الإجراءات المتخذة:
Norway and Norwegian Red Cross Progress Report
of the Pledge on “Ending Sexual and Gender-Based Violence in Humanitarian Crisis” (2019)
(Renewed Commitment on the implementation of Resolution: “Sexual and gender-based violence: Joint action on prevention and response” 32IC/15/R3)
Norway and the Norwegian Red Cross (NoRC) have since the adoption of the Movement SGBV Resolution in 2015 decided to strengthen their respective work on SGBV at all levels both in its national, as well as its international work. Dedicated policies, strategies, resources and budgets have been allocated to working on SGBV, as well as on gender and diversity mainstreaming.
In 2019 NoRC together with the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) have reaffirmed their joint commitments and building on the Oslo Conference of “Ending sexual and gender-based violence in humanitarian crises” have pledged to continue fighting against SGBV. In the following is a short summary of main activities and progress in relation to the main commitments made:
Prevention we pledged:
- To continue to raise awareness domestically and internationally, recognizing SGBV as a serious protection concern, a severe violation of several human rights, and a health emergency
- To mobilize political commitment globally and in the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement to foster accountability, so that every humanitarian effort, from the earliest stage of a crisis, includes the policies, systems and mechanisms to prevent, mitigate and respond to SGBV
At the 33IC NoRC together with other Movement partners and with support and participation of the Norwegian MFA organized two SGBV side events (one side event, one Red Talk) to set continuous focus on SGBV in crisis and to raise awareness on specific victimization that is not talked about, namely on men and boys and gender minorities. In 2022 the report “That never happens here”: Sexual and gender-based violence against men, boys and/including LGBTIQ+ people in humanitarian settings” was launched in an event co-hosted by ICRC, NoRC and Norwegian MFA. NoRC followed-up on the findings within the Movement and used the findings in is input to the 1325 network work in Norway. The report has been used to continue advocacy efforts on including victimization of men, boys and including LGBTIQ+ at global level and within the SGBV global community. The report got a lot of traction and attention, and several humanitarian actors are interested on cooperation with the ICRC on how to better serve this population.
As an elected member of the UN Security Council in 2021- 2022, Norway participated actively in the follow-up of the Council’s agenda on SGBV and conflict-related sexualized violence (CRSV). Norway maintained SGBV and CRSV as priority topics, in line with their humanitarian strategy and Women Peace and Security national action plan. Norway raised protection from SGBV and CRSV in dialogue with other states and relevant partners, on a global level as well as concrete crisis settings. Norway contributed to strengthen, and in some cases to maintain, formulations on SGBV and CRSV in a number of mandates for UN peace keeping operations and special political missions.
NoRC has during the time of Norway in the Security Council continued its dialogue with Norwegian MFA to support their efforts in the Security Council on addressing SGBV within the Council’s framework were pertinent. SGBV is tied to the Women, Peace and Security agenda, but is also relevant for discussions pertaining to contexts and Protection of Civilians agenda. Through our dialogue NoRC has provided input to Norway’s interventions in the Security Council, in particular in relation to the open debate on CRSV. Special focus has been given to SGBV has a severe health and protection concern, to respecting IHL and to grant unhindered access to health provision for ALL survivors.
Norway contributed to raising the SGBV and CRSV on the international agenda, among other things through joint events with the SRSG on Sexual Violence in Conflict. The Norwegian Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs and other political leadership, Norway’s UN Ambassador and others participated in a number of high-level events and roundtables where these issues were raised. Particularly during our tenure in the UN Security council.
Norway and NoRC have continued to be a vocal advocate for increased protection, better services for survivors through a survivor centered approach, as well as the need for better access to sexual and reproductive health services, compliance with IHL and accountability in public statements, at international meetings both at a global level and on country specific cases such as the conflict in Sudan.
Support for victims we pledged:
- To continue these efforts and to partner-up with actors at all levels to strengthen the SGBV response putting the safety and physical integrity of the survivor at the centre of this work.
- In line with the Call to Actionto support the establishing specialized SGBV prevention and response services ensuring that medical needs – both physical as well as psychological are met and obstacles to access services are removed.
- To improve and provide survivor-oriented access and service for persons of concern, based on their diverse needs.
- Ensure crisis response and emergency-management plans and activities include measures to mitigate risks of SGBV.
In 2021 Norway fulfilled their pledge from the 2019 Oslo Conference, to allocate 1 billion Norwegian kroner to combat and address SGBV in emergencies. Norway has maintained a high level of funding since. In 2023 only Norway contributed with more than 500 million Norwegian kroner to SGBV response, including sexual and reproductive health services. The high level of funding was in part reached due to a one-year extra ordinary budget allocation to respond to increased humanitarian needs as a result of the Ukraine crisis, and additional allocations to respond to humanitarian needs in Palestine.
