Gender-based Violence Regional Programme - East and Southern Africa

A key programme strategy is conducting participatory research among NGOs, government agencies, local authorities, and other groups working on the prevention of GBV. These groups were invited to share their experiences by completing a questionnaire. The field review, which is the first part of a longer-term project, continued through the end of March 2003. It was designed to identify successful GBV programmes.

Key groups were brought together in a regional dialogue in September 2003 to share experiences and build alliances. Approximately 30 senior staff members from carefully selected organisations in East and Southern Africa were invited to participate in a week-long dialogue. During this meeting, each organisation presented its work, shared lessons learned, and suggested key programmatic priorities. Participants identified the problems of poor information sharing, limited access to resources and scarce opportunity to network and share experiences with other colleagues in the field. A particular concern was the lack of sharing and access to resources on violence against women (VAW) prevention generated in the region.

In this meeting, the idea for an online network of activists and practitioners working to prevent VAW emerged. Launched in July 2004, this online network is a virtual community for over 100 member organisations. This website is one tool for sharing findings from the conference, and will be a substantial part of the best practices publication (see below). It is also meant to be a resource for activists and practitioners in Africa and beyond - a vehicle for information and exchange that is intended to contribute to stronger GBV prevention programming and advocacy in the region.

Advocacy is also accomplished through another product of the regional conference: the Kampala Declaration: Prevent GBV in Africa, which makes recommendations for programme implementation for civil society and local authorities and calls on UN agencies, the African Union, governments, funding agencies and civil society groups to take action to prevent GBV.

A book highlighting innovative and effective GBV prevention programmes in East and Southern Africa was launched in 2003 in Nairobi and Johannesburg. It is hoped that this publication, and others that emerge from the project, will provide exposure to participating NGOs. These publications will be shared with all who participate as well as regional and international donors, policy-makers, governments, and other NGOs throughout the world.

Interpersonal approaches are used to carry out capacity building of organisations working to implement the principles and recommendations discussed at the conference. Follow-up technical support and training was made available to participants, in part through a Learning Center which hosts interested individuals and organisations for on-site learning about holistic approaches to project implementation and rights-based violence prevention programming. NGO staff and activists can work alongside Learning Center staff to get first-hand experience in community organising, media strategies, training, advocacy, development of learning materials, and project management. Members of the regional network are also encouraged to participate in workshops, conferences, and other networking forums in order to share their work, learn from others, and advocate at a broader level for preventative approaches.

Women, Gender, Rights, Violence.

According to organisers, there is currently scant information on the types of programmes working to prevent GBV within the regions and minimal sharing of the successes and challenges organisations face while implementing GBV programmes.