The Inter-Agency Standing Committee, a UN body that brings together UN and non-UN agencies to formulate humanitarian policy, published "Guidelines for Gender-based Violence Interventions in Humanitarian Settings - Focusing on Prevention of and Response to Sexual Violence in Emergencies." Academic institutions, NGOs and UN agencies collaborated to establish an appropriate response to the use of sexual violence as a tool of war. The guidelines that they created address prevention and intervention of sexual violence as well as practical recommendations for treating victims of the sexual violence and ensuring their safety. The guidelines are broken down into specific tasks and are offered as a tool for humanitarian organizations working at local, national and international levels. Included among the guidelines are recommendations that address food security and nutrition, safe shelter and health care. Other guidelines focus on the need for coordination mechanisms, "rapid situation analysis" and security strategies. These guidelines "will be field-tested in 2005-2006," and then a final version will be released in 2006.
Compiled from:
"Guidelines for Gender-based Violence Interventions in Humanitarian Settings - Focusing on Prevention of and Response to Sexual Violence in Emergencies," Inter-Agency Standing Committee, September 2005.