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Sexual Violence in Humanitarian Settings: Nigeria, Yemen and Haiti

This project aims to increase the ability of humanitarian actors to identify and respond to the needs and rights of victims of sexual violence. It also aims to improve the availability of services for sexual violence survivors.

The study will generate evidence, identify good practices and disseminate lessons learnt about sexual violence in six different humanitarian settings across South Yemen, Northern Nigeria and Haiti. This project is supported by funding from the European Union.

Sexual and gender-based violence is one of the greatest human rights and public health challenges faced during humanitarian emergencies. Women and girls are the most common survivors of sexual violence. However, sexual violence against men and boys remains an under-reported reality.

While sexual violence is present in all societies, it is usually exacerbated by conflict or natural disasters. The breakdown of law and order during such crises means that perpetrators often abuse with impunity. And women and girls often don’t report sexual violence committed by community members due to loyalty concerns and social pressures. Reliable data about the impact of sexual violence in humanitarian situations is therefore scare.

Building an evidence base for sexual violence in humanitarian settings

This explorative qualitative study will improve the understanding of sexual violence services among high risk groups in humanitarian settings. This includes both conflict settings (Yemen and Nigeria) and natural disaster recovery settings (Haiti). Specifically, this research will explore and assess the availability, quality and accessibility of health, psychosocial and protection services and the functioning of referral systems regarding sexual violence in these settings. This evidence base will ultimately be used to inform service providers, humanitarian actors and policymakers.

The study has four primary objectives:

  1. Explore how sexual violence in humanitarian settings affects, girls, boys and men
  2. Assess what medical and psychosocial assistance survivors have access to, and identify gaps in protection, with particular attention to gender
  3. Assess whether relevant international standards on medical and psychosocial services, international World Health Organisation protocol, as well as international humanitarian law (where applicable) and international human rights laws, are adhered to
  4. Explore existing good practices in the context of Nigeria, Yemen and Haiti which should be reproduced in other humanitarian settings.

Findings

  • Lessons Learned: Assessing Responses to the Needs of Survivors of Sexual Violence in Humanitarian Settings

    • Institute
    • Publication

    The research for change project is a research project focusing on assessing sexual violence responses in the context of disaster-prone and conflict areas. The project was executed by KIT Royal Tropical Institute (KIT) and Save the Children. The studies were initially planned in three different countries: Haiti, South Yemen and Northeast Nigeria. The project started […]

  • Assessing Responses to the Needs of Survivors of Sexual Violence in Humanitarian Settings

    • Institute
    • Publication

    Findings from Borno State, Nigeria Almost thirteen years have passed since the conflict in northeast Nigeria erupted into violence, killing 41,596 people,1 displacing 1.7 million, contributing to 5.1 million at risk of being critically food insecure, and putting 8.7 million in need of urgent assistance.2 The conflict has had significant gendered effects, including in terms […]

  • Findings from Research on Sexual Violence in Humanitarian Settings

    • Institute
    • News

    Over the past decades, patterns of sexual violence in humanitarian settings have been influenced by a rise in conflict, mass displacement and disruption in the rule of law. Sexual violence is a form of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) that is present in all societies. SGBV and especially sexual violence are usually exacerbated by disruption […]

    Published on:
  • Research for Change: Assessing Responses to the Needs of Survivors of Sexual Violence in Humanitarian Settings

    • Institute
    • Publication

    Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) is one of the greatest protection, human rights and public health challenges that is present in all societies and is further exacerbated during humanitarian emergencies. In Yemen a nine-year-long conflict has prompted one of the largest humanitarian crises in the world. More than 23.4 million people are in need […]

Our service

  • Applied research

    KIT Royal Tropical Institute addresses development challenges at local, regional and global levels through research that generates new insights and knowledge in our areas of expertise: health, sustainable economic development and gender.

Supported by funding from the European Union

This post reflects only the views of KIT Royal Tropical Institute. The European Commission is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information that this post contains.

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