Gender Based Violence

This report oulines the lessons learned from a program designed to to build the capacity of staff in health care centers and hospitals to effectively screen for intra-family violence and refer victims to appropriate services, and to better educate and involve men in sexual and reproductive health through pilot activities in Bolivia, Honduras and Nicaragua. [adapted from author]

This study investigated the change of awareness and perception towards gender-based violence (GBV) following a training project in Vietnam designed to educate health workers on the issues; evaluated changes in practice in integrating screening and treatment of GBV victims into medical and reproductive health services; and solicited recommendations from health staff about future GBV interventions. [adapted from author]

Health care organizations are in a key position to break the silence and offer critical care to women who might otherwise face violence and its health consequences for many years. Health professionals are often the earliest point of contact for survivors of gender-based violence. They are also in a unique position to change societal attitudes by reframing violence as a health problem. [from author]

This article examines the context of intimate partner violence in Sub-Saharan Africa, outlines the intersections between partner violence and reproductive health, and considers the opportunities for linkage at the program and service levels. [adapted from author]

In countries where conflict-related and gender-based violence is taking place, the health sector can contribute by providing essential medical interventions and support for survivors, documentation for legal cases, programs that assist in reducing social stigma, and data for effective programming. [from summary]

As the Capacity Project has worked to strengthen HRH systems to implement quality health programs in developing countries, it has systematically focused on how differences and inequalities affect women’s and men’s opportunities for education, training and occupational choice. In Rwanda, the Project helped the government follow through on its national policy commitments to gender equality by conducting a study of workplace violence and gender discrimination as barriers to workforce participation. [from author]

This article details the results of a survey and environmental scan regarding educational opportunities available to future health care providers concerning the topic of intimate partner violence against women. [adapted from abstract]

A study on workplace violence within the health sector in Rwanda was conducted in 2007 in order to determine the type, impact, context, consequences and prevention strategies of workplace violence in Rwanda; to assist the Ministries of Health, Public service and Labor (MIFOTRA) as well as other stakeholders in developing a political, legal and programmatic response to improve providers’ safety, satisfaction and retention. This study also explored the characteristics of gender-based violence, including gender-based discrimination and its relation to workplace violence. [adapted from foreword]

The toolkit is a collection of participatory educational exercises for educating health care providers on the issues of stigma and gender-based violence. It was developed for and with health care providers in Andhra Pradesh, India. The goal is to facilitate open discussion on HIV stigma and gender violence, and on what health workers can do to promote a change in attitude and practice. [from publisher]

The objective of this study was to explore knowledge, attitudes and practices of health workers in Mulago hospital towards domestic violence prevention and management, especially violence during pregnancy. Many respondents had poor knowledge of domestic violence management or prevention. Though they believed counseling survivors was necessary, none of the in-depth interviewees had counseling skills or had ever referred patients or survivors for such counseling.

This module is designed to improve the awareness, knowledge and skills of health professionals on gender-based violence. Gender-based violence has long remained a feature of family and social life, about which society has preferred to remain silent. GBV takes many forms and affects a large number of women from all parts of the world at different points in their life cycle, from infancy and childhood to adulthood and old age. Health professionals are in a unique position to identify the problem, contribute to its prevention and assist victims.

Health workers play a key role in screening for and treating the consequences of gender-based violence, and female health workers may themselves experience GBV, compromising their ability to work. Training health workers to identify, treat and respond effectively to GBV is essential for the health sector and the communities that health workers serve. The Capacity Project conducted a search of existing training modules and training support materials on GBV, particularly those intended for health care personnel. The purpose of this activity was to identify and review existing GBV training modules that could be adapted and/or integrated into pre-service education or in-service training curricula in developing countries. [adapted from author]