The document provides guidance for integrating interventions to address gender-based violence (GBV) within humanitarian shelter, settlement, and recovery programs. It outlines recommendations for conducting assessments and resource mobilization that incorporate GBV risks, implementing activities to mitigate such risks, and coordinating with GBV specialists and other sectors to strengthen prevention and response efforts. The overall aim is to help shelter, settlement, and recovery actors mainstream GBV risk reduction into their emergency programming and operations.

1. Guidelines for Integrating
Gender-based Violence
Interventions in
Humanitarian Action
MODULE 5 - Thematic Areas:
Integrating Gender-Based Violence
Interventions in SHELTER,
SETTLEMENT AND RECOVERY

2. Agenda
 Links between GBV and Humanitarian Programming
 Knowledge Basics for Implementing the Thematic Area
Guidance
 A Closer Look: Assessment; Resource Mobilization;
Implementation; Referrals; Coordination; Monitoring
and Evaluation
 Discussion of Implementation Strategy
 Developing an Action Plan

3. Outcomes
 SHELTER, SETTLEMENT AND RECOVERY actors
are informed about key relevant elements of the
Guidelines
 SHELTER, SETTLEMENT AND RECOVERY actors
are supported to develop an action plan with
indicators for integrating the Guidelines’
recommendations into their areas of operation
 SHELTER, SETTLEMENT AND RECOVERY actors
identify accountability measures to track
progress of GBV risk reduction mainstreaming
and response
SHELTER, SETTLEMENT AND
RECOVERY (SS&R)

4. Guidelines for Integrating Gender-based Violence Interventions in Humanitarian Action
“Protection of all persons affected and at
risk must inform humanitarian decision-
making and response…it must be central
to our preparedness efforts, as part of
immediate and life-saving activities….”

5. Guidelines for Integrating Gender-based Violence Interventions in Humanitarian Action
Warm-up Activity: Mapping Risk across
SHELTER, SETTLEMENT AND RECOVERY
1) What types of GBV are prevalent in your settings?
2) What are the risks in this setting that contribute to GBV
• Pre-existing - exists independent of, or prior to emergency or conflict
(culture, policy, etc.)
• Emergency-related - specific to/resulting from the disaster or conflict
• Humanitarian-related - caused directly or indirectly by humanitarian
environment
3) What can your cluster/sector do to prevent and mitigate
GBV risks?
• Pre-existing risk mitigation activity
• Emergency-related risk mitigation activity
• Humanitarian-related risk mitigation activity

6. Assessment,
Analysis and
Planning
What are our priority areas of
inquiry for SHELTER, SETTLEMENT
AND RECOVERY?

7. Guidelines for Integrating Gender-based Violence Interventions in Humanitarian Action
A walk through SHELTER, SETTLEMENT AND
RECOVERY TAG: Assessment, Analysis & Planning
Key point:
• Purpose is not for SS&R actors to
undertake standalone GBV
assessments, but rather to incorporate
questions related to GBV risks into their
ongoing SS&R assessments

8. Guidelines for Integrating Gender-based Violence Interventions in Humanitarian Action
A walk through SHELTER, SETTLEMENT
AND RECOVERY TAG: Assessment (cont’d)
• Provides a list of recommended GBV-related
questions to incorporate, as relevant, into SS&R
assessments and routine monitoring
• These questions do not cover the nature and scope
of GBV, but basic issues related to SS&R
programming, policies and communications
• SS&R specialists are NOT expected to undertake
assessments about the extent of GBV

9. Guidelines for Integrating Gender-based Violence Interventions in Humanitarian Action
What does this mean for SHELTER,
SETTLEMENT AND RECOVERY ?
From page 42:
f) Are shelters built for safety and privacy?
- Are shelters secured with locks on doors and windows?
- Does shelter material prevent people outside from
being able to observe whether or not the shelter is
occupied—both day and night?
m) Are there criteria in place for distributing shelter materials
and shelter-related NFIs in ways that decrease the risk of
sexual exploitation or abuse (e.g. gender-disaggregated
lines/zones)?

