Pledge on Sexual and Gender-based Violence in Emergencies – Focus on Situations of Conflict and Disasters

Actions taken:

The Canadian Red Cross has implemented the pledge in the following ways:

Within Canadian Operations:

• CRC ensures that our delegates, staff and volunteers in disaster preparedness and response programs are trained to be familiar with appropriate referral pathways for survivors of SGBV and have the resources available. In tandem, CRC is promoting psychosocial self-care training for our delegates, staff and volunteers who are working with survivors of SGBV, as well as access to resources, like the employee family assistance program for those who might require additional support and confidential reporting options. CRC is in the process of implementing a Peer Support Network that will involve specialized support for those affected by SGBV.
• We ensure that our Safety and Wellbeing (SWB) personnel working in domestic disaster response provide affected people with support and resources through referrals, and orient the response team on protection considerations, inclusive of SGBV.
• We ensure the appropriate response where SGBV disclosed in the course of monitoring places of detention.
• We have integrated SGBV content into training for Safety and Wellbeing personnel in Emergency Management (EM), into our Security in Complex Environments training for select EM roles, into PFA training (online and in person) for all EM roles, and into Immigration Detention Monitoring Program orientations for personnel involved in monitoring places of detention.
• We mobilize SWB management, along with operational management and people services (HR) to form the Protection Team within the domestic response structure to ensure holistic response to protection concerns, inclusive of SGBV.
• CRC is undertaking a Gender Inclusion and Safeguarding research project, completion September 2019, to analyse gender equality, diversity and inclusion with the Canadian Red Cross’ domestic programs.
• CRC promotes Gender Inclusion and Safeguarding modules in its violence prevention work in communities and schools, including materials aimed at youth around allyship
• CRC has implemented a specialized team to respond to complex issues of chronic health gaps and violence which are called social emergencies within Indigenous communities. These teams routinely respond to protection issues around SGBV.
• CRC within its response to social emergencies, ensures SGBV issues are included in any response reports and assessments. These reports and assessments are provided to the appropriate governments and tribal authorities.
• In recognition that communities experiencing emergencies have existing capacities and structures that prevent and respond to SGBV, CRC has provided funding through partnerships within Recovery Operations in AB, BC, and in support of integration of resettled refugees in Canada to 13 agencies active in preventing and responding to SGBV in communities, totalling $1.7M.
• In 2018, we implemented mandatory training on Safe & Respectful Workplaces for employees, and delegates as well as additional training for people within a supervisory role. Volunteers have respectful workplace content integrated into their courses, and access to the full training if desired. In addition, we conduct annual mandatory review and sign off on key  policies such on code of conduct, child protection etc. for employees, and volunteers.

Challenges:

• There remains significant stigma around sexual assault and SGBV in general for all groups (women, girls, men, boys and trans/non-binary persons). We need to prioritize safe and supportive environments to enable and better identify those affected by SGBV who need support and work to reduce the stigma of coming forward so that assistance can be provided to those who need it.  More female staff and volunteers within National Societies may also influence more women feeling safe to disclose SGBV instances.
• Within domestic emergency operations, we see increased rates of violence during and post-disaster, with some communities and populations disproportionately affected. CRC is engaged in ongoing work with partners in community, including police victim’s services, and law enforcement agencies to ensure responsive structures in place and supported within emergency contexts.
• Increased understanding of protection within the context of emergencies is needed to ensure appropriate planning to prevent, respond to, and mitigate the impacts of SGBV.
• Integrate measures to address the risk of exclusion and victimization of beneficiaries identifying as trans/non-binary in all phases of disaster, including planning, service delivery and M&E.

Within International Operations:

International emergencies

• CRC is currently working on the development of a new delegate position on Protection, Gender and Inclusion (PGI). PGI delegates would deploy to specifically support the deployment of our Emergency Response Unit (ERU) and among priorities ensure that SGBV cases are better identified and addressed and that all aspects of dignity, access, participation and safety for the affected people we serve are respected.

• We ensure our Psycho-Social (PSS) delegates train volunteers to provide affected people with support for dealing with SGBV where possible.

• Trainings for CRC disaster first responders and delegates such as IMPACT, ERU Health, Operations Managers, and Communications, etc.; although more depth and more time is required in the future.

• CRC hosted a five-day Psychosocial and Protection training for delegates in January 2017 that included personnel from domestic and international CRC programs and from several other National Societies.

Operations in partnership with other National Societies

• CRC alongside IFRC and other Partner National Societies supported the first regional Seven Moves French language training in Abidjan in November 2016.

• We are advocating for the adoption of Codes of Conduct by our partner National Societies and promoting that these be part of their institutional development processes. Furthermore, we continue to emphasize that the principle of ‘do no harm’ be central to all programming efforts.

• Gender barrier analyses conducted for Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health (RMNCAH) programming funded by the CRC;

• Planned integration within several upcoming bi-lateral projects with partner National Societies such as in Nepal, Philippines, South Sudan, Haiti, Nicaragua, Honduras, Dominican Republic, and Jamaica.

• SGBV is included within current bi-lateral projects, or those concluding in early 2017, in partnership with National Societies including Liberia, Nepal, Nicaragua, and Honduras.

Partnership with the IFRC and ICRC

• CRC funds a DRR project in South East Asia that includes a Gender and Diversity delegate that is supporting National Societies to include prevention and response to SGBV in their DRR programming.

• CRC seconds a staff person, and helps to fund, the IFRC Child Protection Advisor; this role includes a focus on prevention and response to SGBV against girls and boys, including within emergencies.

• We participated in the SGBV workshop held in Beirut, Lebanon in October 2016, with a view of working alongside Movement actors to identify best practices for the prevention and response of SGBV and to support the development of a new Movement SGBV training module.

Advocacy

• CRC strongly advocated with the Government of Canada to include SGBV prevention and response alongside Child Protection as key issues in both the new international assistance policy and defense policy reviews that convened stakeholders across the spectrum. We are pleased that the Government has just released a new feminist foreign assistance policy which places SGBV and the empowerment of women and girls front and center.

• Participating in Canadian working groups that include a focus on prevention and response to SGBV in international programming: Women, Peace and Security Network and the Child Protection Working Group.

• CRC participated in the launch of IASC’s Gender Based Violence Guidelines and Training organized the Humanitarian Response Network of Canada in Montreal last January 2016.

Implementation completion: