With the new Message for International Cooperation 2017-2020, SHA’s engagement on SGBV is to be further consolidated and strengthened with SGBV becoming one of four priority topics of the SHA. While SGBV is a priority of the entire Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA), the new focus on SGBV in humanitarian settings is to be viewed as SHA’s specific contribution to strategic goal 7 of the Message 2017-2020 (promotion of gender equality and women’s rights), besides contributing to other goals1 of the message. Although the focus on SGBV in the SHA is envisaged until 2020 in the Message 2017-2020, building up a robust response by the SHA will require an engagement which goes beyond 2020.
What is SGBV and why is it relevant for humanitarian aid?
SGBV2 is an umbrella term for any harmful act perpetrated against a person's will that is based on socially ascribed (gender) differences between males and females. It includes rape, sexual assault, intimate partner/domestic violence, sexual exploitation (including through trafficking), sexual slavery, forced prostitution, harmful traditional practices (female-genital mutilation, honor killings, early and forced marriage) and negative coping mechanisms (transactional sex, early and forced marriage). While women and girls are primarily affected by SGBV, men and boys, LGBTI are also victims.
To read more see concept note:
