Attachments
A. Introduction
The Gender Based Violence1 Sub-Cluster (GBV SC) is the coordinating body with the objective to strengthen GBV prevention and response in areas of Syria reachable though cross-border intervention from Turkey or other locations still under the mandate of the Turkey hub coordination mechanism (the strategy will refer to areas of intervention where appropriate). It works to facilitate multi-sectoral, interagency actions aimed to prevent GBV, and ensuring the provision of accessible, timely, and survivorcentered GBV response services. The GBV SC is led by UNFPA and co-led by Global Communities. Members of the GBV SC include UN agencies, international and national NGOs. The Whole of Syria/Turkey hub GBV SC was formally established in March 2015 but it was already partially operational since August 2014 as a GBV sub-working group.
The GBV SC develops and implements the operational GBV strategy for cross-border Turkey within the broader GBV Whole of Syria (WoS) Area of Responsibility (AoR) strategy as outlined in the Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP). The HRP provides a vision for comprehensive GBV programming in the current emergency, outlines priority objectives and associated activities, while the GBV SC operational strategy increases accountability of the GBV SC by linking the coordination work to programming efforts, and it is therefore critical to both coordination and programming2 .The operational strategy includes a Work Plan for 2019, which will be reviewed by mid-2019 and updated accordingly.
For the development of this strategy and relative work plan, local and international organizations members of the GBV SC were extensively consulted and it is linked to the humanitarian response plan for 2019. The document presents a situational analysis based on the most recent GBV assessments, review of achievements in the previous year and an outline of the strategy for 2019.
B. Situational Analysis
Assessments and data gathered in 20183 , as has been done for Voices 42017 and 2016, reconfirmed that GBV – particularly sexual violence and sexual harassment, domestic violence, family violence against women and girls, and early/forced marriage – continues to pervade the lives of women and girls, particularly adolescent girls (10-19 years old). Women, girls, boys and men have confirmed that GBV occurs in homes, at schools and universities, in the market, and on the street. In a word: everywhere. The fear of sexual violence – both generally and associated with abduction – is a concern raised by women and girls contributing to psychosocial distress. It is a further limitation of their movements in some parts of Syria, which is already restricted by parents, husbands and family members who harbor the same concerns. One reason for this movement restriction – which was given in other years but came out more strongly this year in certain areas – Azza sub-district, Aleppo governorate). Focus group discussion (FGD) participants also cited fear of sexual violence as a reason for movement restriction, both self-imposed and by family members. While most forms of violence experienced by women and girls in Syria were reported in previous editions of this publication, there were fresh concerns voiced in the FGDs. Participants identified armed recruitment as a conflict related GBV risk and a form of child labor that is impacting girls. Another new trend is the use of technology to sexually harass adolescent girls, such as unwanted sexual text messages or blackmail using photos of women and girls.
Participants did not identify sexual violence perpetrated against men and boys as a strong concern in their communities. However, the All Survivors Project publication “Destroyed from Within: Sexual Violence against men and boys in Syria and Turkey” (September 2018) has documented sexual violence and abuse experienced by men and boys during the Syria crisis. Also of note, sexual violence is still perceived in 2018 to be a torture tactic within detention and prisons against both males and females. Indeed, reports conducted by the Independent Commission of Inquiry documented such activity up until December 2017. Additionally, during home arrests, the daughters, wives and female relatives of detained men and boys were raped and sexually assaulted.
In the 2019 assessments, the findings from all qualitative data sources indicated that women and girls are still disproportionately affected by gender-based violence in Syria as in any other country in conflict. Women and girls have fears related to their safety, whether as a result of crime or the crisis, that inhibit their movement, whether in gaining an education, earning a living and/ or accessing health or psychosocial services. Women’s and girls’ fears are related to the violence they can be subjected to within the home by family members and in the street as they try to make a semblance of normal life in the midst of deep conflict. Specifically, the crisis has further entrenched patriarchal norms and customs that impede women and girl empowerment in the name of protection.
Women and girls expressed a high level of satisfaction for available services when they were able to access them. Clients of GBV services note improvements in self-confidence, trust and social connection, independence especially economic, knowledge of rights, and ability to protect themselves from violence.
Feelings of shame and stigma that prevent survivors from disclosing their experience of violence (Coping mechanisms), along with cultural and safety factors related to movement restrictions, were reported to prevent survivors from seeking GBV services.
In 2018, despite a reduction in the area under the mandate of the Turkey cross-border GBV SC, the GBV SC increased to 84 communities reached (compared to 56 of 2017) with almost 57,000 specialized services. Additionally, 333,352 beneficiaries were involved in women and girls empowerment and prevention activities(6% more than what was originally targeted). Alongside the number of services being provided, during this period, the number of GBV SC active members has increased to 66. was adherence to customs and traditions rooted in patriarchy: “The mobility of women is highly restricted because of the customs and traditions.” (Adolescent girl from Daret