The Fund supports organisations that can demonstrate that their project will ensure a strong commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) and benefit community members of different Age, Gender and Diversity profiles. The Fund selects recipients that target and engage with communities of diverse ages, gender identities, sexual orientations, nationalities, languages, ethnic backgrounds, abilities, disabilities and social and economic statuses. The tailoring of approaches and tools to diverse needs, contexts and audiences closely aligns with UNHCR’s Policy on Age,
Gender and Diversity.
The Fund offers rights holders with different age, gender and diversity profiles and diverse needs a path to access vital information about their rights and pathways for support and safe reporting.
The 49 projects supported by the Fund so far have benefited a diversity of community members, thanks to the vital networks and relationships that funded organisations have established prior to project implementation. The Fund has produced resources and tools in over 40 languages – with a focus on languages for which PSEA materials have rarely been developed. These are tailored to reach over 20 diversity profiles, such as women, men, boys, girls, community leaders, refugees, internally displaced people (IDPs), persons with disabilities, diverse sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) profiles, and aid workers. Additionally, the funded projects have so far produced around 50 types of communication products, including, but not limited to, printed materials, audio and radio, videos, workshops and trainings, guidelines, theatre plays and social media posts.
In its design and implementation, the project took into account specific groups, including young people, women and people with disabilities. In the analysis of the project, the focus was on age, gender and diversity (AGD).
Alain Nkashama Muana,
Executive Director, Réseau des Associations de Promotion des Droits de l’Homme au Kasai,
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Diverse rights holders have diverse needs and might face SEA and other forms of violence that share power imbalances as a common root cause. The Fund supports Fund recipients to go beyond PSEA and provide a space to discuss those power imbalances. This leads to stronger community engagement rates and increased trust sentiments in the organisation.
Underlying both sexual exploitation and sexual abuse are existing power imbalances and misconduct which enable and perpetuate SEA. Power imbalances are also at the root of other forms of violence, exclusion and harm and might be exacerbated by social norms and organisational cultures. As reported by Fund recipients, drawing a clear distinction between what constitutes SEA and what constitutes other forms of violence, abuse and harm is not always straightforward for the rights holders they work with. Furthermore, rights holders consider SEA as one of many risks they face. A number of Fund recipients routinely highlighted that during consultations and focus group discussions, rights holders cited gender-based violence, labour exploitation and other forms of violence as important issues that should be addressed.
All the Fund recipients’ projects are focused on raising awareness on PSEA and available reporting channels and on creating context-specific and culturally appropriate materials. In that sense, the Fund recipients are aware that they cannot implement their project in a vacuum and that it is crucial to listen to rights holders they work with and understand their specific needs. This is also acknowledged by the Fund, which emphasises that a ‘do no harm’ approach be included in all the projects implemented by the Fund recipients. Thus, the Fund encourages Fund recipients to go beyond raising awareness on PSEA and to provide a space to discuss power imbalances that are among the root causes of SEA and other forms of violence.
The research shows that thanks to this approach, many
Fund recipients reported that they were able to note stronger evidence of community engagement rates and increased trust sentiments in the organisation. This is highlighted by the below case study of SME SPOLU, Slovakia, which, by working with different rights holders, including Ukrainian refugees, and adapting the developed materials and channels to their needs, also ensured to strongly link their project to a
trauma-informed approach, fundamental when working with persons fleeing conflict that increases the risk of several forms of violence.
Women and children represent the highest group of rights holders supported by the Fund globally, followed by young people, refugees/IDPs and persons with disabilities. Field work case studies confirm that rights holders feel safer and
hold greater trust towards the Fund recipients due to the projects.
In its journey to support local actors, the Fund aims to be agile and minimise reporting and monitoring burden on Fund recipients. There is, however, an opportunity to apply a gender equality, disability and social inclusion (GEDSI) approach to strengthen Fund monitoring and reporting on DEI commitments.
The research found that the process of receiving funds, reporting requirements
and communication were adequate to grant size and NGO capacity, but the Fund should explore a light touch mechanism that could be used to strengthen the Fund’s capacity to monitor DEI elements in its funded projects.
YWCA Rwanda demonstrated how to successfully tailor approaches and materials for diverse community members.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Best Practices
Target populations for 2021/2022 projects
The case of YWCA
Rwanda
YWCA Rwanda aims to develop the leadership and collective power of women and girls to achieve high quality education, health and socio-economic conditions for them, their families, and their communities.
