Selected links on Gender Based Violence

In 1993, the UN Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women offered the first official definition of the term “Gender-based Violence” : “Any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivations of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life.» Gender-based violence has become an umbrella term for any harm that is perpetrated against a person’s will, and that results from power inequities that are based on gender roles. Around the world, gender based violence almost always has a greater negative impact on women and girls. For this reason the term "Gender-based Violence" is often used interchangeably with the term "Violence against Women" (VAW). GBV principally affects them across all cultures. GBV can occur throughout a woman's lifecycle, and can include all from early childhood marriage and genital mutilation, to sexual abuse, domestic violence, legal discrimination and exploitation. Here we have collect some useful links about GBV:

Definitions and basic terms to Gender Based Violence
Guidelines and Tools
Human rights and Gender Based Violence - legal texts, resolutions etc
Gender Based Violence in the context of war and conflict
Female Genital Mutilation
Human Trafficking
Organisations and sites

Definitions and basic terms to Gender Based Violence

This represents a collection of articles, websites etc. You`ll find a wide choice of more general documents - statements and definitions of the WHO or UN, as well as more specific ones addressing f.e. the situation in some countries. Some cover Gender-based Violence allover, here is also included domestic violence against women (occurring all over the globe, also in “peaceful” countries). Some are more specific concerning GBV in the context of war or conflict.

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Guidelines and Tools

This represents a collection of manuals and guidelines, which try from different points of view to help field workers to cope with the aftermath of GBV, the traumas and injuries of the survivors. Very often the focus here is aimed at situations during or after war/conflict. Therefore most of these manuals are targeting more practical aspects of field work, as for instance to organize a field camp. Some provide with lots of information about GBV . Some try also to set focus on communication with the survivors, as the topic GBV is a very sensitive one and therefore sometimes difficult to approach in contact with the survivor.

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Human rights and Gender Based Violence - legal texts, resolutions etc

Here we try to present a collection of legal framework already existing. Especially The United Nations agreed on some resolutions which define the topic in a very solid mode, including suggestions to proceed. Implementing these resolutions and agreements in the reality of war-situations and preventing GBV from to happen is the issue that is to be focused on.

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Gender Based Violence in the context of war and conflict

There are lots of articles covering the topic of GBV in a more general meaning, here also including domestic violence (occurring also in “stabile” countries). We are trying here to collect some essays and articles which are highlighting the specific problems concerning GBV in war and conflict zones.

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Female Genital Mutilation

Female genital mutilation – FGM – represents a serious impact both to the physical and mental health of the affected women and girls. It is part of reality for many women around the world, to consider as quite severe not least because it is furthermore seen as “normal” in many ways of many of the involved persons. So it represents a major challenge to face because of the many background aspects which are to consider.

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Human Trafficking

“Human trafficking” is called the practice of people being tricked, lured, coerced or otherwise removed from their home or country, then forced to work with no or low payment, or on terms which are highly exploitative. The practice is considered to be the trade or commerce of people, which has many features of slavery, and which is illegal in most countries. The victims of human trafficking are used in a variety of situations, including prostitution and forced labor and other forms of involuntary servitude. The sale of babies and children for adoption or other purposes is also considered to be trafficking in those children. A wide variety of crimes and human rights abuses are associated with trafficking. We have focused here on human trafficking concerning women and girls, as this represents a part of Gender-based Violence.

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Organisations and sites

Some useful links to organizations distributing information and working with survivors of GBV.

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