10. Guidelines for Integrating Gender-based Violence Interventions in Humanitarian Action
Activity: Conducting Assessments
Option 1: Review and Discuss
Review the Areas of Inquiry in the GBV guidelines:
1) Which questions would you prioritize?
1) How will you collect this information?
I. What surveys / assessment are already being used where you can
integrate questions
II. When and where will the survey occur to ensure participation of at-risk
groups
3) Who would you need to work with to collect this information?
I. What is the composition of the assessment team, men / women?
II. What training will they require?
III. How will they communicate about the assessment with the community?

11. Guidelines for Integrating Gender-based Violence Interventions in Humanitarian Action
Activity: Conducting Assessments
Option 2: Review and Compare
Review the Areas of Inquiry in the GBV guidelines against your current
assessment tool.
1) Which GBV risks and considerations are already integrated in the
assessment tool currently or previously used?
2) Which GBV risks or considerations would you prioritize for inclusion?
3) How will it be possible to integrate new questions which consider
GBV risks?
I. With whom will you need to advocate to include these areas of inquiry?
- Cluster coordinators, state actors, GBV specialists
II. With whom will you need to collaborate in order to safely and effectively
integrate these areas of inquiry?
- Cluster coordinators, state actors, GBV specialists

12. Guidelines for Integrating Gender-based Violence Interventions in Humanitarian Action
Activity: Conducting Assessments
Option 3: Mapping information on GBV risks to mitigation
Prioritize 3 areas of inquiry that apply to your context and carry out the below:
Area of
Inquiry
Risk of Concern Potential for GBV Mitigation
1. Shelter
design and
safety
Single women,
women-led
households,
unaccompanied
girls not provided
with safe shelter
options
Rape or sexual
violence by host or
strangers (location
from periphery),
overcrowding can
lead to intimate
partner violence
Use vulnerability index to
determine allocation of
shelters. Ensure shelters are
built for safety and privacy (e.g.
alternative lighting when no
power, secure locks/windows,
etc.)
2.
Distribution
of non food
items
Beneficiaries are
unable to access
basic needs,
shelter, clothing,
etc.
Sexual exploitation
or abuse, in
exchange for items
and assistance,
deprivation of basic
needs
Gender-disaggregated
lines/zones. Establish security
patrols. Ensure appropriate
transportation and shelter
construction support when
distributing kits.

13. Guidelines for Integrating Gender-based Violence Interventions in Humanitarian Action
Quiz: Conducting Assessments
SS&R actors should:
• Consult GBV specialists throughout the planning,
design, analysis and interpretation of an assessment
• Not use local expertise
• Strictly adhere to safe and ethical recommendations
for researching GBV
• Share data that may be linked back to a group or an
individual, including GBV survivors
• Seek out GBV survivors to speak to them specifically
about their experiences of GBV

14. Guidelines for Integrating Gender-based Violence Interventions in Humanitarian Action
Quiz: Conducting Assessments
• Assume reported data on GBV/trends represent actual
prevalence/trends in the extent of GBV
• Include GBV specialists on inter-agency and inter-sectoral
teams
• Not include female assessors and translators when
conducting assessments
• Conduct consultations in a secure setting where
individuals feel safe to provide information and
participate in discussions and decision-making
• Provide training for assessment team members on ethical
and safety issues

15. Guidelines for Integrating Gender-based Violence Interventions in Humanitarian Action
Discussion:
• Is it always possible to include GBV in initial assessments?
• How can one ensure inclusion of at-risk groups in
assessments?
• Who needs to be involved?
• Why is it the responsibility of SS&R staff? Where does this
responsibility ends?
• Who needs to be convinced?
ALWAYS INVOLVED WOMEN AND OTHER AT-
RISK GROUPS IN THE DESIGN AND ASSESSMENT
OF SS&R PROGRAMS

16. Resource
Mobilization
What are SHELTER, SETTLEMENT AND
RECOVERY commitments to Resource
Mobilization for GBV risk reduction?

