Gender-based violence (GBV) is one of the most prevalent human rights violations in the world, with an estimated one in three women experiencing physical or sexual abuse in her lifetime. Although humanitarian emergencies disproportionately impact women and girls, their needs and roles within the context of emergency response interventions are underrepresented.

The 2016 World Humanitarian Summit (WHS) and subsequent Grand Bargain commitments have set the localization agenda with the aim of improving local capacities while also providing additional aid directly to those most in need. Evidence suggests that engaging local actors is critical to the success of humanitarian interventions, leading to a faster, more effective, and more sustainable response (International Rescue Committee (IRC), 2017; Wall & Hedlund, 2016).1 In many cases, these benefits can be attributed to the fact that local actors have a greater understanding of the context, can often access affected populations more easily, and can navigate complex political and social dynamics more readily. These issues are particularly true with regard to the provision of GBV prevention and response initiatives, as the inclusion of local women and women-led organizations (WLOs) is crucial to effectively addressing issues of gender inequality and harmful social norms that contribute to the occurrence of GBV (IRC, 2017). Depending on the shape that humanitarian systems take, and the degree to which they foster women’s meaningful participation, emergencies can either be a catalyst for transformational change or exacerbate existing drivers of GBV.

Findings from this study suggest that GBV localization overall has been minimal, with a low level of perceived localization in three of the four priority contexts.4 Findings further suggest that localization has not been formally operationalized at the global level, making its effectiveness – or lack thereof – highly dependent on country contexts rather than relying on recognized standards of good practice. Respondents believe that localization efforts are often donor driven and only pay lip service to the inclusion of local actors rather than engaging in meaningful change. Read More...

his study adopted a mixed methods approach, including an analysis of multiple quantitative data sources and 45 key informant interviews . In line with the GBV AoR’s mandate, the primary focus of this study was on settings with internally-displaced persons (IDPs). Four priority countries were identified as focal contexts for this research, including: Iraq, Nigeria, South Sudan, and the Whole of Syria/Turkey hub.

The researcher for this work collected data from a range of local and international actors participating in GBV coordination, including GBV Sub-Cluster coordinator(s) and representatives from civil society organizations (CSO), national non-governmental organizations (NNGOs), international non-governmental organizations (INGOs), and other global leaders engaged in the localization debate . The term local organization is used to refer to CSOs, NNGOS, and NGO consortiums and local women’s networks; it does not include national or local host government bodies . 10 For the purpose of this research, the terms CSO and NNGO are used interchangeably at the local level and reflect the self- reporting of respondents .
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Seeking to meet commitments under the 2016 World Humanitarian Summit, Grand Bargain and the Call to Action, the Gender Based-Violence Area of Responsibility (GBV AoR) is dedicated to ensuring GBV localization moves beyond rhetoric and is realized through global decision-making and field-level coordination mechanisms, while ensuring the needs of survivors and those at risk are prioritized . Global-level commitments around localization, and efforts to operationalize the agenda at the global level have not always translated into impact on the ground. Momentum will be gained through demonstrating how localization improves the effectiveness and efficiency of humanitarian aid. Tools and guidance pertaining to GBV localization are particularly crucial, in order to enable promising practices to be taken to scale and to provide frameworks by which to evaluate the effectiveness of localization approaches.

Although there has been a great deal of research and work surrounding localization within the humanitarian sector, field-ready tools and actionable guidance are minimal. These gaps are particularly apparent with regard to specific tools pertaining toGBV localization. As a result, this resource draws from relevant tools and guidance materials developed by other sectors, in order to enable GBV actors to utilize these resources to inform their work. This document was developed as an appendix to the Global Mapping Study report on GBV localization developed b the Localization Task Team of the GBV AoR and is designed around the key themes that emerged through this research, including: partnerships;dynamics in coordination groups; capacity building;engaging women led organizations (WLOs), and advocacy. Read More...