Integrated Response to Gender Based Violence in Borno and Adamawa States Widespread insecurity and ongoing conflict occasioned by incessant insurgencies, combined with lack of protection safety nets, livelihood opportunities and basic necessities such as food and non-food items continue to increase the risk of GBV. Not only deep-rooted gender disparity but also changes of gender roles in family and community due to displacement further frustrates and challenges traditional gender norms that cause GBV. Extremely limited livelihood opportunity and socio-economic support continue to expose women and girls to risks of engaging in harmful coping mechanisms such as sale and exchange of sex in for daily necessities. Women and girls continue to suffer from the humanitarian crisis being at risks of kidnapping, sexual violence and forced marriage by non-state armed group, and face stigmatization, rejection and secondary violence upon return to their family and community. 

In 2020, with the global pandemic of COVID-19 and following restriction of movement and slowing down business, focus group discussions revealed the increase of intimate partners violence and further exposure to harmful coping mechanisms.

UNHCR also aims at maintaining quality case management and referral pathways to ensure GBV survivors have safe and meaningful access to safe, timely, confidential and adequate services to immediately address survivors’ needs such as physical safety, health, psychosocial support and justice, in line with the survivor-centred approach. UNHCR manages 9 Women and Girl’s Safe Spaces and 1 Men and Boys’ Safe Space as a pilot. The Safe Space provides space where women and girls feel physically and emotionally safe, comfortable and able to express themselves and discuss sensitive issues and opportunities for social networking, solidarity-building, confidence-nurturing among fellow community members. Socializing and empathizing with other women help the healing process and long-term recovery of GBV survivors.

The project will focus to address risk of GBV in the following ways:
	Risk mitigation is a key component of GBV programme to reduce GBV risks and exposure of women and girls and promote their safety. 
	Capacitate and sensitize stakeholders and community on GBV risk mitigation, response and management as well as PSEA.
	Provision of COVID 19 safety gear to partners/participants for use during activities.
	Targeted assistance of dignity kits in consideration of the needs and cultural context in Northeast Nigeria, (sanitary pad, underwear, soap, washing powder, Vaseline, shaving stick, towel, hijab, wrapper, carry bag, solar lantern/torch, whistle, bucket and mat guided by the guidance of GBV Sub-sector). 
	Management of safe space which provides an enabler for provision of Psychosocial, case management and life skills acquisition/protection safety net.

UNHCR will implement the project in partnership with partner, Borno Women Development Initiative-BOWDI. Dignity kits and PPEs will be procured directly by UNHCR. While distribution of the dignity will be done jointly by UNHCR and BOWDI, the PPEs will be handed to BOWDI for use during activities, participatory assessment will be done jointly, so also will be capacity building activities. Other activities of safe space management, psychosocial activities, life skills acquisitions and case management will be implemented by BOWDI with supervision of UNHCR while legal services will be referred to another UNHCR partner (NBA) for action under UNHCR funding.