In 2020, YWCA Rwanda received support from the Fund to implement a PSEA project in the Nyabiheke refugee camp by raising awareness on
PSEA of rights holders, in particular refugees and host communities.
YWCA harnessed the art of theatre and storytelling to raise awareness on SEA, by developing a script that was broadcasted across local radio stations. Radio talk shows were also used to disseminate information
and proved useful in adapting to travel and community engagement limitations due to COVID-19.
Traditional approaches to PSEA often focus solely on raising awareness of communities and survivors and how they can access support. However, the YWCA Rwanda approach also concentrated on changing attitudes and perceptions among all rights holders. YWCA ensured messaging was accessible to illiterate community members by disseminating PSEA messages through community radios and street theatre rather than only relying on printed materials.
The community radio talk shows were also a preferred means used by YWCA to reach rights holders who are unable or hesitant to attend physical gatherings due to pandemic restrictions, disability or cultural beliefs.
A particular focus was placed on men and boys, through messaging which sought to change attitudes, challenge social norms and destigmatise reporting. YWCA Rwanda reported (see quote on right).
Talk show in the studios of radio Nyagatare where YWCA broadcast mini radio drama sketches on PSEA for residents of the Nyabiheke refugee camp
[We] managed to get in contact with the leaders in the refugee camp by phone and then they mobilized the refugees to listen to the play that was aired on radio and the refugees normally had time to listen to radio. This collaboration ensured their access to this information.
Jean Berchmans Harindintwari, Technical Advisor, YWCA, Rwanda
Zimbabwe, Childline Zimbabwe
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Best Practices
Zimbabwe, Childline Zimbabwe
The Fund supports organisations that can demonstrate that their project will ensure a strong commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) and benefit community members of different Age, Gender and Diversity profiles. The Fund selects recipients that target and engage with communities of diverse ages, gender identities, sexual orientations, nationalities, languages, ethnic backgrounds, abilities, disabilities and social and economic statuses. The tailoring of approaches and tools to diverse needs, contexts and audiences closely aligns with UNHCR’s Policy on Age, Gender and Diversity.
The Fund offers rights holders with different age, gender and diversity profiles and diverse needs a path to access vital information about their rights and pathways for support and safe reporting.
The 49 projects supported by the Fund so far have benefited a diversity of community members, thanks to the vital networks and relationships that funded organisations have established prior to project implementation. The Fund has produced resources and tools in over 40 languages – with a focus on languages for which PSEA materials have rarely been developed. These are tailored to reach over 20 diversity profiles, such as women, men, boys, girls, community leaders, refugees, internally displaced people (IDPs), persons with disabilities, diverse sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) profiles, and aid workers. Additionally, the funded projects have so far produced around 50 types of communication products, including, but not limited to, printed materials, audio and radio, videos, workshops and trainings, guidelines, theatre plays and social media posts.
Target populations for 2021/2022 projects
Women and children represent the highest group of rights holders supported by the Fund globally, followed by young people, refugees/IDPs and persons with disabilities. Field work case studies confirm that rights holders feel safer and
hold greater trust towards the Fund recipients due to the projects.
In its design and implementation, the project took into account specific groups, including young people, women and people with disabilities. In the analysis of the project, the focus was on age, gender and diversity (AGD).
Alain Nkashama Muana, Executive Director,
Réseau des Associations de Promotion des Droits de l’Homme au Kasai, Democratic Republic of the Congo
In its journey to support local actors, the Fund aims to be agile and minimise reporting and monitoring burden on Fund recipients. There is, however, an opportunity to apply a gender equality, disability and social inclusion (GEDSI) approach to strengthen Fund monitoring and reporting on DEI commitments. The research found that the process of receiving funds, reporting requirements and communication were adequate to grant size and NGO capacity, but the Fund should explore a light touch mechanism that could be used to strengthen the Fund’s capacity to monitor DEI elements in its funded projects.
YWCA Rwanda demonstrated how to successfully tailor approaches and materials for diverse community members.
The case of YWCA
Rwanda
YWCA Rwanda aims to develop the leadership and collective power of women and girls to achieve high quality education, health and socio-economic conditions for them, their families, and their communities.
In 2020, YWCA Rwanda received support from the Fund to implement a PSEA project in the Nyabiheke refugee camp by raising awareness on
PSEA of rights holders, in particular refugees and host communities. YWCA harnessed the art of theatre and storytelling to raise awareness on SEA, by developing a script that was broadcasted across local radio stations. Radio talk shows were also used to disseminate information
and proved useful in adapting to travel and community engagement limitations due to COVID-19.
