Gender-based Violence Prevention, Response and Coordination in North and Northeastern Uganda

The United Nations Joint Programme on Gender-Based Violence carried out a multi-sectoral project to prevent and respond to gender-based violence in north and northeastern Uganda.

The project, which ran from 2008 to 2011, was implemented by UNFPA, UN Women and FAO, in partnership with government, other international organizations, the private sector, and NGOs. Continuing efforts that had begun during the humanitarian emergency in the region, it was part of the recovery that began in 2008. A second phase ran from 2011 to 2014, and a third from 2014 to 2017.

The project worked to increase access to high-quality medical, psychosocial and legal response services for gender-based violence survivors, while increasing knowledge and awareness of prevention and response mechanism through community-level activities, and working to improve related policies, programmes and coordination systems at the district and national level.

The programme established and rehabilitated counselling centres, trained counsellors in case management and referral of survivors to services. It made it easier for survivors to access free medical care, and established hotlines for counselling, referrals and legal advice. Awareness-raising activities reached over 200,000 people, while radio messages reached over a million. Police and community leaders were trained on GBV issues, while gender and GBV interventions were integrated into food security and livelihood programmes.