Stopping and Preventing domestic, ethnic and Gender Based Violence by providing access to services (Training and loans)

Stopping and Preventing domestic, ethnic and Gender Based Violence by providing access to services (Training and loans matched to savings) for enhancing livelihoods in poor, vulnerable and communities living in post conflict areas:

An intervention for stopping and preventing of GBV (Gender based violence) rapidly through access to services to enhance livelihoods was tested by a consultant in post conflict communities.

The strategy employed to stop GBV was meeting with communities where it was rumoured that there was violence and explaining to community members that the consultant had carried out assessments and had planned to provide access to training and loans to increase incomes and enhance livelihoods in their communities, but that the activities had to be temporally halted its as there were rumours that some women were unable to carry out economic activities profitably and reimburse loans. (i.e. traumatized, wounded and sexually abused women were unable to be productive, sell produce at markets or meet customers in public etc,) The consultant coached community leaders to call meetings to dialogue with families to identify the perpetrators and engage them to stop GBV. As the economically poor families and community had everything to gain if violence was stopped and prevented, almost all violence was eradicated within a week in the targeted communities, the dignity of women and rights enhanced, gender equity promoted and peace and harmony maintained. The communities were coached on the manner they could identify and refine their talents/strengths, received training to start Savings and Investment (S&I) groups, training in vocations and loans matched to savings for starting/expanding MicroEnterprises and farming that enhanced livelihoods. In order to assure that GBV incidences would not restart, the consultant recommended that the communities where the program was piloted establish Committees for Better Living (CBL) with at least 50% women and girls to monitor and report incidences to community leaders, to protection officers of the different UN agencies and police. The consultant also contacted the Police to train community members in community policing processes in order to enhance protection in villages.

The above process can be adopted and replicated rapidly in any community where there are incidences or rumours of GBV, by either setting up ACBL (Advisory Centres for Better Living) established in some post conflict areas or through local organizations that are ready to restructure to provide services for enhancing livelihoods. The process can also be adopted to stop and prevent tribal and ethnic violence/conflicts in marginalized and vulnerable communities, those living in refugee/displaced camps, to recover and reinstate child soldiers and ex-combatants and in post conflict areas. The ACBL in Goma plans to implement a cross border intervention to reconcile, stabilize and provide services to fragmented communities. Part of the community lives in a refugee camp in Uganda while some members of the community remained in DR Congo.

For more information and to develop a strategy and process for communities where there is need please contact:
info@tidycentre.com

Please read the package of services that was offered by ACBL centres at: http://www.changemakers.com/en-us/system/files/Advisory%20Centres%20for%20Better%20Living%20%28CCMV%29.jpg