Traditional approaches to PSEA often focus solely on raising awareness of communities and survivors and how they can access support. However, the YWCA Rwanda approach also concentrated on changing attitudes and perceptions among all rights holders. YWCA ensured messaging was accessible to illiterate community members by disseminating PSEA messages through community radios and street theatre rather than only relying on printed materials.
The community radio talk shows were also a preferred means used by YWCA to reach rights holders who are unable or hesitant to attend physical gatherings due to pandemic restrictions, disability or cultural beliefs. A particular focus was placed on men and boys, through messaging which sought to change attitudes, challenge social norms and destigmatise reporting. YWCA Rwanda reported that:
Talk show in the studios of radio Nyagatare where YWCA broadcast mini radio drama sketches on PSEA for residents of the Nyabiheke refugee camp
[We] managed to get in contact with the leaders in the refugee camp by phone and then they mobilized the refugees to listen to the play that was aired on radio and the refugees normally had time to listen to radio. This collaboration ensured their access to this information.
Jean Berchmans Harindintwari, Technical Advisor, YWCA, Rwanda
Diverse rights holders have diverse needs and might face SEA and other forms of violence that share power imbalances as a common root cause. The Fund supports Fund recipients to go beyond PSEA and provide a space to discuss those power imbalances. This leads to stronger community engagement rates and increased trust sentiments in the organisation.
Underlying both sexual exploitation and sexual abuse are existing power imbalances and misconduct which enable and perpetuate SEA. Power imbalances are also at the root of other forms of violence, exclusion and harm and might be exacerbated by social norms and organisational cultures. As reported by Fund recipients, drawing a clear distinction between what constitutes SEA and what constitutes other forms of violence, abuse and harm is not always straightforward for the rights holders they work with. Furthermore, rights holders consider SEA as one of many risks they face. A number of Fund recipients routinely highlighted that during consultations and focus group discussions, rights holders cited gender-based violence, labour exploitation and other forms of violence as important issues that should be addressed.
All the Fund recipients’ projects are focused on raising awareness on PSEA and available reporting channels and on creating context-specific and culturally appropriate materials. In that sense, the Fund recipients are aware that they cannot implement their project in a vacuum and that it is crucial to listen to rights holders they work with and understand their specific needs. This is also acknowledged by the Fund, which emphasises that a ‘do no harm’ approach be included in all the projects implemented by the Fund recipients. Thus, the Fund encourages Fund recipients to go beyond raising awareness on PSEA and to provide a space to discuss power imbalances that are among the root causes of SEA and other forms of violence.
The research shows that thanks to this approach, many Fund recipients reported that they were able to note stronger evidence of community engagement rates and increased trust sentiments in the organisation. This is highlighted by the below case study of SME SPOLU, Slovakia, which, by working with different rights holders, including Ukrainian refugees, and adapting the developed materials and channels to their needs, also ensured to strongly link their project to a trauma-informed approach, fundamental when working with persons fleeing conflict that increases the risk of several forms of violence.
Acknowledgment
ICVA would like to thank UNHCR for its partnership and UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) for supporting the PSEA Fund and the research project. ICVA would also like to thank Murrayborn Group for leading on the research project. Furthermore, ICVA would like to express thanks to the members of the Steering Group for their contribution to the Fund and support given to the Fund recipients. Over the last three years, members of the Steering Group included: CARE International, Communicating with Disaster Affected Communities (CDAC) Network, Girls not Brides, ICVA, IOM, Oxfam, Translators without Borders, UNHCR, UNICEF and World Vision International. Finally, ICVA would also like to acknowledge and thank the Fund recipients and the communities they engaged with.
Acknowledgment
ICVA would like to thank UNHCR for its partnership and UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) for supporting the PSEA Fund and the research project. ICVA would also like to thank Murrayborn Group for leading on the research project. Furthermore, ICVA would like to express thanks to the members of the Steering Group for their contribution to the Fund and support given to the Fund recipients. Over the last three years, members of the Steering Group included: CARE International, Communicating with Disaster Affected Communities (CDAC) Network, Girls not Brides, ICVA, IOM, Oxfam, Translators without Borders, UNHCR, UNICEF and World Vision International. Finally, ICVA would also like to acknowledge and thank the Fund recipients and the communities they engaged with.
