Module 5: Thematic Areas: Integrating gender-based violence interventions in nutrition

Guidelines for Integrating Gender-based Violence Interventions in Humanitarian Action

MODULE 5 - Thematic Areas: Integrating Gender-Based Violence Interventions in NUTRITION

Agenda Links between GBV and Humanitarian Programming Knowledge Basics for Implementing the Thematic Area

Guidance A Closer Look: Assessment; Resource Mobilization;

Implementation; Referrals; Coordination; Monitoring and Evaluation

Discussion of Implementation Strategy Developing an Action Plan

Outcomes NUTRITION actors are informed about key

relevant elements of the Guidelines NUTRITION actors are supported to develop an

action plan with indicators for integrating the Guidelines’ recommendations into their areas of operation

NUTRITION actors identify accountability measures to track progress of GBV risk reduction mainstreaming and response

NUTRITION


“Protection of all persons affected and at risk must inform humanitarian decision-

making and response…it must be central to our preparedness efforts, as part of

immediate and life-saving activities….”


Warm-up Activity: Mapping Risk acrossNUTRITION1) What types of GBV are prevalent in your settings?

2) What are the risks in this setting that contribute to GBV• Pre-existing - exists independent of, or prior to emergency or conflict

(culture, policy, etc.)• Emergency-related - specific to/resulting from the disaster or conflict• Humanitarian-related - caused directly or indirectly by humanitarian

environment

3) What can your cluster/sector do to prevent and mitigate GBV risks?• Pre-existing risk mitigation activity• Emergency-related risk mitigation activity • Humanitarian-related risk mitigation activity

Assessment, Analysis and Planning

What are our priority areas of inquiry for NUTRITION?


A walk through NUTRITION TAG: Assessment, Analysis & Planning

Key point:• Purpose is not for NUTRITION actors to

undertake standalone GBV assessments, but rather to incorporate questions related to GBV risks into their ongoing NUTRITION assessments


A walk through NUTRITION TAG: Assessment (cont’d)

• Provides a list of recommended GBV-related questions to incorporate, as relevant, into NUTRITION assessments and routine monitoring

• These questions do not cover the nature and scope of GBV, but basic issues related to NUTRITION programming, policies and communications

• NUTRITION specialists are NOT expected to undertake assessments about the extent of GBV


What does this mean for NUTRITION?

From page 41:

e) Are there traditional caring or feeding practices related to food insecurity and nutrition that increase the risk of GBV (e.g. child and/or forced marriages due to food scarcity; intimate partner violence

i) Are nutrition services being offered in close proximity to safe shelter and women-, adolescent- and child-friendly spaces to facilitate referrals as needed?


Activity: Conducting AssessmentsOption 1: Review and Discuss

Review the Areas of Inquiry in the GBV guidelines:

1) Which questions would you prioritize?

2) How will you collect this information?I. What surveys / assessment are already being used where you can

integrate questions II. When and where will the survey occur to ensure participation of at-risk

groups

3) Who would you need to work with to collect this information?I. What is the composition of the assessment team, men / women?II. What training will they require?III. How will they communicate about the assessment with the community?


Activity: Conducting AssessmentsOption 2: Review and Compare Review the Areas of Inquiry in the GBV guidelines against your current assessment tool.

1) Which GBV risks and considerations are already integrated in the assessment tool currently or previously used?

2) Which GBV risks or considerations would you prioritize for inclusion?

3) How will it be possible to integrate new questions which consider GBV risks?

I. With whom will you need to advocate to include these areas of inquiry?- Cluster coordinators, state actors, GBV specialists

II. With whom will you need to collaborate in order to safely and effectively integrate these areas of inquiry?- Cluster coordinators, state actors, GBV specialists


Activity: Conducting AssessmentsOption 3: Mapping information on GBV risks to mitigationPrioritize 3 areas of inquiry that apply to your context and carry out the below:

Area of Inquiry Risk of Concern Potential for GBV Mitigation

1. Food consumption and feeding practices

Individuals will not obtain sufficient micronutrient intake

Women and girls deprived nutritional intake, specific needs of adolescent girls/lactating women ignored, transaction sex, intimate partner violence

Ensure effective registration of vulnerable groups (lactating women, adolescent girls), plan for adequate provisions to offset harmful practice

2. Access to nutrition services

Children are unable to access supplemental and therapeutic feeding programs

Sexual exploitation to obtain food, unsafe survival strategies, dependency for basic needs, Intimate partner violence, rape

Address logistical and environmental issues preventing access (distance, proximity to safe spaces)


