Guidance for Electoral Assistance

Migrants and forcibly displaced people are often in vulnerable and unsafe situations, with limited access to essential services. Sida’s support to social protection serves as an efficient tool for inclusion and poverty reduction, to build resilience, social cohesion, and long-term solutions, while linking up with humanitarian efforts and reaching both host population and migrants or displaced persons.

Gender-based violence (GBV) is one of the most obvious expressions of unequal gender relations in a society. It is a grave violation of human rights with detrimental effects on individuals, families and societies. GBV is both an expression of unequal gender relations, and a means through which these are upheld, both a consequence and a cause of gender inequality. GBV has significant costs for individuals, their families and immediate surroundings, as well as for communities, businesses, the development of countries and their possibilities of reaching the Sustainable Development Goals.
This technical note gives an overview of what GBV is and how Sida works to prevent and respond to GBV. It includes relevant international commitments and policy frameworks, areas for dialogue with partners, stakeholders and other donors, as well as forms of GBV. GBV is an area of high priority for Swedish development cooperation. Work to prevent and respond to GBV is mainly done within the thematic areas of gender equality, sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), peace and conflict and humanitarian assistance. Therefore, this technical note aims to incorporate GBV from these four areas.