Strengthen accessibility of life-saving services with integrated GBV  Education activities in Assalaya, Abukarinka and Abujabra localities in East Darfur state. This project presents an opportunity to implement a program that looks keenly into the protection, WASH, and education needs of the women and children in the localities of Al Assalaya, Abujabra, and Abukarinka. The project will be implemented in the targeted localities through an integrated approach that looks at the prevention of GBV as a key element of Education, and education as a fundamental right of the child. This project will ensure that children in the target localities attend and stay in school through innovative community-based mechanisms that are easy to replicate and sustain. GAH will work with state and locality-based structures to prevent GBV and PESA among women and children (girls and boys). Moreover, the action will strengthen the capacity of MOHSW/MOE on case management and referral of GBV cases especially among vulnerable women and of children with specific needs. Basic WASH services have been incorporated into the project in coordination with the WASH sector to ensure access to basic sanitation and hygiene as a fundamental right that will promote the general health, wellbeing, and dignity of the project beneficiaries. GAH will work with community-based protection networks and existing child protection community structures (PTAs, CBCPNs, Women Committees), supporting exciting facilities (Women and Girls Safe Spaces) and integrate education and GBV in both women centers and schools, to establish a tight link between the social workers and surrounding schools and train the Protection Networks and link them with PTAs to complement each other’s efforts. On the other hand, to be able to deliver quality protection services, Community Volunteers, Animators, Social Workers, Services providers, and GAH staff will be trained on protection aspects. The project will also provide in-kind and cash support for the GBV survivors. 

The project aims at establishing 3 CBPNs and building their capacity with the relevant knowledge and skills to undertake protection mitigation response and link the community members with the project staff. The project will ensure the participation and inclusion of the project beneficiaries throughout the project life cycle to provide a community-driven response to the protection, education, and WASH needs of the beneficiaries, and to foster ownership of such response among the community, thus increase the sustainability of the intervention after end of the project.

East Darfur state is one of the major spots for violence according to Sudan HRP 2020 and Voices of Sudan assessment of Key GBV concerns in Sudan. Out of 1.2 million persons in East Darfur, 0.39 million are in need of humanitarian assistance. The common types of violence in the state varies, and listed by most common GBV types in their community, respondents mentioned: domestic violence (36%), economic violence including denial of education (23%), sexual violence (14%), forced marriage (14%), psychological violence (6%), and FGM (5%). According to the multi-Sectorial Needs Assessment (MSNA) March 2012, East Darfur had the highest proportions of households with extreme multi-sectoral needs, at 41% of all non-displaced households. Further, the percentage of households with unmet needs in more than one sector was higher, for a number of sectors, compared to other states in Darfur households were thus more likely to have unmet needs in three or more sectors including Education, protection, and access to WASH services, especially hygiene and sanitation. 
More than one hundred and thirty thousand children are now at risk of not being able to return to school when schools reopen on November 22, 2020 (October 11 for grades 8 and 11 students). Children’s education has al
GBV,  Education, and WASH sectors are working integrally to ensure the safety of women, girls, and boys, that they get better and improved services, and that long-term effective solutions are attained for sustainable access to protection, education, and basic needs.