Quiz: Conducting Assessments NUTRITION actors should:• Consult GBV specialists throughout the planning,

design, analysis and interpretation of an assessment• Not use local expertise• Strictly adhere to safe and ethical recommendations

for researching GBV• Share data that may be linked back to a group or an

individual, including GBV survivors• Seek out GBV survivors to speak to them specifically

about their experiences of GBV


Quiz: Conducting Assessments • Assume reported data on GBV/trends represent actual

prevalence/trends in the extent of GBV• Include GBV specialists on inter-agency and inter-sectoral

teams• Not include female assessors and translators when

conducting assessments• Conduct consultations in a secure setting where

individuals feel safe to provide information and participate in discussions and decision-making

• Provide training for assessment team members on ethical and safety issues


Discussion: • Is it always possible to include GBV in initial assessments?• How can one ensure inclusion of at-risk groups in

assessments?• Who needs to be involved? • Why is it the responsibility of NUTRITION staff? Where

does this responsibility ends?• Who needs to be convinced?

ALWAYS INVOLVED WOMEN AND OTHER AT-RISK GROUPS IN THE DESIGN AND ASSESSMENT

OF NUTRITION PROGRAMS

Resource Mobilization

What are NUTRITION commitments to Resource Mobilization for GBV risk reduction?


A walk through the NUTRITION TAG: Resource Mobilization

Key point:• Funding for NUTRITION -related GBV

prevention and risk mitigation activities must be included in project proposals from the outset of emergency response



• In humanitarian settings, GBV resources tend to be linked to longer-term protection and stability initiatives

• Resources to address GBV in emergencies are often limited

• The Guidelines provide recommendations on incorporating GBV risk mitigation activities into project proposals

• Donors are encouraged to reference this section to ensure GBV issues are included in NUTRITION proposals



GBV risk based on gender

analysis and safety audit

Proposed intervention

Risk vs. benefits

Adapted intervention

Impact?



GBV-related points to consider for inclusion in a proposal (Pg. 43):

1). Humanitarian Needs Overview/Situation Analysis: – Describe the vulnerabilities of women, girls and other at-risk groups;

2). Project Rationale/Justification: – Explain GBV-related risks related to NUTRITION interventions in your

context;

3). Project Description: – Explain which activities may help in preventing or mitigating GBV– Describe mechanisms that facilitate reporting of GBV in safe and

ethical manner



How to measure GBV-related points to consider for inclusion in a proposal, cont’d:

Monitoring and Evaluation:

• M&E plan should track progress and adverse effects on GBV mainstreaming activities;

• M&E plan should include the participation of women, girls and other at-risk groups;

• Include outcome-level indicators to measure program impact on GBV-related risks;

• Disaggregate indicators by sex, age, disability and other vulnerability factors


THE IASC GENDER MARKER

Both Gender marker and GBV mainstreaming address issues of women and girls’ empowerment and gender equality and include men and boys as partners in prevention.

• = Tool that codes (0-2 scale) whether or not a humanitarian project is designed well enough to ensure that women/girls, men/boys will benefit equally from it or that it will advance gender equality in another way



Some examples of GBV mainstreaming activities that can be included in proposals:

• Working with national and local policies to address discriminatory feeding practices

• Nutrition programs that mitigate exposure to GBV by addressing differential feeding practices; averting risks of child marriage in families with food scarcity

• Locating nutrition services where they are accessible and safe



Do you have other examples of mitigation strategies?


Activity: Resource Mobilization In Small Groups:

Review the assigned proposal in light with the resource mobilization checklist of the Guidelines and highlight:

– Good practices– Gaps– Proposed strategies to address these gaps.– Tools needed to better design proposals


Discussion:

• Is GBV-related activities in NUTRITION programs always cost-effective? Why should it be considered?

• Do donors always support GBV-related activities in NUTRITION programs? What can be some of these barriers?

GBV MAINSTREAMING ACTIVITIES ALWAYS CONTRIBUTE TO GOOD NUTRITION

PROGRAMMING

Implementation

What are our commitments to include GBV prevention and mitigation within ongoing and new NUTRITION activities?


Key takeaway:

• If effectively designed, NUTRITION programmes can mitigate risks of GBV:

Safety, availability and accessibility of nutrition services for women, girls and other at-risk groups

Participation of women and girls in NUTRITION related decision making processes and committees

Access to GBV services vis a vis nutrition programs

A walk through the NUTRITION TAG: Implementation


A walk through the NUTRITION TAG: Implementation• Provides guidance for putting GBV-related risk reduction

responsibilities into practice• Activities to improve the overall quality of GBV-related

prevention and mitigation strategies: Establish GBV-related responsibilities common to all actors working

within NUTRITION Recommend strategies for NUTRITION actors to reduce risks Maximize immediate protection of GBV survivors and persons at risk

and foster longer-term interventions to eliminate GBV• 3 main types of responsibilities: programming, policies, and

communications & information sharing



From page 44:

• Supplemental feeding uses schedules so that times are convenient and safe for women, girls and other at-risk groups.