17. Guidelines for Integrating Gender-based Violence Interventions in Humanitarian Action
A walk through the SHELTER, SETTLEMENT
AND RECOVERY TAG: Resource Mobilization
Key point:
• Funding for SS&R-related GBV prevention and
risk mitigation activities must be included in
project proposals from the outset of
emergency response

18. Guidelines for Integrating Gender-based Violence Interventions in Humanitarian Action
A walk through the SHELTER, SETTLEMENT
AND RECOVERY TAG: Resource Mobilization
• In humanitarian settings, GBV resources tend to be linked
to longer-term protection and stability initiatives
• Resources to address GBV in emergencies are often
limited
• The Guidelines provide recommendations on
incorporating GBV risk mitigation activities into project
proposals
• Donors are encouraged to reference this section to
ensure GBV issues are included in SS&R proposals

19. Guidelines for Integrating Gender-based Violence Interventions in Humanitarian Action
A walk through the SHELTER, SETTLEMENT
AND RECOVERY TAG: Resource Mobilization
GBV risk based on
gender analysis
and safety audit
Proposed
intervention
Risk vs. benefits
Adapted
intervention
Impact?

20. Guidelines for Integrating Gender-based Violence Interventions in Humanitarian Action
What does this mean for SHELTER,
SETTLEMENT AND RECOVERY ?
GBV-related points to consider for inclusion in a proposal
(Pg. 45):
1). Humanitarian Needs Overview/Situation Analysis:
– Describe the vulnerabilities of women, girls and other at-risk groups;
2). Project Rationale/Justification:
– Explain GBV-related risks related to SS&R interventions in your
context;
3). Project Description:
– Explain which activities may help in preventing or mitigating GBV
– Describe mechanisms that facilitate reporting of GBV in safe and
ethical manner

21. Guidelines for Integrating Gender-based Violence Interventions in Humanitarian Action
What does this mean for SHELTER, SETTLEMENT
AND RECOVERY ?
How to measure GBV-related points to consider for inclusion
in a proposal, cont’d:
Monitoring and Evaluation:
• M&E plan should track progress and adverse effects on GBV
mainstreaming activities;
• M&E plan should include the participation of women, girls and other
at-risk groups;
• Include outcome-level indicators to measure program impact on GBV-
related risks;
• Disaggregate indicators by sex, age, disability and other vulnerability
factors

22. Guidelines for Integrating Gender-based Violence Interventions in Humanitarian Action
THE IASC GENDER MARKER
Both Gender marker and GBV
mainstreaming address
issues of women and girls’
empowerment and gender
equality and include men
and boys as partners in
prevention.
• = Tool that codes (0-2
scale) whether or not a
humanitarian project is
designed well enough
to ensure that
women/girls, men/boys
will benefit equally
from it or that it will
advance gender
equality in another way

23. Guidelines for Integrating Gender-based Violence Interventions in Humanitarian Action
What does this mean for SHELTER,
SETTLEMENT AND RECOVERY?
Some examples of GBV mainstreaming activities that can be
included in proposals:
• Planning NFI distributions to reduce GBV risks (timing,
distance, sex-segregated lines, complaints desk)
• Designing culturally approrpiate shelters that consider family
composition
• Vulnerability index developed to ensure access to basic needs
for at-risk groups

24. Guidelines for Integrating Gender-based Violence Interventions in Humanitarian Action
What does this mean for SHELTER,
SETTLEMENT AND RECOVERY?
Do you have other examples of mitigation strategies?

25. Guidelines for Integrating Gender-based Violence Interventions in Humanitarian Action
Activity: Resource Mobilization
In Small Groups:
Review the assigned proposal in light with the
resource mobilization checklist of the Guidelines and
highlight:
– Good practices
– Gaps
– Proposed strategies to address these gaps.
– Tools needed to better design proposals

26. Guidelines for Integrating Gender-based Violence Interventions in Humanitarian Action
Discussion:
• Is GBV-related activities in SS&R programs always
cost-effective? Why should it be considered?
• Do donors always support GBV-related activities in
SS&R programs? What can be some of these
barriers?
GBV MAINSTREAMING ACTIVITIES ALWAYS
CONTRIBUTE TO GOOD SS&R
PROGRAMMING

27. Implementation
What are our commitments to
include GBV prevention and
mitigation within ongoing and
new SHELTER, SETTLEMENT
AND RECOVERY activities?

