Drafting AGD Sensitive Pledges on the Prevention and Response to SGBV for women and girls
Issues and responses to include in new pledges:
- That access to inclusive education for all girls be funded as a key protection measure to reduce risks of SGBV and as a strategy to reduce the incidence of early and forced marriage and early pregnancy. This should include particular attention to the needs of adolescent girls, girls with a disability, Indigenous and Stateless girls and lesbian and transgender girls and should include measures to prevent stigmatisation and shaming of female students who have been raped and given birth to babies of rape, and of lesbian and transgender students.
- That a range of well-funded programs be developed to resource and support the active inclusion of all women and girls in leadership and decision making. These should include accessible capacity building trainings, access to childcare, resources, technology and stipends for women leaders. Most importantly programs should respond to the range of SGBV related risks including risks of early and forced marriage, family violence and unsafe public spaces, which continue to limit women and girls’ agency and participation. Particular account must be taken of the extreme stigma and marginalisation that lesbian, bisexual and transgender women and girls face and the additional risks they face to be included.
- That sufficient long-term dedicated funding is made available for safe, accessible and secure long-term shelters or half-way houses and coordinated follow-up, counselling, physical and medical assistance for all women and girls who have suffered abuse or who are vulnerable to abuse. Shelters should be safe and accessible for women and girls with a disability, Indigenous women and girls, and lesbian, bisexual and transgender women and girls.
- That secure, well-lit and separate toilets and bathing spaces with private entrances where possible linked to women friendly spaces in camps, be provided for women and girls.
- That women and girls be provided with regular and sustainable sources of cooking fuel to prevent the risks associated with firewood collection or being forced to exchange sex for cooking gas. This should include assistance for elderly women and women and girls with a disability.
- That all refugees who are victims of criminal acts, including survivors of all forms of sexual and gender based, feel safe to report cases and have access to functioning and accessible justice systems in which all perpetrators are held to account.
- That existing and new resettlement actors include a dedicated quota of resettlement places for refugee women at risk and their families (including spouses and adult sons). This should target women and girls at ongoing risk of SGBV or facing stigmatisation due to their gender-identity or community shame because they have been raped or forced to sell sex to survive.
Examples of possible pledges:
- A pledge inclusive of Women and Girls across all Age and Diversity Groups:
We x State commit to working in partnership with displaced women’s community-based organisations to develop an inclusive national strategy to prevent and respond to SGBV. We will actively seek the participation of women from diverse community groups including women and girls with a disability, Indigenous women and girls, and lesbian, bisexual and transgender women and girls in the development, implementation and monitoring of the strategy. This Pledge will address …… Plus issues from above.
- A pledge inclusive of all AGD groups:
We x Coalition commit to ensuring that all victims/survivors of SGBV have access to gender-sensitive psychosocial support, and to safe and inclusive reporting systems. Services will be accessible for all people with a disability and sensitive to the additional reporting barriers often faced by lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex people. This Pledge will address …… Plus issues from above.