The support was channeled through established partnerships with the UN, ICRC and the Red Cross and Red Crescent movement and Norwegian humanitarian NGOs. New multi-year agreements were signed with partners such as ICRC, UNFPA and Multi-Partner trust fund office/UN Action Against Sexual violence in conflict, to provide flexibility and predictable funding for SGBV prevention and response. Norway emphasized the need for a survivor centered approach that addressed the needs and priorities of the survivors in all their diversity. NoRC has in the past four years in partnership with ICRC continued to mobilized funds to support the ICRC Special Appeal on Sexual Violence to assist survivors of SGBV in priority contexts. Norway and NoRC continue to be among the biggest donors in support of ICRC efforts to respond to SGBV.
NoRC has started in 2020 and then continued implementation of an SGBV operational health response. NoRC supported SGBV programs have been carried out by National Societies in nine contexts globally In Asia in (Myanmar and Pakistan) and Africa (South Sudan, Kenya, Burkina Faso, Nigeria and Somalia), in Americas (Colombia and Honduras) in coordination with Movement partners and with external actors.
Norway continued to advocate for more recognition that, although women and girls are disproportionally affected by SGBV, men and boys and persons of diverse sexual orientation are also at risk. They contributed to new information and research on CRSV affecting men and boys, particularly in detention. Thanks to this focus and funding NoRC together with guidance on the survivor-centered approach, how to react to disclosure and how to establish referral mechanism have been developed. NoRC also partnered up with the Norwegian Organization Mental Health and Human Rights Info to launch a new practical guide on how to support male and child survivors of SGBV in programs. The manual is intended for non-professional mental health staff and thus of interest to Red Cross National Societies.
The IFRC in the reporting period has developed protection, gender and inclusion in emergencies trainings to ensure that crisis response include risk mitigation measures from the outset and address the needs and safety of all survivors. NoRC has supported the development of the training materials, training sessions in various regions, funded Regional PGI positions as well as integrated key minimum standards in own NoRC emergency response. In line with the localization agenda, NoRC supported training of 10 African National Society staff to become certified and part of the Regional Africa PGI Surge Roster (Burkina Faso, Botswana, Ethiopia, Gambia, Kenya, South Sudan, Sudan, Gambia, Zimbabwe). The training was co-founded and co-organized by IFRC, NoRC, Canadian, Swedish, Australian RC.
Finally, Norway emphasized the importance of local women-led organisations as first responders and increased financial funding through mechanisms such as the Women Peace and Humanitarian Fund. Multi-year contributions to UNFPAs humanitarian thematic fund also contributed to increased funding to women-led organizations.
Movement implementation, cooperation and partnerships we pledged:
- To strengthen our partnership to provide better prevention and response to SGBV.
- to work in collaborative and multi-sectoral ways with states and relevant partners such as appropriate government agencies, civil society, the United Nations, and local non-governmental organizations.
- The Norwegian Red Cross pledges to continue its efforts to strengthen cooperation and complementarity on SGBV with the Red Cross Movement.
- To collect, research and showcase best practices and lessons learned in a survivor-sensitive manner to better prevent and respond to SGBV in humanitarian crisis.
NoRC has in the reporting period continued its support on enhancing collaboration and coordination in the Movement. This has been done through sustaining the current Movement coordination mechanism on SGBV by continuing to co-chair the working group (SGBV WG). Additionally, NoRC supported and funded and IFRC review of the current coordination mechanisms on SGBV in the Movement with the aim of finding a more efficient way of collaborating and coordinating our efforts on SGBV in accordance with the needs of the various Movement actors.
For Movement coordination and cooperation to work and for the IFRC to focus on SGBV within the broader PGI agenda, NoRC invested in key regional IFRC PGI positions in MENA and Americas (2022-2024) and supported IFRC SGBV related activities in three regions.
Norway co-chaired the Call to Action (CtA) States and Donors Working group from 2021 to early 20023. Norway actively promoted the implementation of the Call to Action Road map 2021- 2025, coordinated the S&D WG regular meetings, implemented the annual work plans with some deviations, participated in steering committee meetings and contributed to fulfil individual and collective commitments made in the CtA. Norway actively supported the implementation of country and regional CtA roadmaps, such as in Nigeria.
Relevant Resources:
- Norway’s Humanitarian Strategy 2024–2029 (regjeringen.no)
- Norway’s National Action Plan: Women, Peace and Security (2023-2030) – regjeringen.no.
- A just world is an equal world – regjeringen.no
- Stepping up our efforts to end sexual and gender based violence | ICRC
- Sexual and gender-based violence against men, boys, LGBTIQ+ | ICRC
- https://pgi.ifrc.org/sites/default/files/media/document/2021-11/sexual-and-gender-based-violence-good-practice-case-studies_colombia_a4_en.pdf
- sexual-and-gender-based-violence-good-practice-case-studies_colombia_a4_en.pdf (ifrc.org)
- sexual-and-gender-based-violence-good-practice-case-studies_south-sudan_a4_en.pdf (ifrc.org)
- Sexual and Gender-based violence good practice case studies Kenya | Protection, Gender & Inclusion (ifrc.org)