Gender Based Violence (GBV) is a pervasive and life-threatening health, human rights, and protection issue. Deeply rooted in gender inequality and norms that disempower and discriminate, GBV is exacerbated in our Communities where vulnerability and risks are high, yet family and community protections have broken down. While GBV can affect both females and males, locally women and girls are disproportionately affected.

Despite its prevalence, prevention of and response to GBV are rarely undertaken from the earliest stages of emergency. Moreover, there are insufficient mechanisms in place at the policy, funding, systems, and implementation levels to ensure that GBV will be comprehensively addressed and prioritized.

The particular risks faced by women and girls can be heightened when Civil Societies overlook women’s strength and when they do not work with local women’s organizations and female leaders. The failure to link GBV prevention and risk mitigation efforts with gender equality work to address existing gender discrimination also exacerbates the problem. Inaction, when it occurs, represents a failure on the part of humanitarians to fulfil their basic responsibilities to protect people and their rights.

T.A-CRUSADE- UGANDA works to address multiple forms of GBV, including:

• Intimate partner violence
• Sexual violence, harassment, exploitation, and abuse
• Child, early, and forced marriage, and other harmful traditional practices
• Gender norms, toxic masculinities, homophobia, and transphobia
• Economic exploitation and exclusion of women and girls

Key approaches

T.A-CRUSADE- UGANDA takes a holistic approach to addressing GBV by partnering with local communities to build strong, equitable, and protective societies in which women and girls can thrive. In order to combat Gender-Based Violence (GBV), T.A-CRUSADE- UGANDA works to address the root causes of GBV and connect survivors with the vital resources and services they need. 

Prevention

T.A-CRUSADE- UGANDA works with women, men, adolescents and youth, girls, boys, communities, and grassroots groups to transform harmful gender norms and attitudes that perpetuate GBV, and promote healthy, equitable and non-violent relationships.

Risk mitigation

T.A-CRUSADE- UGANDA ensures that our projects take steps to reduce the risk of GBV and address disclosures of GBV appropriately. This means being deliberate about reducing risks, raising awareness, and linking survivors to services—no matter what the program, whether it’s food security, water, education, or health. T.A-CRUSADE- UGANDA aims to ensure that women, girls and marginalized groups are safe, respected and valued.

Response

T.A-CRUSADE- UGANDA provides services to GBV survivors directly and through partners: first-line support (empathetic counseling, safety planning, and referrals). T.A-CRUSADE- UGANDA’s second-line support includes referrals for clinical management of rape, sexual and reproductive health and rights, legal support, psycho-social support, economic opportunities, and referral system strengthening.

Advocacy

We work to develop and strengthen the passage and implementation of policies, laws, and systems that prevent GBV and uphold survivors’ rights.

Integrating GBV across ALL our programs

As well as programs focused entirely on GBV through explicit risk mitigation, prevention, response or advocacy interventions, T.A-CRUSADE- UGANDA aims to integrate attention to GBV across all of our projects.