28. Guidelines for Integrating Gender-based Violence Interventions in Humanitarian Action
Key takeaway:
• If effectively designed, SS&R programmes can
mitigate risks of GBV:
 Safe distribution of Non-Food Items (NFIs)
 Participation of women and girls in SS&R related
committees for shelter design and site planning
 Supporting health, dignity, privacy, and safety
A walk through the SHELTER, SETTLEMENT
AND RECOVERY TAG: Implementation

29. Guidelines for Integrating Gender-based Violence Interventions in Humanitarian Action
A walk through the SHELTER, SETTLEMENT
AND RECOVERY TAG: Implementation
• Provides guidance for putting GBV-related risk reduction
responsibilities into practice
• Activities to improve the overall quality of GBV-related
prevention and mitigation strategies:
 Establish GBV-related responsibilities common to all actors working
within SS&R
 Recommend strategies for SS&R actors to reduce risks
 Maximize immediate protection of GBV survivors and persons at risk
and foster longer-term interventions to eliminate GBV
• 3 main types of responsibilities: programming, policies, and
communications & information sharing

30. Guidelines for Integrating Gender-based Violence Interventions in Humanitarian Action
What does this mean for SHELTER,
SETTLEMENT AND RECOVERY ?
From page 46:
• Implement clear, consistent and transparent
criteria for qualifying for shelter assistance (do
not discriminate against GBV survivors or women
seeking accommodation without a male relative.
• Establish clear, consistent and transparent
distribution systems that are known by all
members of the community.

31. Guidelines for Integrating Gender-based Violence Interventions in Humanitarian Action
Activity- Implementation
Option 1: Review Mitigation Strategies
In small groups:
1. Review recommended mitigation strategies
2. Add any strategies missing
3. Prioritize 2-3 key strategies that should be prioritized
4. Highlight operational challenges
Rotate teams: troubleshoot challenges, provide recommendations
5. Create operational action plan:
i. Key actions
ii. Coordination amongst key actors
iii. Resources / support required

32. Guidelines for Integrating Gender-based Violence Interventions in Humanitarian Action
Activity- Implementation
Option 2: Mitigating GBV risk in Program Strategy
Review current programmatic strategy
In small groups:
1. Highlight GBV mitigation strategies currently integrated
2. Review Guideline recommended mitigation strategies
3. Prioritize 2-3 key strategies that should be prioritized
4. Create operational action plan:
i. Information needed
ii. Key actions
iii. Coordination amongst key actors
iv. Resources / support required

33. Discussion: Prioritization and Selection Criteria
 How to prioritize GBV risk reduction in SS&R
programs?
 What types of investments are required?
 What vulnerability criteria would you use for
beneficiaries?
 What challenges are associated with these?
 How should sensitive information be managed
to protect affected populations, including
survivors of GBV?
33
DON’T SINGLE OUT GBV SURVIVORS OR
VULNERABLE GROUPS

34. Coordination
What are our commitments to
include GBV prevention and
mitigation within ongoing and
new SHELTER, SETTLEMENT
AND RECOVERY activities?

35. Guidelines for Integrating Gender-based Violence Interventions in Humanitarian Action
A walk through the SHELTER, SETTLEMENT
AND RECOVERY TAG: Coordination
Key takeaways:
• GBV prevention and risk reduction is most effective
when done in coordination with both GBV specialists
and other sectors
• Recommends specific actions for SS&R actors to
coordinate with others

36. Guidelines for Integrating Gender-based Violence Interventions in Humanitarian Action
A walk through the SHELTER, SETTLEMENT
AND RECOVERY TAG: Coordination
• Supports humanitarian actors to define responsibilities and
accountability mechanisms in GBV prevention and response
efforts
 Establish responsibilities for humanitarian actors in the prevention
and mitigation of GBV
 Maximize immediate protection of GBV survivors and persons at risk
through multi-sectoral coordination on response to GBV incidents
• Coordination activities can move across the 3 main types of
responsibilities: programming, policies, and communications &
information sharing and may also include advocacy / efforts for:
 Assessment
 Resource Mobilization
 Monitoring and Evaluation

37. Guidelines for Integrating Gender-based Violence Interventions in Humanitarian Action
A walk through the SHELTER, SETTLEMENT AND
RECOVERY TAG: Coordination
GBV Specialists can assist SS&R actors to (Pg. 51):
1. Design and conduct SS&R assessments that examine the
risks of GBV, and strategize ways to mitigate these risks
2. Provide trainings for SS&R staff on issues of gender, GBV
and women’s/human rights
3. Develop standard operating procedures (SOPs) for SS&R
actors

