Attachments
Introduction
Widespread violence and armed conflict in Cabo Delgado have displaced over 869,000 people since October 2017, and the number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) continues to grow. The security situation remains complex, with ongoing attacks by non-state armed groups (NSAG) displacing communities, as well as returnee populations in certain territories due to military interventions ousting NSAGs from areas previously under their control. IDPs reside in both urban host community locations as well as in IDP sites. In this complex protection environment risks of multiple forms of GBV have been identified by UNHCR GBV assessments (UNHCR, LSHTM ‘The gender-based violence (GBV) situation and response in Cabo Delgado, Mozambique: A rapid assessment,’ 2021) and 10 GBV Safety Audits across IDP locations in Cabo Delgado. Women and girls are the most at risk. IDP sites and host community locations lack safety conditions and basic assistance, leaving women and girls exposed to ongoing risks of GBV.
UNHCR, with partners Doctors with Africa - CUAMM and Helpcode, are currently providing mobile GBVMHPSS services in 10 locations, including IDP sites and urban neighbourhoods, across five districts of Cabo Delgado (Chiure, Metuge, Montepuez, Mueda and Pemba). The GBV services, provided to survivors in safe spaces, include case management, psychosocial support, legal counselling, information provision, and referral to other critical services (e.g., health, security, and humanitarian assistance).
Through GBV case management, an incident information management system is being implemented by UNHCR and partners which collects GBV incident data for trends analysis. The aim of sharing GBV trends analysis is to inform and improve GBV response and advocate for stronger protection of displaced women and girls, and other groups at risk of GBV such as persons with disabilities, child parents, and elderly persons at risk. The GBV information management system adheres to UNHCR and inter-agency standards of safe, and ethical GBV data collection and management. The system upholds a survivorcentred approach ensuring confidentiality of data. Equally, in accordance with this approach, all data belongs to the survivor, and as such, de-identified GBV data can only be shared with the informed consent of the survivor and if safety can be ensured. UNHCR and partners do not actively seek to identify GBV survivors for data collection purposes and all survivors whose disclosed incidents are reflected below receive holistic care from UNHCR and partners GBV services.
The GBV incident data collected was based on survivors supported by UNHCR partners’ CUAMM and Helpcode’s GBV services in Cabo Delgado (Chiure, Metuge, Montepuez, Mueda and Pemba districts) between January and June 2022. Due to the vast under-reporting of GBV, often related to stigma, fear of retaliation, and limited resourcing for GBV services, the data should not be interpreted as a representation of GBV prevalence.