Gender-Based Violence and Trafficking in Persons Training Provides New Perspectives, Inspires Ideas
 |
| Gender-based violence and human trafficking are cross-cutting issues for many of the development challenges USAID addresses, sharing root causes like systematic gender discrimination, poverty, conflict, and poor national infrastructure. |
From February 16-19, 2010, EGAT's Office of Gender Equality & Women's Empowerment (GEWE) conducted a four day, DC-based training workshop on gender-based violence (GBV) and trafficking in persons (TIP) for USAID staff. This was the first USAID training workshop combining these two critical and high priority topics.
Joy Ngozi Ezeilo, UN Special Rapporteur for Trafficking in Persons, gave the keynote address. Ms. Ezeilo provided guidance for programming in GBV and TIP and pointed to examples of good and best practices, which she hoped would inspire action and further strengthen the important work carried out by USAID. EGAT Deputy Assistant Administrator Michael Yates and GEWE Director Katherine Blakeslee opened the event.
Training participants included 30 mission staff from 19 countries representing all five regions, along with staff from EGAT, DCHA, Global Health, Africa, E&E and Middle East Bureaus. Lively discussions and presentations provided new perspectives, inspiring new ideas and stimulating motivation for addressing these issues. Participants worked together to cross-fertilize country-specific approaches and activities.
The training focused on understanding common GBV and TIP issues; sharing best practices; exploring expert guidance from USAID, USG and development partners; and demonstrating a variety of tools for staff to use when identifying program priorities and designing focused projects. Specific themes included men’s engagement, legal framework, communications, GBV during post-conflict and disaster situations, victim support and services, reducing demand for commercial sexual exploitation, and monitoring, evaluation and building strong indicators.
Gary Barker of the International Center for Research on Women (ICRW) discussed the International Men and Gender Equality Survey (IMAGES), a 9-country study to improve understanding of men, gender, and violence. The study seeks answers to questions such as: how do boys and men learn violence; what factors contribute to men's use of violence against women; and how can policy and program interventions engage men to end violence against women?
This training was developed by the Office of Gender Equality & Women's Empowerment and its partners, Devtech Systems, Inc. and Chemonics.
View full agenda, presentations, and list of participants.
Back to Top ^
|
