Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Prevention & Response Tools
Gender-based violence (GBV) is a pervasive violation of human rights and a barrier to civic, social, political, and economic participation.
GBV undermines not only the safety, dignity, overall health, and agency of the millions of individuals who experience it, but also the public health, economic stability, and security of nations. Through the U.S. Strategy to Prevent and Respond to Gender-Based Violence and the 2023 Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Policy, USAID outlines a vision for addressing GBV that requires collective commitments and contributions across USAID to achieve it. To that end, the Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Hub (GenDev), through the Collective Action to Reduce Gender-Based Violence (CARE-GBV) Activity, has developed a suite of knowledge products to strengthen USAID’s collective prevention and response, or “collective action,” in GBV development programming. These resources are designed to strengthen the quality of GBV programming in development contexts and support users in applying comprehensive approaches to address GBV.
Provides evidence-informed and practice-based approaches for GBV programming in development contexts and harmonizes GBV programming across USAID.
The Foundational Elements for Gender-Based Violence Programming in Development support USAID’s vision of increased and sustained commitment to and investment in GBV prevention, mitigation, and response across its development portfolio, with the overall goal to reduce GBV globally. The Foundational Elements provide guidance on evidence-informed approaches for GBV prevention, risk mitigation, and response, as well as for creating an enabling environment for GBV programming.
They include eight core principles, grounded in evidence and practice-based knowledge from GBV programming. These principles echo throughout the guidance in the Foundational Elements and should underpin GBV strategies and activities throughout programming.
The program elements consist of guidance for GBV prevention, risk mitigation, response programming, and fostering an enabling environment.
The process elements provide ways to ensure internal organizational structures and processes are contributing to ending GBV. These process elements should be integrated into all programming.
The Foundational Elements include 12 SECTOR-SPECIFIC PROGRAM ELEMENTS that describe why sector programs should integrate GBV and details specific strategies for doing so. Program examples are provided to illustrate how the strategies can be incorporated into sector programs. Links to tools and resources are provided for additional information. | |
Leverages the most recent research on specific topics to help USAID and implementing partners explore and strengthen their GBV programming.
A how-to note series was designed to provide more in-depth, practical guidance on a variety of GBV topics to strengthen GBV programming.
SOCIAL NORMS
Highlights how social norms relate to GBV and includes guidance on ways to identify, address, and monitor shifts in social norms.CEFM AND FGM/C INTERACTIVE MAPS
Orients users to the USAID Interactive Maps on CEFM and FGM/C. The maps can help identify where CEFM and FGM/C are occurring globally, including prevalence at the subnational level.SURVIVOR-CENTERED APPROACH
Details how programs can achieve a survivor-centered approach. It includes key principles and strategies for implementing a survivor-centered approach to promote survivors’ agency, dignity, and empowerment. This note is accompanied by an infographic for survivor-centered programming.MENTAL HEALTH AND PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT (MHPSS)
Describes MHPSS interventions and how they can be integrated into GBV prevention and response activities. The note provides a framework to guide the design and implementation of GBV MHPSS interventions.SELF- AND COLLECTIVE CARE
Outlines how to embed self- and collective care at different organizational levels; reflects on how funders can create an enabling environment for incorporating self- and collective care in GBV work; and concludes with practical suggestions to put these strategies into action.SITE VISITS
Provides practical guidance on how to plan, host, and conduct safe and ethical site visits to strengthen GBV interventions.COVID-19
Identifies why organizations must continue to adjust to the shifting landscape and describes how they can adapt by providing a curated list of resources for navigating and applying those that are the most relevant for their work.REFERRAL NETWORKS
Guides practitioners in how to build, strengthen, and maintain referral networks; covers key terms, approaches, and suggested steps; and outlines strategies for addressing challenges and considerations for funders.MISSION STRATEGIES
Offers guidance in developing a USAID Mission-specific strategy for GBV programming. This note explains what a Mission strategy on GBV is, details how it can support a Mission to develop quality guidelines for GBV programming, and provides approaches for developing the strategy.ENGAGING LOCALLY LED ORGANIZATIONS
Deepens practitioners’ understanding of the importance of engaging locally led organizations in GBV programming. The note includes a framework and practical strategies, and provides guidance for continuous reflection, learning, and adaptation.
Highlights seven stakeholder identified themes for research and learning to address gaps in evidence relevant to USAID’s GBV prevention, mitigation, and response work in development programs.
The learning agenda for addressing GBV highlights seven themes for research and learning, as well as evidence gaps in GBV prevention, mitigation, and response. Guiding principles for implementing this learning agenda focus on learning that acknowledges intersectionality and integrates approaches to decolonize international development assistance.
Learning Themes
Effectively integrating GBV programming into sector-specific programming
Assessing how to address GBV in under-researched diverse populations
Addressing technology-facilitated gender-based violence (TFGBV)
Amplifying roles of locally led organizations in GBV programming
Improving approaches to measuring effective programming for GBV
Increasing staff prioritization of GBV prevention, mitigation, and response programming within USAID
Assessing the role of national governments, laws, and policies in effective USAID programming
Synthesizes significant advances in research and learning regarding monitoring and evaluation (M&E) of GBV programming and describes strategic guidance for USAID activities.
This addendum highlights significant advances in research and learning regarding monitoring and evaluation (M&E) of GBV programming since the development of the original USAID toolkit. The addendum outlines key M&E-specific takeaways from recently developed resources and programming regarding GBV prevention and response. It also describes strategic guidance for USAID activities.
Learning Themes
Effectively integrating GBV programming into sector-specific programming
Assessing how to address GBV in under-researched diverse populations
Addressing technology-facilitated gender-based violence (TFGBV)
Amplifying roles of locally led organizations in GBV programming
Improving approaches to measuring effective programming for GBV
Increasing staff prioritization of GBV prevention, mitigation, and response programming within USAID
Assessing the role of national governments, laws, and policies in effective USAID programming
Resources on child, early, and forced marriage and unions (CEFMU) and female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) include theories of change, learning agendas, implementation plans, and custom indicators for addressing these issues across geographies and sectors.
- Theories of Change: articulate a vision for ending CEFMU and FGM/C by 2030, and its related impacts and outcomes.
- Implementation Plans: provide a roadmap for contributing to the vision of ending CEFMU and FGM/C by 2030
- Learning Agendas: offer a set of strategic questions to produce evidence on CEFMU and FGM/C.
- Custom Indicators: serve to assess progress toward intended CEFMU and FGM/C results.
- Interactive Maps: the maps display
CEFM and FGM/C indicators for countries where these harmful practices occur. The maps show CEFM and FGM/C “hot spots” at national and subnational levels, and how education, wealth, and other secondary indicators interact with the prevalence of CEFM and FGM/C.
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