IOM received CAD 1.024 M from the Government of Canada to support ongoing efforts to reduce the incidence of sexual and gender-based violence (File Photo). © IOM/Sandra Black 2014
Central African Republic – IOM has received CAD 1.024 million from the Government of Canada, through its Global Peace and Security Fund (GPSF) to support ongoing efforts to reduce the incidence of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) in the Central African Republic (CAR), with a particular focus on conflict-affected women and girls, including returnees.
A year-and-a-half after the onset of the crisis in CAR, rape and other forms of SGBV remain one of the highest security concerns of women and girls caught up in the recent conflict, which at its height, resulted in the displacement of an estimated 900,000 people who continue to seek protection and assistance across the country.
Through its Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) system, IOM has observed and reported several cases of sexual violence targeting returnees in their area of return, confirming reports from NGOs, and furthermore affirming that the reasons for continued displacement are directly linked to security concerns in the areas of return. These concerns are caused among others by the inadequate response by police forces to survivors of SGBV and the general lack of law and order in the neighbourhoods of return.
At the national level, the Canadian-funded project will work closely with partners such as the Police Training Academy to identify and train police officers (so-called Training of Trainers – TOT) on adequately providing SGBV case management. A user-friendly GBV Case Management Training Manual, based on national and international standards, will be developed to ensure relevant skills and knowledge can be easily disseminated and transferred by the trained officials to their peers.
“This project is the first of its kind for IOM in CAR as it will provide much needed direct and tangible contributions to the active prevention of SGBV among IDPs and host populations,” according to Torsten Haschenz, the IOM CAR Chief of Mission.
Through its Community Mobilization Teams, IOM will collaborate with local grassroots organizations among others in Bangui to identify and train Community Peer Responders to increase awareness on women’s rights and SGBV.
Through the Community Peer Responders, the project will furthermore establish a community socialization campaign and awareness-raising sessions on SGBV and will foster a durable referral mechanism between community members, relevant service providers and police to better respond to the needs of SGBV survivors.
IOM will also address other community security concerns by installing solar street lights in high-risk areas and support the most vulnerable families such as female-headed households who are at particular risk of sexual violence by providing home security kits. These security kits will include solar lamps and door locks that will enhance physical security.
from IOM (http://www.iom.int/news/iom-receives-cad-1-million-canada-address-sexual-gender-based-violence-car)