Gender Based Violence and Reproductive Health (GBV-RH)

Capacity Building of Pakistani NGOs on Gender Based Violence and Reproductive Health (GBV-RH)

Background:
World Population Foundation (WPF), Pakistan has initiated the Population and Reproductive Health Capacity Building Program, with funding from the World Bank to improve the current limited capacity of Pakistani NGOs to develop and implement projects on Gender Based Violence (and Reproductive Health).

The project is designed to enhance the limited capacity of partner NGOs to develop and implement projects related to GBV and the Reproductive Health needs of selected communities in districts with a high incidence of GBV in Pakistan. Gender issues and information on Gender Based Violence serves as a cross-cutting theme for all WPF, Pakistan’s sexuality education programmes being implemented across the country.

Introduction:
Gender Based Violence resulting from gender inequalities and imbalance of power structures may have profound effects – direct and indirect – on a woman's Sexual and Reproductive Health, including, unwanted pregnancies and restricted access to family planning information, services and contraceptives, unsafe abortion or injuries sustained during a legal abortion after an unwanted pregnancy, complications from frequent, high-risk pregnancies and lack of follow-up care, sexually transmitted infections, including HIV and AIDS, and persistent gynecological and psychological problems.

The gender based violence situation in Pakistan is alarming. Recent estimates indicate 70-90 percent of women in Pakistan suffer from some form of (domestic) violence. Though not much research is available, anecdotal data suggests that women and girls are forced to marry and have coerced sexual relationships. Husbands and other male family members obstruct or dictate women's access to (Reproductive) Health care. The issue of early pregnancies often results in deaths of women (maternal mortality is 276/100.000) leaving many children without their mothers accumulating the high rate of infant mortality.

Moreover, since the average age at first marriage is 19.1 years for Pakistani women, thus this robs young girls from the opportunity for a smooth transition from adolescence to adulthood. As a result, young girls, after entering wedlock, do not merely experience emotional alienation but are at a greater risk to become victims of violence. Consequently, violence is responsible for 0.9. percent of the deaths of women aged between 20-49 years in our country annually. Of these most deaths are attributed to rural settings rather than urban.

In the same realm studies have exhibited that during the stress of pregnancy, domestic violence may begin or intensify, harming the mother as well as the fetus. Violence during pregnancy has been associated with maternal death; pregnancy complications, including placental abruption, premature rupture of membranes, and preterm birth; and adverse outcomes, including abortion, miscarriage, and low birth weight.

A study concluded by Population Council of Pakistan concluded that nearly one quarter of the women were subjected to some form of violence during pregnancy; it could range from slapping to forced sexual intercourse. The findings brought home the shocking revelation that the level of physical and sexual abuse during pregnancy was as high as women reported.

Despite this alarming scenario there is little evidence of a well thought-through and concerted approach of Pakistani NGOs to Gender Based Violence. It is in the background of this appalling environment that WPF initiated Population and Reproductive Health Programme.

Target Group and Beneficiaries
The project targets 6 districts in Pakistan that are most exposed to violence situated in South Punjab, Upper Sindh and Balochistan Province. Uneducated population, multi-religion and disadvantaged communities are the primary beneficiaries.

Objectives

1. Improve knowledge and skills of 6 selected NGOs and 60 Community Based Organizations (CBOs) in development and implementation of projects on issues related to Gender Based Violence-GBV
2. 2. Ensure sustainability of working on GBV issues by its integration in strategies/programmes of selected NGOs/CBOs

Intervention Strategies To achieve the above objectives, under this project the following interventing 6 NGOs have been selected from areas with the highest incidence of GBV in the country, namely D.G Khan, Muzaffargarh, Kashmore, Jacobabad, Jaffrabad and Nasirabad.

• Participatory Organizational Capacity Assessment (OCA) and Situational Analysis (SA) of the communities;
• Development of ‘GBV Toolkit’ and Training Manual for capacity building of 30 core staff from the 6 selected partner NGOs and ToT of 18 participants;
• Design and implementation of 6 Small Grant projects by partner NGOs;
• 1 national level steering committee & 6 district level steering committees;
• National level advocacy seminar: sharing of findings, lessons learnt and case studies.

What we aim to achieveThe Partners NGOs and CBOs will increase attention to GBV issues in the project area with respect to reproductive health needs of the community and clear strategies and innovative ideas will bring change into NGO/CBO strategies and programmes, promote gender equity; improve attitude of stakeholders towards GBV and some relief to women and communities.