Providing GBV mitigation and response services to the most vulnerable women and girls in collective sites and those newly displaced (parameters 2 and 3 of the 1st SA) Yemeni women and girls suffer the most in the ongoing crisis. They suffer vulnerabilities arising from different cultural, social, poverty and political factors leading to magnified risks of gender-based violence including domestic violence, sexual violence and exploitation, as well as child marriage. 

Recent trend analyses of gender-based violence indicate increased numbers of women and girls (widows, orphans) engaging in negative coping mechanisms (especially child marriage) and an increase in reported cases of sexual violence, physical and psychological assault. GBV partners have seen an increased demand for GBV services by 36%.

The economic and institutional collapse of government agencies such as the Ministry of Health and Population has translated into scarcity of social and medical care services. The collapse of the legal system and the lack of law and order prevent survivors from seeking protection or legal redress, thus, exacerbating impunity. Further, the conflict has led to widespread displacement, which in turn has dismantled the informal protection mechanisms that women, girls, and other at risk groups used to resort to at community level (e.g. traditional, tribal or religious leaders and extended family members). This means that GBV survivors and at risk groups are now left without any support and only rely on their personal resources to cope with or avoid the violence

In addition, GBV incidents often go unreported because of the social stigma and cultural barriers especially in certain governorates. The identification of key actors providing GBV services, including external referrals (receiving and providing) remains essential for the mapping of referral pathways.

Public services for gender-based violence survivors such as shelter for those requiring protection, psychosocial support and emergency cash support for basic protection are almost non-existent. 

The project will meet the needs of the most vulnerable women and girls in collective sites and those newly displaced. The main aim of the project is to provide access to services to GBV survivors, as well as support mitigation measures for GBV. This runs in line with the strategic objectives relating to providing assistance to those displaced. 

To do so, the project will set up outreach teams providing PFA and referrals, and provide transportation means (buses) to the women and girls in collective sites. It will also conduct safety audits and share with other clusters for GBV mitigation efforts, in line with the IASC guidelines for integrating GBV in humanitarian action. 

For those newly displaced, the project will support safe spaces in areas of expected new displacements. These safe spaces will provide a range of psycho-social support, referral to trained medical personnel in the treatment of GBV survivors, but also some mitigation activities such as those related to livelihoods. Linked to these safe spaces, outreach teams will be deployed to areas of new displaced, as informed by the RRM. These outreach teams will identify most vulnerable women and girls, provide PFA and refer to the safe spaces. Transportation means to the safe spaces will also be provided.

The GBV subcluster is providing the services mapping, including medical, psychosocial and protection services in the catchment areas for the project. The project is not supporting health services, but will support the referral of the most vulnerable women and girls, and GBV survivors, to these services. The project will not use any cash transfer modality. Referral of beneficiaries will be done through the shuttles/buses. Identification of most vulnerable women and girls, and their referral, will be done through the outreach teams of female social workers, recruited and trained through the project. 

While men and boys are not directly targeted by this project, they are not excluded. The transportation services will be available for them to use