UNRWA Experience in GBV Programming: Lessons from the First Five Years

In view of addressing gender-based violence (GBV) holistically, in 2009, UNRWA adopted a multisectoral approach informed by the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) Guidelines for GBV Interventions in Humanitarian Settings. Work on addressing GBV has focused on the building of referral systems in the five fields of UNRWA operations, including training staff, ensuring that survivors have access to internal as well as external services, and awareness-raising at the community level. As part of the Agency’s approach to learning, UNRWA worked on the development of a report, UNRWA Experience in GBV Programming: Lessons from the First Five Years, which reflects on the Agency’s experience in building GBV referral systems. The report documents lessons learned and also offers a reflection on the challenges and promising practices contributing to a wider conversation on addressing GBV in a refugee context.