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IOM's Migration Health Department (MHD) continues to integrate gender equality and GBV in various aspects, including starting the development its handbook on Community Based Psychosocial Support in Emergencies. The manual will include reference to specialized MHPSS support for GBV survivors in emergency settings. CCCM-MHPSS training tools have also been developed and piloted to support closer collaboration between CCCM and MHPSS teams in field locations, like Northern Nigeria. Moreover, MHD provided training on GBV and/or Clinical Management of Rape (CMR) at various missions including Bangladesh, Somalia, as well as the Regional Office for Europe (RO Brussels). The Regional Office in Brussels also organized trainings on GBV for service providers who work with migrants and refugees.
In Bangladesh, IOM continued to increase the support for GBV survivors, framed within an increase in support for women and girls in general, in particular through the establishment of women and girls safe spaces; provision of resources that specifically target women and girls safety and dignity such as NFI kits and solar lanterns; improved accessibility and safety within sites; and improved mechanisms for seeking specialized support such as case management and clinical management of rape.
IOM programs also supported access to justice. In Colombia, for example, the Victims and Inclusion for Peace programmes are supporting survivors of sexual violence to access services and protection, and building the capacity of institutions to safely and empathetically respond to reports of these violations.
IOM continued to apply a practical approach to GBV mainstreaming in line with the IASC GBV Guidelines, through several capacity building initiatives such as trainings, development and/or revision of training material, and a number of deployments of Rapid Response Advisors (RRA) and Emergency Response and Induction Training (ERIT) graduates, who mentor CCCM and Shelter actors. RRAs conducted capacity building initiatives, and strengthened the coordination with GBV specialized actors in-country during deployments. Moreover, CCCM Regional Training of Trainers (ToT), with representatives from both the cluster co-lead agencies and the capacity building focal agency, NRC, have taken place. The ToTs have been combined with concrete follow-up actions to prevent and mitigate GBV risks in camp and camp-like settings, which has led to the development of national-level action plans by ToT participants in all nine participating countries.
Together with UNHCR and NRC, IOM initiated and finalized the revision of the Global CCCM training modules. The 2017 revision emphasizes and now emphasizes actions on the prevention and mitigation of GBV in all core modules. Various tools developed facilitate the general mainstreaming of GBV into emergency responses, including a CCCM checklist to support the review of projects; global CCCM and DTM training modules mainstreaming GBV considerations; and a more technical guidance for shelter experts and site planners working in camps.
IOM also continued the rollout of the Women’s Participation Project, which aims at supporting opportunities for women’s equal and meaningful participation in camp governance structures to contribute to reducing risks of GBV. A qualitative assessment to map existing governance structures and barriers for women’s participation in these structures was first undertaken, followed by the development and implementation of a number of strategies in line with the findings of the baseline study, including the establishment of women’ committees and cumulative skills and leaderships training. An assessment of whether the activities undertaken had succeeded was undertaken at the end of the year. Lessons learned demonstrate the need for long-term targeted efforts to shift social norms to enable greater opportunities for women as participants and as leaders.
In Azerbaijan, IOM is working with Azerbaijan Lawyers Confederation (ALC), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the State Committee for Family, Women and Children’s Affairs (SCFWCA) to provide staff members of the Domestic Violence Support Centre with thorough knowledge, skills and competencies to better assist victims. IOM also sought to empower beneficiaries of the centre by providing direct support, including medical, legal and psychological assistance, temporary housing, when needed, access to childcare and social benefits, as well as skills-building and training in business development. Small grants were awarded to help the participating women initiate businesses of their own. The economic empowerment of women was a key aspect of this project, as helping individuals become economically self-sufficient is one of the most effective ways to address domestic violence, and improve self-esteem and self-confidence of victims. IOM also raised public awareness of the existing problems by producing and disseminating information materials on gender equality, the rights of women and men in families, domestic violence, as well as on services available at the Domestic Violence Support Centre.
In Belarus, in partnership with UNFPA, UNICEF and the Ministry of Internal Affairs, IOM provided tools and technical assistance to NGOs to improve national capacity to counteract and prevent domestic violence, especially against women and children. This project launched a Pilot Seminar on the relationship between domestic violence and trafficking in women and children. Counter-trafficking NGOs, judges, prosecutors, law-enforcement officials and representatives of the border troops of Belarus participated in this event. The seminar has brought the attention to and initiated a dialogue among the relevant actors on this topic. It established a forum for relevant parties to work together and improve various legal and support provisions for victims of trafficking and domestic violence. Overall, ten NGOs, 75 NGOs’ staff members, 45 law-enforcement officials and over 40 other specialists received training as part of this project. The project also referred at least 700 victims of domestic violence for specialized assistance.
In the Central African Republic, IOM is working to prevent SGBV among internally-displaced and host populations. IOM is building capacity among National Police and Gendarmerie forces to respond adequately to SGBV case reports, in coordination with UN Civil Police / CIVPOL. In this effort, IOM is also advocating for the increased recruitment of female police officers. These efforts will provide police with the tools to use a survivor-centred approach, as well as educate them in relation to Central African legislation and international human rights law on rape as a war crime.