The Africa Regional SGBV Network addresses the needs of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) survivors, partnering with local networks and organisations to strengthen and inform response and prevention efforts and support evidence-based policy.
The Population Council-led Africa Regional SGBV Network works to build effective multi-sectoral responses to sexual and gender-based violence in low-resource settings, focusing on those who have experienced violence, as well as on violence prevention. This technical support network was initiated with support from the Regional Team for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights from the embassy of Sweden in Zambia, and has been supported over time by the Regional Team, Norad, PEPFAR, the MacArthur Foundation, and AmplifyChange.
The network has historically included service delivery partners in a range of countries, including Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. With technical support from the Population Council, these partners have simultaneously implemented interventions that sought to respond to and/or prevent sexual and gender-based violence in an integrated and comprehensive manner, and to strengthen national programs to better meet the medical, psychological, and justice needs of sexual and gender-based violence survivors. From 2018 to 2020, the network operated in eight countries in the East, Horn, and Great Lakes (EHAGL) region, namely, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Rwanda, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia. During this period, Africa Regional SGBV Network partners provided technical assistance to over 20 UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) partners across these countries to adapt the network’s tested models for implementation in refugee settings.
Lessons learned from all of the network’s experiences over time are documented, synthesised, and disseminated to offer an evidence base that is relevant for others seeking to introduce and strengthen programs in the region.
Please contact Chi-Chi Undie at cundie@popcouncil.org if you would like to receive further information on the network’s activities.