UNICEF Communities Care Programme: Somalia Impact Evaluation

About

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Communities Care: Transforming Lives and Preventing Violence programme is  a community-based model for preventing and responding to sexual violence against girls and women in conflict-affected settings. The programme is premised on the idea that while armed conflict causes horrendous suffering for those affected, the disruption it causes may also present an opportunity for positive change in social norms that can contribute to gender equality and decrease gender-based violence (GBV) and discrimination.

This impact evaluation examines the programme in Somalia. Participants showed statistically significant improvements in GBV associated norms  and a greater increase in confidence in GBV services across diverse service sectors demonstrating the programme’s promise in changing harmful social norms associated with GBV and strengthening quality services for survivors in complex humanitarian settings.

The promising outcomes from the pilot demonstrate that the Communities Care: Transforming Lives and Preventing Violence programme can be scaled-up effectively in other settings to prevent sexual violence and other forms of GBV, promoting safer and healthier communities.