Providing an initial response to gender-based violence
UNICEF, UNHCR and IOM e-learning for humanitarian workers.
UNICEF, UNHCR and IOM have launched an online course, "How to provide first support to survivors of gender-based violence", an adaptation to the European context based on the inter-agency Pocket Guide “How to support survivors of GBV when a GBV actor is not available in your area.”
The objective of the online course is to strengthen the skills of humanitarian workers that are not specialized on GBV response, in providing initial support to survivors of gender-based violence, with a focus on migrant and refugee survivors and displaced people with diverse backgrounds, and to offer them useful information on available GBV specialised services.
The e-learning was first developed in 2021 by UNICEF, UNHCR and IOM in Italy, based on the Italian adaptation of the inter-agency GBV pocket guide. Recognizing that interventions to address GBV should be put at the forefront of humanitarian assistance in line with international guidelines, in 2022 this version was then adapted for use in the Ukrainian response and beyond. Throughout 2023, the course will be adapted into Ukrainian, Polish, Russian, Romanian, Slovak, Hungarian, Czech, and Turkish.
The course lasts about two hours and is hosted on UNICEF's Agora Platform. It is free of charge and available in a self-paced learning mode. When supporting a survivor of gender-based violence, it is crucial to act in accordance with the guiding principles of ensuring safety and confidentiality and respecting the dignity of the survivor, always observing the principle of non-discrimination. The course reiterates the need, to provide psychological first aid, emphasising the importance of adequate preparation of frontline workers, and the importance of observing, listening and connecting with local services.
Online training platforms are proving to be effective tools to ensure continuity and sustainability of training interventions. They enable strengthening the capacities of frontline workers, with a view of fostering the adoption of harmonised approaches in supporting and referring survivors of gender-based violence to specialised services.
To enrol, users can easily access the Agora Platform by following few simple steps:
- Click on the "Log in" or "Register" button;
- Search for the course title, “How to provide initial support to survivors of gender-based violence (GBV)”;
- Click “Learn More” below the course title;
- Click “View activity details” and start the course.
At the end of the course, those who have achieved the minimum score will receive a certificate of participation.