making the community more aware about Gender-based violence (GBV) issues and their types, these people will then act as the driving force to stop incidences of GBV in their communities. As the entire process has been made participatory the skills and knowledge gained by the present group of people, will be transferable and also replicable.

The involvement of local agencies and activists will also ensure improvement and access to the government initiatives in this direction, as these agencies are permanent, they will help in sustaining the project activities beyond the project duration.