Integrating Protection: An Integrated Approach to Gender-Based Violence and Child Protection - Key Findings from Mali, Niger and Pakistan [2016-2017]

"Islamic Relief’s commitment to ending GBV is part of its wider gender justice framework that seeks to end harmful practices affecting women and girls."

From Islamic Relief Worldwide (IRW), with the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, Sida, this report summarises findings from a project aimed to prevent gender-based violence (GBV) and provide support to survivors. The efforts of IRW to end GBV focus on early and forced marriage (EFM), female genital cutting/mutilation (FGM/C), and domestic violence (DV) that overlap in the area of child protection (CP). ‘Integrated Approach to  GBV and CP in Humanitarian Action in Mali, Niger, and Pakistan’ was a project from June 2016 - May 2017 that took an integrated CP approach to GBV. This report shares findings on best strategies in each region for more evidence-based future programming.

Evidence showed that groups experiencing issues of GBV and surrounding CP shared similarities and risks. IRW used existing social networks, identifying community champions of both genders who were then trained as leaders of community mobilisation and developers of advocacy messages. Faith leaders in these Muslim majority countries were engaged as community champions to help build trust, influence communities, and support behaviour change. 

Regions in Mali, Niger, and Pakistan were chosen for high levels of GBV, including EFM and FGM/C. Due to challenges in each region, security of staff was closely monitored. The project attempted to strengthen referral pathways and help survivors become more confident in accessing support. "Key local stakeholders were targeted through awareness-raising workshops and advocacy sessions. The project also created Community Hope Action Teams (CHAT) where GBV and CP  champions organised awareness-raising events, shared  prevention messages and discussed their response activities." The project also established reporting mechanisms to ensure commitments and action on GBV and CP.

From 11,000 beneficiaries, male and female, 44 cases were reported and referred  for support services from 10 local stakeholders and partners including: health providers, local authorities, and police.

Findings include the following:

• Maintreaming protection principles helps maximise impact of humanitarian activities: Staff reviewed harassment procedures and codes of conduct, a complaints form was disseminated with contact information. 
• Data collection identifies variability in vulnerability and begins with baseline data. 
• A balanced, mixed gender staff was arranged for awareness-raising sessions. 
• Raising awareness of reporting rape by explaining its consequences was key to encouraging prompt, confidential reporting of rape. 
• Supporting access for people with disabilities means that referrals to support services need to be coupled with ways to travel to services, especially in the case of the disabled and women who are dependent on men for travel.
• Engaging community and religious leaders is needed because these people are often the arbiters of cases, even if reported to local police. 
• Local staff need to process humanitarian perspectives on issues that are norms in their communities in order to become advocates and champions.
• Meetings used  role play and quizzes as interactive methods of message delivery. 
• One team invited journalists, activists, administrators, teachers, and faith leaders to a session of open participation on issues. 
• Local women's social events for handicrafts and dress making brought women together for open discussion of norms of protection in Islam.

Challenges included trust building, staff capacity, documentation consistency, and data integrity. Lessons include mainstreaming GBV and CP training, assessing at the outset and collecting data, incorporating economic empowerment, and building partnerships to mobilise resources. Recommendations include: invest in long-term programmes; mainstream data collection and training; and advocate at all levels of society.