Engagement of Military and Humanitarian Actors in the Prevention of Gender-Based Violence against IDPs in Cabo Delgado, Mozambique

Abstract

This is qualitative research concerned with violence against displaced women and girls by humanitarian and military actors. Our intention was to find out how men, military and  humanitarian workers can be involved in preventing gender-based violence against displaced women. Through semi-structured interviews conducted with 8 humanitarian workers, it  as found that there is a collective perception that violence is not natural. It is constructed and can be deconstructed through awareness-raising and empowerment work.

On the one hand, humanitarian and military workers need to be continuously trained and monitored in their day-to-day work as a mechanism to prevent harmful practices. On the other hand, women and girls need to be economically empowered, have access to information and clear and credible reporting mechanisms. The need for community participation was also mentioned. Communities must be empowered to be able to create mechanisms to respond and hold perpetrators of violence against women and girls accountable. 

The importance of having military and humanitarian actors closer to the communities was also considered. The current approach of military and humanitarian actors working for communities was questioned, and the need to have these actors working with communities was stated.