A growing body of research documents the impact of gender-based violence (GBV) on women’s sexual and reproductive health. [For the purpose of this paper, GBV is defined as violence against women, including sexual assault or rape, childhood sexual abuse and intimate partner violence.] Research also highlights the potential for health providers to provide a critical contact point for detecting violence and referring women to appropriate interventions. Many knowledge gaps and challenges remain, however, including how to integrate the issue of GBV into reproductive services in ways that are feasible, acceptable, provide measurable benefits to victims and are cost-effective or sustainable. These challenges are even greater in resource poor settings that lack extensive community services or adequate law enforcement. Recently, several IPPF/WHR Affiliates in Latin America and the Caribbean, including Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Peru and Venezuela, have launched pilot efforts to integrate the issue of GBV into clinics providing sexual and reproductive health services. In 1999, with funding from the European Commission, the Gates Foundation and the Jurzykowski Foundation, the IPPF/WHR Regional Office began coordinating a multi-country effort to develop and implement a standardized set of tools, protocols and evaluation instruments. By November 2000, we expect to have quantitative and qualitative results from the project’s first year. This presentation will (1) describe the design and implementation of services and tools, (2) present baseline KAP data from providers, and (3) discuss the results of efforts to field test tools, increase screening levels and implement GBV referrals and services in four Affiliates.
Learning Objectives: 1) To recognize the impact of violence on women’s sexual and reproductive health (SRH). 2) To identify partnership strategies between SRH programs and community organizations working on advocacy, social services and legal aspects of gender-based violence. 3) To describe the results and lessons learned from a multi-country effort to integrate and evaluate screening and services for GBV within SRH services in resource poor settings
Keywords: Violence, Gender
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: The Regional Office and Affiliates of International Planned Parenthood Federation, Western Hemisphere Region, IPPF/WHR
I have a significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.
Relationship: Employment