• Caseworker represented on nutrition staff team who is specialized in GBV case management. This caseworker can play an active role in identifying and referring cases of GBV.


Activity- ImplementationOption 1: Review Mitigation Strategies

In small groups: 1. Review recommended mitigation strategies 2. Add any strategies missing 3. Prioritize 2-3 key strategies that should be prioritized 4. Highlight operational challenges

Rotate teams: troubleshoot challenges, provide recommendations

5. Create operational action plan: i. Key actionsii. Coordination amongst key actorsiii. Resources / support required


Activity- ImplementationOption 2: Mitigating GBV risk in Program Strategy

Review current programmatic strategy

In small groups:

1. Highlight GBV mitigation strategies currently integrated2. Review Guideline recommended mitigation strategies3. Prioritize 2-3 key strategies that should be prioritized 4. Create operational action plan:

i. Information needed ii. Key actionsiii. Coordination amongst key actorsiv. Resources / support required

Discussion: Prioritization and Selection Criteria

How to prioritize GBV risk reduction in NUTRITION programs?

What types of investments are required? What vulnerability criteria would you use for

beneficiaries? What challenges are associated with these? How should sensitive information be managed to

protect affected populations, including survivors of GBV?

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DON’T SINGLE OUT GBV SURVIVORS OR VULNERABLE GROUPS

Coordination

What are our commitments to include GBV prevention and mitigation within ongoing and new NUTRITION activities?


A walk through the NUTRITION TAG: Coordination

Key takeaways:

• GBV prevention and risk reduction is most effective when done in coordination with both GBV specialists and other sectors

• Recommends specific actions for NUTRITION actors to coordinate with others


A walk through the NUTRITION TAG: Coordination • Supports humanitarian actors to define responsibilities and

accountability mechanisms in GBV prevention and response efforts Establish responsibilities for humanitarian actors in the prevention

and mitigation of GBV Maximize immediate protection of GBV survivors and persons at risk

through multi-sectoral coordination on response to GBV incidents

• Coordination activities can move across the 3 main types of responsibilities: programming, policies, and communications & information sharing and may also include advocacy / efforts for: Assessment Resource Mobilization Monitoring and Evaluation


A walk through the NUTRITION TAG: Coordination

GBV Specialists can assist NUTRITION actors to (Pg. 50):

1. Design and conduct NUTRITION assessments that examine the risks of GBV, and strategize ways to mitigate these risks

2. Provide trainings for NUTRITION staff on issues of gender, GBV and women’s/human rights

3. Develop standard operating procedures (SOPs) for NUTRITION actors


What does this mean for NUTRITION? Coordination with GBV Specialists, cont’d

GBV Specialists can assist NUTRITION actors to:

4. Identify where survivors can receive care, and provide NUTRITION staff with skills and information to respond supportively to survivors

5. Provide training for the affected community on issues of gender, GBV and women’s/human rights as they relate to NUTRITION rights

6. Review relevant statutory and customary laws and policies to strengthen GBV-related legal protections


What does this mean for NUTRITION : Coordination with other sectors (p. 51)

NUTRITION actors can work with (e.g: HEALTH actors):

• Ensure that GBV survivors who receive medical support are assessed for—and receive—nutritional assistance as necessary

• Where appropriate, establish nutritional programmes within health centres that allow flexible delivery times for hospitalized and outpatient survivors of GBV


What does this mean for NUTRITION : Coordination for cross-cutting issues

Also coordinate with partners addressing:

gendermental health and psychosocial support

(MHPSS)HIVage environment


Activity: Coordination Option 1: Mechanisms to Support Program Implementation

Return to small groups from the implementation activity:

1. Reflect on the specific actions recommended

2. Who needs to be involved to execute this action – GBV specialists – Other clusters

3. What type of coordination is required – be specific

- Roles and responsibilities - Accountability mechanisms


Activity: Coordination Mapping • With what sectors would NUTRITION benefit from stronger

coordination? i. What coordination mechanisms exist to support collaborationii. Key actions iii. Who is responsible, accountable, needs to be informediv. How will you monitor progress

• How could NUTRITION and protection actors better coordinate/work together?

i. What coordination mechanisms exist to support collaborationii. Key actions iii. Who is responsible, accountable, needs to be informediv. How will you monitor progress


Suggested recommendations about referrals in the Guidelines • All humanitarian personnel who engage with affected

populations should have up to date written information about where to refer survivors for care and support.

