What is this intervention?

A Transformative Risk Reduction Approach 

This intervention was developed by Norwegian Church Aid and HIAS through a consultative process. Consultations were held with input from women led Civil Society Organizations, refugee and displaced communities and from experts in positive, non-violent, and co-responsible masculinities. Consultations were held in Kenya,Somalia, Nigeria and Columbia (pilot countries).  

A guiding principle of the intervention is accountability to women and girls and ensuring that the intervention is informed by their voices. Prior to and during development, FGD’s were held with women and girls in pilot countries to gain information pertaining to their specific needs, challenges and hopes for this intervention. Their participation and feedback will continue to be a priority through both the implementation and monitoring and evaluation phases of this project

Objective

The objective of the intervention is to engage men to reduce the risk of GBV and mitigate the consequences on survivors.

Through a process of learning, NCA and HIAS aim to build off the existing evidence base of primary prevention work to establish whether a structured short-term curriculum, with men, could contribute towards the reduction of GBV in a humanitarian setting, improving the safety of women and girls. As most curriculum-based interventions are conducted within a developmental context, the learning from this partnership will be a unique contribution to the broader field. Furthermore, the structured short- term curriculum aims to cater for the instable environments and more transient populations often resulting from emergencies.  

Borader multi-sectoral GBV Programme

NCA and HIAS recognise current evidence indicating that effective primary preventative work at community level requires an all-inclusive holistic approach, engaging with women, girls’ men and boys conclusively. To that extend, this inntervention is meant to be implemented as part of a broader multi-sectoral GBV program that emphasises services and support for survivors.

Focus 

Curriculum 

This intervention is composed of an 11 week curriculum. It combines increasing knowledge about the impact of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV), Child Early Marriage and Forced Unions (CEMFU) and Rape with participatory approaches that encourage critical reflection about gender norms related to manhood.  It gives participants the opportunity to name and reflect on the attitudes they hold, not only about violence but about survivors. 

These reflective and knowledge-based discussion groups engage men in conversations about their role in reducing Intimate Partner Violence (IPV), Child Early Marriage and Forced Unions (CEMFU), Rape and supporting survivors.