38. Guidelines for Integrating Gender-based Violence Interventions in Humanitarian Action
What does this mean for SHELTER, SETTLEMENT
AND RECOVERY ? Coordination with GBV Specialists, cont’d
GBV Specialists can assist SS&R actors to:
4. Identify where survivors can receive care, and provide
SS&R staff with skills and information to respond
supportively to survivors
5. Provide training for the affected community on issues
of gender, GBV and women’s/human rights as they
relate to SS&R rights
6. Review relevant statutory and customary laws and
policies to strengthen GBV-related legal protections

39. Guidelines for Integrating Gender-based Violence Interventions in Humanitarian Action
What does this mean for SHELTER, SETTLEMENT
AND RECOVERY :
Coordination with other sectors (p. 52)
SS&R actors can work with (e.g.: Livelihood actors):
• Identify areas for skilled and unskilled mentoring in shelter
programmes
• Identify age-, gender-, and culturally appropriate
livelihoods opportunities for women and other at-risk
groups related to the building, design and maintenance of
shelters

40. Guidelines for Integrating Gender-based Violence Interventions in Humanitarian Action
What does this mean for SHELTER,
SETTLEMENT AND RECOVERY : Coordination for
cross-cutting issues
Also coordinate with partners addressing:
gender
mental health and psychosocial support
(MHPSS)
HIV
age
environment

41. Guidelines for Integrating Gender-based Violence Interventions in Humanitarian Action
Activity: Coordination
Option 1: Mechanisms to Support Program Implementation
Return to small groups from the implementation activity:
1. Reflect on the specific actions recommended
2. Who needs to be involved to execute this action
– GBV specialists
– Other clusters
3. What type of coordination is required – be specific
- Roles and responsibilities
- Accountability mechanisms

42. Guidelines for Integrating Gender-based Violence Interventions in Humanitarian Action
Activity: Coordination Mapping
• With what sectors would SS&R benefit from stronger
coordination?
i. What coordination mechanisms exist to support collaboration
ii. Key actions
iii. Who is responsible, accountable, needs to be informed
iv. How will you monitor progress
• How could SS&R and protection actors better
coordinate/work together?
i. What coordination mechanisms exist to support collaboration
ii. Key actions
iii. Who is responsible, accountable, needs to be informed
iv. How will you monitor progress

43. Guidelines for Integrating Gender-based Violence Interventions in Humanitarian Action
Suggested recommendations about referrals
in the Guidelines
• All humanitarian personnel who engage with affected
populations should have up to date written information
about where to refer survivors for care and support.
• Ensure training on how to respectfully and supportively
engage with survivors and provide risk reporting and/or
referral information in an ethical, safe and confidential
manner
• Any programmes that share information about reports of
GBV must abide by safety and ethical standards (e.g.
shared information does not reveal the identity of or pose
a security risk to individual survivors, their families or the
broader community)

44. Guidelines for Integrating Gender-based Violence Interventions in Humanitarian Action
Activity: Coordination
Option 3: Coordination and Referrals w/ GBV specialists
In small groups discuss:
• Map the current referral mechanism where your activities are
ongoing
- What services are available
- Which actors are involved
• What are your responsibilities within the referral mechanism?
- Who do you immediately report an incident to?
- Are there cases where you are unable to refer?
• What happens when there is no referral mechanism in place or
when it is not functioning?
- What are your responsibilities in this situation?

45. Monitoring and
Evaluation
What are priority indicators for
GBV prevention and risk
mitigation in SHELTER,
SETTLEMENT AND RECOVERY
programming?

