In response to the need for models that address the needs of SGBV survivors, the Population Council-led Africa Regional SGBV Network has worked since 2006 to build effective multi-sectoral responses to SGBV in low-resource settings, focusing on those who have experienced violence, as well as on violence prevention. This technical support network was initiated with support from the Regional Team for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (Embassy of Sweden, Lusaka, Zambia), and has been sustained over time by the Regional Team, Norad, PEPFAR, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, and AmplifyChange.
The network has historically included SGBV service delivery partners in a range of countries, including Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe. With technical support from the Population Council, these partners simultaneously implemented SGBV interventions that sought to respond to and/or prevent SGBV in an integrated and comprehensive manner, and to strengthen national programs to better meet the medical, psychological, and justice needs of survivors of sexual and intimate partner violence. Since 2018, the network has operated in 8 countries in the East, Horn, and Great Lakes (EHAGL) Region, namely, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Rwanda, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia. Africa Regional SGBV Network partners are providing technical assistance to over 20 UNCHR implementing partners across these countries to adapt the network’s tested models for implementation in refugee settings.
Lessons learned from all of the network’s experiences over time are documented, synthesized, and disseminated to offer an evidence-base that is relevant for others seeking to introduce and strengthen programs in the region.
Please contact Chi-Chi Undie at cundie@popcouncil.org if you would like to receive further information on the network's activities.