• Ensure training on how to respectfully and supportively engage with survivors and provide risk reporting and/or referral information in an ethical, safe and confidential manner

• Any programmes that share information about reports of GBV must abide by safety and ethical standards (e.g. shared information does not reveal the identity of or pose a security risk to individual survivors, their families or the broader community)


Activity: Coordination Option 3: Coordination and Referrals w/ GBV specialistsIn small groups discuss:

• Map the current referral mechanism where your activities are ongoing

- What services are available- Which actors are involved

• What are your responsibilities within the referral mechanism?- Who do you immediately report an incident to?- Are there cases where you are unable to refer?

• What happens when there is no referral mechanism in place or when it is not functioning?

- What are your responsibilities in this situation?

Monitoring and Evaluation

What are priority indicators for GBV prevention and risk mitigation in NUTRITION programming?


A walk through the NUTRITION TAG: Monitoring & Evaluation

Key Point:• Indicators can be used to measure the

outcomes of activities undertaken across the programme cycle, with the ultimate aim of maintaining effective programmes and improving accountability



• Why? Limited evidence exists on effective integration of GBV programming in “other” sectors

• Indicators in the Guidelines aim to:– Track outputs resulting from interventions to affected

populations– Chart outcome of cluster activities– Measure progress toward objectives, considering

diversity of affected populations & their perspectives of the response


Monitoring & Evaluation: Indicators

• Why? Limited evidence exists on effective integration of GBV programming in “other” sectors

• Indicators in the Guidelines aim to:– Track outputs resulting from interventions to

affected populations– Chart outcome of cluster activities– Measure progress toward objectives, considering

diversity of affected populations & their perspectives of the response


A walk through the NUTRITION TAG: Monitoring & Evaluation: Reporting

• Analyze existing data using a ‘GBV lens’ to improve GBV prevention and response

• Example: Caseworker present in NUTRITION in nutrition center and during related outreach activities – What are the implications of the findings? – How may this affect GBV prevention and mitigation?

• Failing to meet a target can lead to response and resource mobilization

• Use data for action across the programme cycle


• # of affected females aged 6–59 with global acute malnutrition

• # of staff in nutrition programmes who are female • # of persons at risk of GBV in need of nutrition services and

who received nutrition services • # of nutrition staff who participated in a training on the

GBV guidelines• # of affected persons who report concerns about

experiencing GBV when asked about access to nutrition services

What does this mean for NUTRITION (Pg. 52)?



Good to know:• Improvement or success is not

demonstrated by a decrease in reported GBV cases

• Targets and data sources can be modified to fit the context


Option 1: Prioritizing indicators and data collection methodology

1. Prioritize 1-2 indicators i. Select indicator from assessment, resource mobilization,

implementation or coordination based on current focus within response i. For example, if preparing for an assessment

2. Review the indicator reference sheet used for women’s participation

3. Fill out the blank indicator reference sheet for the indicator prioritized

i. Indicator descriptionii. Indicator acquisition iii. Data Quality issues iv. Data Analysis and Reporting/Dissemination

Activity: Monitoring & Evaluation


Option 2: Analyzing findings from gender or GBV evaluation

1. How are these findings relevant to your sector programming? i. Which sectoral activities may be contributing to GBV risks?ii. What cultural, community or policy variables may be contributing

to GBV risks?a. Representation of women, girls and at-risk groupsb. Traditional or cultural gender norms, power dynamicsc. Policies governing access to services, impunity

2. What activities could you adjust to prevent or mitigate GBV risks?i. Activities specific to prevention (focus on gender equality)ii. Activities specific to mitigation (focus on reducing exposure to risk)iii. Activities specific to response (focus on PFA, referral)

Activity: Monitoring & Evaluation

Monitoring and Evaluation

How do you know whether NUTRITION programs contributed to reducing GBV risks?

- Did select NUTRITION activities contribute to reducing GBV risks?

- What information lets you measure this? What are the challenges to monitoring GBV risks? Is it always possible to monitor that at-risk groups needs are

identified and responded to? Do NUTRITION SOPs include direction for monitoring GBV risks

within NUTRITION programming?

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Do not use number of reported cases as an indicator

of success.

Final Action Plan

1. In teams write down the priority actions to take forward

2. Refer to the prevention, mitigation and response activities of the day

3. Highlight key actors and responsibilities 4. Note attention to specific types of actions,

such as training, resources, staffing, access, etc.


Thank You.

For more information visit: www.gbvguidelines.org

http://www.gbvguidelines.org/

Government & Nonprofit

Module 5: Thematic Areas: Integrating gender-based violence interventions in nutrition