Expert Lens: “Reliable Data Equips Us to Break the Silence that Surrounds Violence”

Chiara Mancuso is the Global Surge and Partnerships Coordinator at iMMAP Inc. Chiara coordinates iMMAP Inc.’s Global Surge Program which facilitates the deployment of Information Management (IM) experts with diverse sectoral expertise, including Gender, Cash, Health, Food Security, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), and Protection to enhance country, regional and global decision-making and planning processes in line with the Humanitarian Programme Cycle (HPC) principles.

With the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence (GBV) currently underway, Chiara reflects on the accomplishments, but also the challenges we at iMMAP Inc. face in responding, preventing and addressing GBV through our surge deployments.

Photo: ©UN Spotlight Initiative

“Since the establishment of our Standby Partnership Program (SBP) at iMMAP Inc. in 2012, we have been committed to promoting GBV response efforts through our ongoing support to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and UN Women who are mandated and leading agencies in this field. Over the years, we''''ve deployed 32 highly skilled information management experts to support the Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Area of Responsibility (AoR) and Gender in Humanitarian Action (GiHA) Working Groups co-hosted by these agencies. Their work has involved integrating GBV and overall, Gender Analysis considerations into the Humanitarian Program Cycle, developing regional GBV guidelines, creating GBV stakeholder mapping analysis, as well as GBV warning systems.

Through strategic partnerships with UNFPA and UN Women, as well as other UN Agencies and international NGOs we support in this field, iMMAP Inc. has been able to foster coordination and information sharing, allowing us to enhance GBV-focused and Gender data driven responses. One initiative that stands out is the advisory role iMMAP Inc. has provided to ‘Bridging Gaps: Essential Gender Data Toolkit for Humanitarian Action’, which provides clear guidance on how to collect gender sensitive data related in emergency settings. This toolkit is vital in helping frontline workers approach data collection in a respectful and informed manner.

However, collecting and utilizing data on GBV presents several challenges. While all our experts are well equipped with tools and skills for collection, analysis and assessment of GBV sensitive data, they still encounter obstacles such as:

1. 1. Difficulty in data collection due to the sensitivity of the subject; survivors are often reluctant to share personal experiences.
   2. Insufficient secure systems and protocols for collecting data from survivors.
   3. Duplication of efforts, as multiple actors work with the same data using different tools and methods, leading to poor analysis.

Addressing these challenges requires investing in capacity building, standardizing tools and protocols, fostering coordination, and focusing on survivor-centered approaches to GBV data collection and analysis.

Looking ahead, I believe several innovations are necessary for addressing GBV more effectively:

1. Indicators standardization: Tailor indicators to specific cultural, social and security contexts of the humanitarian settings, with a survivor-centered approach. Utilization of established frameworks such as the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) GBV Guidelines and the Minimum Standards for GBV Programming as a starting point for qualitative indicators
2. Anonymization and confidentiality: Invest in advanced anonymization techniques to protect survivor’s identities while ensuring data remains actionable.
3. Strengthen data collection approaches: Expand story-telling methods while maintaining ethical standards; engage diverse groups in the sampling — including women, men, youth, persons with disabilities, and LGBTQIA+ communities — to ensure we capture a comprehensive understanding of GBV.

For me, the role of information management and data is transformative, serving as a backbone for driving change in how we understand and address GBV. Reliable data equips us to break the silence that surrounds violence and informs policies and practices that can drive systemic change and ultimately contribute to the prevention and elimination of GBV.”