COVID-19 & (S)GBV In a patriarchal society like Afghanistan, women and girls face many challenges and during the COVID 19 crises, the main concern is often not the virus itself  but survival.  Due to lock down measures, people are conﬁned, poverty and unemployment are increasing. Also, protection and health systems are weak and women and girls are at greater risk of experiencing gender-based violence. Despite the lack of data in Afghanistan, emerging evidence shows that, with the COVID-19 crisis, the number of women and girls experiencing (domestic) violence,  has increased in all provinces of Afghanistan. A “gender alert” on COVID19 -Afghanistan, conducted by UN women during May 2020, indicates that violence against women and girls (VAWG), particularly domestic violence, has increased during COVID-19. Recent evidence indicates that, all over Afghanistan, violence against women increased significantly. In a survey done by OXFAM, 97% of female respondents said that gender-based violence has already increased since the COVID 19 outbreak started. Afghanistan already sees high levels of domestic violence – 87% of Afghan women reportedly experience at least one form of physical, sexual or psychological violence, during COVID-19. 

Lockdowns and quarantine measures mean that many women are conﬁned with their abusers, with limited options for seeking help and support in a context with increased tensions.   This is particularly true in Afghanistan, where women have already limited access to essential services. Life-saving care and support to (S)GBV survivors may be disrupted when front-line service providers and systems, such as health, policing and social welfare, are overburdened and focused on handling COVID-19 cases. 

Afghanistan is one of the most fragile countries in the world. It is already burdened far beyond its capacity to address major social (health and education) and economic challenges due to insecurity, war and conflict. Afghanistan, a country suffering from armed conflict, is also dealing with structural inequalities, injustice and poverty. The Afghan government, especially the Ministry of Health and health care service providers are therefore extra challenged facing COVID 19. Since the start of COVID 19 crises the confirmed cases reached 27,537 people across all 34 provinces. 546 people have died and 7,660 recovered. (OCHA, 2020) (OCHA, 2020, (S)GBV cases have also been registered during the service delivery by OCHA. Women and girls  face countless problems due to patriarchal norms limiting their movements, access to basic to their basic rights, as freedom of movement, making and sharing their decisions and views at household and community level. Rape, honor killing, forced marriage has registered a big challenge in the war and insecure context of Afghanistan. Talking about sexual violence is a social taboo and survivors of sexual violence often suffer alone and they don’t know that (S)GBV is a common threat in Afghan society due to the lack of debate in society. 

Other worrisome responses provided from health workers were related to lack of knowledge of the prevalence of SGBV in Afghanistan, consequences of SGBV specifically related to HIV/AIDS, and risk factors related to women experiencing and reporting violence. Only 52% of surveyed health workers accurately identified that Afghanistan has specific laws on GBV/IPV . 

Focusing on prevention of and response to sexual violence in emergencies could help in addressing (S)GBV by ensuring broader interventions to cope with COVID 19 crisis in Afghanistan. GBV & (S)GBV are cross cutting issues and interventions on these issues need to be mainstreamed across any development and services delivery interventions.  By addressing GBV & (S)GBV we can help to enhance the protective factors to prevent the cases using coordinated approach. This project will not directly intervene, but ensure people who have experience (S)GBV, will be receiving the relevant information where to go to for support. And COVID 19 intervention teams will use coordinated  approach by not only focusing on WASH interventions, but also informing about the risk of the increase of (S)GBV. By raising awareness with relevant stakeholders, we aim for them to become more sensitive to the subject and take it into account in their interventions. 1)	To build better coordination and linkages between targeted communities and local authorities in dealing with (S)GBV.

2)	 To raise awareness among the ministry of Interior & Health to sensitive police, Afghan citizens & elders of the community, shura and religious leaders and on the action needed to identify and mitigate (S)GBV during COVID-19 and beyond. Direct beneficiary : 15,000 , 3000 per province 
Indirect :15000*5= 75000

The project targets only women in five provinces