Enhancing GbV Response Efforts in Central African Republic

Tieba: My role, starting in March 2022, was to establish an IM system within CAR's GbV Area of Responsibility, which lacked structure. Considering the low competency and awareness levels regarding IM in CAR, I advocated for data exchange among ground partners to facilitate better understanding of the context, response levels, and Area of Responsibility performance. This required convincing partners to share more data. 

Yes, gradually partners began sharing more data. Eventually, we participated in the 2023 HNO, incorporating GbV data—a first for the Area of Responsibility in CAR. In the second year, we aimed to deepen our efforts by conducting secondary data reviews, pursuing primary data collection, developing data gathering tools, and enhancing the capacities of local actors and data collection focal points. 

Working as an IMO for GbV is quite specific. Before this assignment, I delved deep into researching the GbV sector and its jargon. For example, understanding the 16 Inter-Agency Minimum Standards for Gender-Based Violence is crucial for anyone in this field. These outline what partners engaged in GBV must accomplish to prevent and respond to GBV effectively. Familiarity with these standards helps us grasp the scope of our analysis and better understand the needs of our partners. 

When handling GbV data, it's essential to recognize its sensitivity for survivors. Data privacy is paramount, and we strictly adhere to protocols to protect survivor identities. Each GbV case is anonymized with unique identifiers. For instance, the GbVIMS only provide statistics, not databases, to prevent anyone from tracing back to survivors. That's why we avoid sharing precise dates or specific details. As IMOs, while our goal is to coordinate and share data, we're always cautious about what we share and with whom, understanding the sensitivity surrounding GbV data. 

In 2024, an estimated 1.3 million people in CAR will require GbV assistance, a significant number given the country's population. It's noteworthy that GbV issues predated the humanitarian crisis, but subsequent events like coups worsened the situation. Additionally, factors like transhumance, while not directly tied to humanitarian crises, contribute to the risks. Even natural disasters, such as floods, can exacerbate GbV concerns. In cities like Bangui, situated on hills, floods lead to displacements, heightening protection risks. 

There's a slight upward trend, but we need to interpret this cautiously. The data primarily reflect cases voluntarily reported by survivors, with potentially many more cases going unreported. Also, partner presence across the country varies – so we can easily imagine that there are many more survivors who did not declared their cases. 

My greatest impact was not just about implementing functional systems; it's about how my colleagues and partners embraced them. We successfully enhanced the skills of the sector in IM – and I hope these will continue to grow.