According to the Belem do Pará Convention, violence against women can be understood as any action or conduct that causes death, harm or physical, sexual or psychological suffering to women, both in the public and private spheres.
We know that sexual violence is common and that causes serious short- and long-term physical, mental, sexual and reproductive health problems for women, girls and adolescents around the world and that t it worsened with the Covid-19 pandemic . We also know that violence against women can be prevented because it arises from the education and affective relationships between people.
Building gender equitable communities that are free from SGBV also require engagement with men and boys to prevent Violence Against Women (VAW) and Violence Against Girls (VAG).
Therefore, in addition to reaching women, girls, and gender-diverse people affected by SGBV, local implementing partners are reaching men and boys with concrete strategies to engage them in developing positive attitudes related to gender equality, particularly SGBV. This involves inclusive activities to engage men and boys to accept positive masculinities, challenge traditional gender norms, become equitable partners in SRHR, and become agents of positive change in their communities.
