World Vision Ireland’s Work on GBV

World Vision Ireland takes the view that we cannot fully contribute to child well-being without addressing the barriers of gender injustice. As gender norms are so deeply entrenched in communities and often a source of injustice and systemic poverty, World Vision Ireland believes that understanding and addressing these norms are key to catalysing transformation in a community. All of World Vision Ireland’s work is guided by the Gender Framework for Action which is applied across all sectors in development, humanitarian action and advocacy. This policy informs work towards gender-specific outcomes and mainstreaming gender in programming, while strengthening the related organisational commitment and capacity. Another approach is Improving Child Well-being by Advancing Gender Equality and Relationships. This approach provides a framework on key actions, indicators and outcomes to ‘accelerate attainment of child wellbeing targets by advancing gender equality, enhancing mutual respect and valuing of girls, boys, women and men’. Furthermore, Channels of Hope is the way World Vision Ireland mobilises community leaders—especially faith leaders- to respond to core issues affecting their communities. It is an innovative approach to exploring gender identities, norms and values that impact male and female relationships in families and communities. The programme methodology challenges participants to see men and women as created by God as equals and to treat each other accordingly. The new understanding fostered by communities empowers both women and men to celebrate who they are, moves people towards healthier relationships, and contributes to reducing gender-based violence.

In 2018, World Vision Ireland’s programming was working to address GBV in the fragile contexts of Sudan, Somalia, South Sudan in Syria to empower communities through increasing protection against GBV for women and girls.

Examples of how World Vision Ireland is addressing GBV in fragile contexts:

• Running awareness campaigns in target communities to reach and support communities in identifying existing vulnerabilities to GBV, and how to respond to them.
• Strengthening local response mechanisms and support services. For example, Somalia, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, GBV units were established and training was deployed on Clinical Management of Rape protocols and clinical care for sexual assault for 24 health workers.
• The establishment and training of GBV committees in Syria, Sudan, South Sudan and Somalia to provide psycho-social support, that also appropriately includes men and boys in the awareness and prevention of GBV.
• Creating and supporting Women’s spaces and groups. For example, in Syria, Women and Girls’ Safe Spaces reached 5,000 women and girls. They offered targeted, age-appropriate, culturally safe GBV psycho-social support and referrals following the GBV sub-cluster mechanism. Trained staff facilitated awareness-raising sessions on gender-related and GBV topics particularly women’s economic empowerment, (sexual) exploitation, domestic violence, and child marriage.

Examples of how World Vision Ireland is addressing GBV and early marriage through its development programming:

In responding to the issues of teenage pregnancy, early marriage and domestic violence, World Vision Ireland’s AIM Health Plus Programme has been supporting Community Health Committees in Tanzania, Sierra Leone, Mauritania and Uganda to engage their communities on GVB and facilitate referral processes of such issues. Faith leaders have also been trained in Sierra Leone and Mauritania to engage their congregations on these GBV and support the community groups in generating behaviour change