Guidelines for Integrating Gender-Based Violence Interventions in Humanitarian Action

The goal of consultations with women and girls is twofold:

1. To understand the risks and barriers that they face; and
2. To assess if GBV risk mitigation measures are reducing barriers to services and helping women and girls feel safer.

Consultations can take multiple modalities. You can use any or all of the following depending on your context, needs and timeline.

Key consultation modalities and tools for understanding GBV-related risks and barriers to access once a program is already underway include:

AAAQ Assessments

During project planning as well as during program implementation, undertaking an Availability, Accessibility, Acceptability and Quality (“AAAQ”) assessment and analysis is another useful way to obtain information on GBV-related risks and barriers to access. AAAQ assessments are quick, do not require specialized skills or large numbers of enumerators, and can be done at any time (or, ideally, multiple times!) during program implementation. Information on the AAAQ categories is often best obtained through the use of Key Informant Interviews (KIIs).

Safety Audits

Safety audits are used to collect observations related to women and girls’ safety and security in a camp, settlement or community, to help build an understanding of the risks of VAWG and barriers to access. They can be sector-specific or multi-sectoral, and can be done quickly, without significant cost, and in locations/environments where asking questions about GBV risks is not advised.

Focus Group Discussions (FGDs)

FGDs are facilitator-guided discussions of small groups of people, typically community members or program participants. They allow the gathering of in-depth information on the participants’ perceptions or experiences with a particular topic/range of topics. For GBV, FGDs are particularly helpful as the sensitive topic can be introduced and talked about in non-direct ways and in a safe environment. They can be done at any point during program design and implementation and without significant cost.

Key Informant Interviews and Satisfaction Surveys

A key informant interview (KII) is often done with a structured or semi-structured questionnaire, and can provide quantitative and qualitative data. KIIs can be done with experts (e.g. humanitarian staff), members of the community (e.g., community leaders) or in a more targeted manner for program evaluation (e.g., a key informant interview with a service user). They are an excellent way to obtain information on barriers to access.

The goal of consultations with women and girls is twofold:

1. To understand the risks and barriers that they face; and
2. To assess if GBV risk mitigation measures are reducing barriers to services and helping women and girls feel safer.

Consultations can take multiple modalities. You can use any or all of the below depending on your context, needs and timeline.

Key consultation modalities and tools for understanding GBV-related risks and barriers to access once a program is already underway include:

Existing Assessments/Surveys

Non-GBV specialized sectors do not need to undertake separate or standalone GBV risk related assessments. Rather, these sectors should:

• Review any existing secondary data related to GBV risks (ie, analysis reports from the GBV sub cluster, Protection cluster, government data from for example Ministries of Health, GenderWomen/Families, etc.
• Incorporate relevant GBV-risk related questions into existing sector-specific assessments, multi-sectoral needs assessments (like the JIAF), household surveys, and/or project-level baseline surveys.

Incorporating GBV risk related questions into existing assessments and surveys can be done at ANY time that other, sector-specific or multi-sector needs assessments, baseline or household surveys are being done. This is typically, but not ONLY: 1) at the beginning of a crisis response and/or the beginning of a new program; 2) when enumerators are available; 3) when there is a reasonable amount of time to conduct at least a rapid assessment.

AAAQ Assessments

During project planning as well as during program implementation, undertaking an Availability, Accessibility, Acceptability and Quality (“AAAQ”) assessment and analysis is another useful way to obtain information on GBV-related risks and barriers to access. AAAQ assessments are quick, do not require specialized skills or large numbers of enumerators, and can be done at any time (or, ideally, multiple times!) during program implementation. Information on the AAAQ categories is often best obtained through the use of KIIs.

Safety Audits

Safety audits are used to collect observations related to women and girls’ safety and security in a camp, settlement or community, to help build an understanding of the risks of VAWG and barriers to access. They can be sector-specific or multi-sectoral, and can be done quickly, without significant cost, and in locations/environments where asking questions about GBV risks is not advised.

Focus Group Discussions (FGDs)

FGDs are facilitator-guided discussions of small groups of people, typically community members or program participants. They allow the gathering of in-depth information on the participants’ perceptions or experiences with a particular topic/range of topics. For GBV, FGDs are particularly helpful as the sensitive topic can be introduced and talked about in non-direct ways and in a safe environment. They can be done at any point during program design and implementation and without significant cost.

Key Informant Interviews and Satisfaction Surveys

A key informant interview (KII) is often done with a structured or semi-structured questionnaire, and can provide quantitative and qualitative data. KIIs can be done with experts (e.g. humanitarian staff), members of the community (e.g. community leaders) or in a more targeted manner for program evaluation (e.g. a key informant interview with a service user). They are an excellent way to obtain information on barriers to access.

Each of these will have links to download and/or link to save to personal library:

• KII Guide - Service Providers
• KII Guide - Community Members
• KII Guide - Community Leaders and Local Authorities
• Client Satisfaction Survey

Each of these will have links to download and/or link to save to personal library:

• FGD Guide - Safety Precautions
• FGD Guide - Barriers to Access

Each of these will have links to download and/or link to save to personal library:

• Safety audits

Each of these will have links to download and/or link to save to personal library:

• General AAAQ document
• Sector-specific AAAQ docs

Key consultation modalities for understanding GBV-related risks and barriers to access include:

Each of these will have links to download and/or link to save to personal library:

• Baseline Survey
• Household Survey
• All sector-specific assessment tools

Given that we know VAWG occurs in all societies and is exacerbated in emergencies – any lack of information or data on VAWG risks mosty likely means the information is just missing, rather than that such risks don’t exist. Therefore, it’s imperative that you urgently gather this information to improve the safety and well being of your program participants. Depending on the type of program/service you’re implementing, consider undertaking one or more of the following, with the aim of uncovering program participants’ concerns about safety and well being:

General safety audit guides

Sector-specific safety audit guides

Client Satisfaction Surveys

Focus Group Discussions

Is your current program directly addressing all of the identified concerns? For example, if women, girls or other vulnerable groups noted they were concerned about their physical safety in specific locations, do all aspects of your program intervention – including how program participants travel to and from your services – fully avoid those locations? If FGD reports noted a preference for female service providers, does your program have a sufficient number? Ask yourself as many relevant related questions as you can. If the answer to any of those questions is no: you have an opportunity to course correct.

Is there any data or information from any of the above-noted sources that suggests women, girls or other vulnerable groups have concerns re: any of the AAAQ categories? [availability, acceptability, accessibility (physical, financial, administrative, social or informational) and quality]