The World Health Organization and UN Women’s RESPECT Women: Preventing Violence against Women framework highlights that good-quality services that are delivered in ways that respect women and their rights can reduce risk factors for violence against women and girls (VAWG) and support factors that protect against VAWG, and that such services can also assist in the early identification of violence and reduce its reoccurrence. This synthesis review contributes to this focus on service provision but explores it through the lens of civil society organizations (CSOs), learning from 11 projects implemented by 8 CSOs that received funding from the UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women (UN Trust Fund). In each of the projects, ensuring the delivery of one or more services to survivors was the main focus of the programming.
Drawing out some cross-cutting best practices, challenges and lessons from practice shared from CSOs' projects that focused on ensuring that survivors of VAWG receive the services they need, as well as the experiences of these eight civil society organizations in different countries and territories, the review:
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showcases that CSOs providing services to survivors view VAWG prevention and response as inextricably linked and mutually reinforcing;
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highlights the leading role that CSOs play in unpacking and guiding what it means to be survivor-centred in VAWG prevention programming; and
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provides practical tips and recommendations for practitioners, researchers and for donors.
This review is part of a Prevention Series.
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