The Irish Consortium on Gender-Based Violence (ICGBV), in partnership with Trinity College Dublin, is progressing the next phase of its global research on survivor leadership and engagement in gender-based violence (GBV) programming, with a visit to Sierra Leone scheduled for June 2026.

Building on earlier research conducted in 2024, which identified a continuum of survivor engagement in GBV initiatives, this second phase focuses on deepening understanding of survivor-led approaches—where survivors play a central role in shaping decisions, priorities, and implementation. The previous findings highlighted that while many organisations adopt survivor-centred approaches, these do not always translate into shared decision-making power.

Strengthening Evidence on Survivor Leadership

The current research aims to identify and document both established and emerging examples of survivor leadership across humanitarian, development, and peacebuilding contexts. Key objectives include:

• Mapping survivor-led and strongly survivor-centred initiatives worldwide
• Examining how survivor leadership is enabled in practice
• Identifying challenges, risks, and enabling factors
• Analysing how funding and contextual dynamics influence survivor leadership
• Developing a practical tool to help organisations strengthen survivor engagement and shift decision-making power to survivors

The research is being carried out using a qualitative and participatory approach, including surveys, interviews, and in-depth case studies.

Sierra Leone Field Visit

As part of this work, ICGBV representatives—including Coordinator Róisín Gallagher, Programme and Communications Officer Niamh O’Connor McCabe, and TCD researcher Elaine Smyth—will undertake a field visit to Sierra Leone from 14–19 June 2026.

During the visit, the team will:

• Conduct interviews and group discussions with GBV organisations and survivor leaders
• Engage with key stakeholders, including the Ministry of Gender and Children’s Affairs and the Irish Embassy
• Visit programme sites and participate in workshops
• Collaborate with the Irish Working Group on GBV in Sierra Leone

This engagement will support the development of in-depth case studies showcasing practical applications of survivor leadership and a practical tool for use in assessing and improving survivor engagement.

Expected Outcomes

The field visit will contribute directly to the overall research outputs, which include:

• 2 detailed case studies of survivor-led or survivor-engaged GBV initiatives
• A practical tool for organisations to assess and strengthen survivor leadership
• Increased knowledge-sharing and collaboration with partners and stakeholders

The final outputs aim to provide actionable, evidence-based guidance to organisations working to prevent and respond to GBV, supporting a sector-wide shift towards more inclusive and survivor-driven programming.