Violence against women and girls resource guide: disaster risk management brief

This brief describes violence against women and girls (VAWG) prevention and response measures to be taken into account in disaster management projects. It also highlights a number of promising practices based on previous experiences with VAWG prevention and response in disaster management projects. As part of the key areas for integrating VAWG in disaster risk management, the brief advocates for building the capacity of disaster response actors at the regional and national levels to identify and integrate VAWG issues into existing risk reduction and emergency response training and manuals.

Women and girls are at far greater risk of experiencing physical and sexual violence in emergency settings. The types of violence against women and girls (VAWG) that are common in emergency settings include rape and other sexual assault, physical assault, psychological and emotional abuse, sexual exploitation, and trafficking. In addition to the direct harm caused by violent acts, VAWG can also prevent women and girls from accessing services or securing shelters/safe spaces during an emergency, further increasing their likelihood of injury or death. It can also impact women’s ability to access aid and other resources during recovery and reconstruction. Therefore, it is vital that disaster management projects include measures to prevent and effectively respond to VAWG.