46. Guidelines for Integrating Gender-based Violence Interventions in Humanitarian Action
A walk through the SHELTER, SETTLEMENT
AND RECOVERY TAG: Monitoring &
Evaluation
Key Point:
• Indicators can be used to measure the
outcomes of activities undertaken across
the programme cycle, with the ultimate
aim of maintaining effective programmes
and improving accountability

47. Guidelines for Integrating Gender-based Violence Interventions in Humanitarian Action
A walk through the SHELTER, SETTLEMENT
AND RECOVERY TAG: Monitoring &
Evaluation
• Why? Limited evidence exists on effective
integration of GBV programming in “other” sectors
• Indicators in the Guidelines aim to:
– Track outputs resulting from interventions to affected
populations
– Chart outcome of cluster activities
– Measure progress toward objectives, considering
diversity of affected populations & their perspectives
of the response

48. Guidelines for Integrating Gender-based Violence Interventions in Humanitarian Action
Monitoring & Evaluation: Indicators
• Why? Limited evidence exists on effective
integration of GBV programming in “other”
sectors
• Indicators in the Guidelines aim to:
– Track outputs resulting from interventions to
affected populations
– Chart outcome of cluster activities
– Measure progress toward objectives, considering
diversity of affected populations & their
perspectives of the response

49. Guidelines for Integrating Gender-based Violence Interventions in Humanitarian Action
A walk through the SHELTER, SETTLEMENT
AND RECOVERY TAG: Monitoring &
Evaluation: Reporting
• Analyze existing data using a ‘GBV lens’ to improve GBV
prevention and response
• Example: Existence of female staff in SS&R assessment
teams when planning NFI distributions
– What are the implications of the findings?
– How may this affect GBV prevention and mitigation?
• Failing to meet a target can lead to response and resource
mobilization
• Use data for action across the programme cycle

50. Guidelines for Integrating Gender-based Violence Interventions in Humanitarian Action
• # of assessment respondents who are female
• # of affected persons consulted before designing a shelter
facility who are female
• # of affected persons who report concerns about
experiencing GBV when asked about areas in and around
shelters
• # of affected persons who report concerns about
experiencing GBV when asked about collecting cooking fuel
or firewood
What does this mean for SHELTER,
SETTLEMENT AND RECOVERY (Pg. 53)?

51. Guidelines for Integrating Gender-based Violence Interventions in Humanitarian Action
A walk through the SHELTER,
SETTLEMENT AND RECOVERY TAG:
Monitoring & Evaluation
Good to know:
• Improvement or success is not
demonstrated by a decrease in reported
GBV cases
• Targets and data sources can be
modified to fit the context

52. Guidelines for Integrating Gender-based Violence Interventions in Humanitarian Action
Option 1: Prioritizing indicators and data collection methodology
1. Prioritize 1-2 indicators
i. Select indicator from assessment, resource mobilization,
implementation or coordination based on current focus within
response
i. For example, if preparing for an assessment
2. Review the indicator reference sheet used for women’s
participation
3. Fill out the blank indicator reference sheet for the indicator
prioritized
i. Indicator description
ii. Indicator acquisition
iii. Data Quality issues
iv. Data Analysis and Reporting/Dissemination
Activity: Monitoring & Evaluation

53. Guidelines for Integrating Gender-based Violence Interventions in Humanitarian Action
Option 2: Analyzing findings from gender or GBV evaluation
1. How are these findings relevant to your sector programming?
i. Which sectoral activities may be contributing to GBV risks?
ii. What cultural, community or policy variables may be contributing
to GBV risks?
a. Representation of women, girls and at-risk groups
b. Traditional or cultural gender norms, power dynamics
c. Policies governing access to services, impunity
2. What activities could you adjust to prevent or mitigate GBV risks?
i. Activities specific to prevention (focus on gender equality)
ii. Activities specific to mitigation (focus on reducing exposure to risk)
iii. Activities specific to response (focus on PFA, referral)
Activity: Monitoring & Evaluation

54. Monitoring and Evaluation
 How do you know whether SS&R programs contributed to
reducing GBV risks?
- Did select SS&R activities contribute to reducing GBV risks?
- What information lets you measure this?
 What are the challenges to monitoring GBV risks?
 Is it always possible to monitor that at-risk groups needs are
identified and responded to?
 Do SS&R SOPs include direction for monitoring GBV risks within
SS&R programming?
54
Do not use number of
reported cases as an indicator
of success.

55. Final Action Plan
1. In teams write down the priority actions
to take forward
2. Refer to the prevention, mitigation and
response activities of the day
3. Highlight key actors and responsibilities
4. Note attention to specific types of actions,
such as training, resources, staffing,
access, etc.

56. Guidelines for Integrating
Gender-based Violence
Interventions in
Humanitarian Action
Thank You.
For more information visit: www.gbvguidelines.org