Nowadays, a project titled with “Gender Based Violence
Prevention and Response in the Horn of Africa” is being implemented in Kenya,
Somalia/Somali Land, and Ethiopia under Plan International through financial
assistance from A Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation-SDC. The impact
objective of the SDC project is to strengthen the ecosystem to address GBV for
at risk groups and survivors in the Horn of Africa (Ethiopia, Somalia and
Kenya).

 

High rates of
gender-based violence prevail in the Horn of Africa, exacerbated by conflict,
climate change, economic and other pressures. These factors expose women,
girls, men, and boys to greater risk of violence, as shown by the recent
increase in the number of people requiring protection and gender-based violence
assistance in Somalia, the Somali Region of Ethiopia, and North-Eastern Kenya.
Harmful practices (i.e. female genital mutilation, child, early, and forced
marriage), and other negative sexual and reproductive health outcomes such as
early and unintended pregnancies, unsafe abortions, HIV, and sexually
transmitted diseases remain high risks. Deeply entrenched patriarchal norms
underpin gender inequality, compounded by lack of access to services in
hard-to-reach areas.

Overall
Program Goal

The project also aims
to increase the quality of GBV response by supporting improved GBV and
protection coordination and referral mechanisms among civil society and
non-governmental actors, along with strengthening capacities of service
providers to be more age- and gender responsive and survivor-centered. Locally
driven and creative approaches to awareness raising and advocacy will be
promoted.

Program Objective

The impact objective of
the SDC project is to strengthen the ecosystem to address GBV for at risk
groups and survivors in the Horn of Africa (Ethiopia, Somalia and Kenya). It
has two specific outcomes presented as follows:

Ø  Women,
men, girls, and boys have heightened ability to recognize, prevent, report, and
address gender-based violence;

Ø  Government
institutions, formal and informal women-led organizations at national and local
levels deliver improved quality gender-based violence prevention and response.

Objectives of the Project

·      
General
Objective: Strengthening the quality service delivery of institutions for at risk
groups and survivors in the target areas.

·       Specific Objective: Support survivor-centered, gender
responsive and inclusive service provision at one stop centers (OSC) Prestara Nexor