The responsibility to prevent and respond to sexual and gender-based violence in disasters and crises

Disasters harm all, but they disproportionately harm women and children, the old and the disabled. Research also tells us that cases of sexual and gender-based violence, such as rape, early marriage, domestic violence and trafficking, grow significantly in disaster situations. Humanitarians know the problem, but haven’t yet found all the answers, or put them into action.

This important report attempts to do that. It looks at sexual and gender-based violence through three country case studies: the Philippines, Indonesia and Lao PDR. The Call to Action on Protection from Gender-Based Violence in Emergencies, a global initiative of governments and donors, international organizations and non-governmental organizations which aims to drive change in the humanitarian system to address the problem from the earliest phases of a crisis.

The IFRC hopes that this report can assist the revision of ASEAN Regional Guidelines on Social Protection in times of disaster, and contribute towards revised standard operating procedures, and also that the results can strengthen the operationalisation of the ASEAN Regional Action Plan on the Elimination of Violence Against Women.

The findings can also be applied at the national level – strengthening domestic disaster legislation, promoting coordination between governmental and non-governmental humanitarian actors, and building partnerships. At the local level, this research can strengthen the provision of health, legal, and psychosocial support for those who have suffered such violence.