Gender-Based Violence Research Initiatives in Refugee, Internally Displaced, and Post-Conflict Settings: Lessons Learned

Gender-based violence (GBV) warrants research in any circumstance in which it is perpetrated. Yet, there is a paucity of GBV research published about refugee, internally displaced (IDP) and post-conflict populations. Therefore, this project was designed to identify and analyze GBV studies, with a vi...

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Main Author: Clark, Cari
Format: Working Paper
Language:en_US
Published: Inter-University Committee on International Migration 2015
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/97608
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author Clark, Cari
author_facet Clark, Cari
author_sort Clark, Cari
collection MIT
description Gender-based violence (GBV) warrants research in any circumstance in which it is perpetrated. Yet, there is a paucity of GBV research published about refugee, internally displaced (IDP) and post-conflict populations. Therefore, this project was designed to identify and analyze GBV studies, with a view to the conditions under which they were conducted, their strengths and limitations, and their impact on international and local programming. For these purposes, loosely structured qualitative interviews were conducted with local, international, and UN organization personnel. In addition, focus groups were held with refugee and IDP populations in Azerbaijan, Kosovo, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. The GBV research studies identified during site visits served various purposes including program planning, outreach, and advocacy. Their methodologies ranged from simple ad hoc polling to complex surveys, incorporating quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-method designs. Although the definitions of violence and methodologies varied, preventing comparisons across study sites, the initiatives provide evidence that GBV research is occurring on various scales in refugee, IDP and post-conflict settings. Continued and improved research is much needed, particularly involving local NGOs. Minor adjustments in research design and implementation could greatly enhance the generalizability, validity, and comparability of the findings. One adjustment advocated in this report is the utilization of a standardized questionnaire and research protocol, in order to facilitate the design and implementation of high quality GBV research in multiple refugee, IDP, and post-conflict settings. Online assistance in the form of research guides and a theoretically sound, field-tested sample questionnaire could facilitate the exchange of information and experience. Equally needed is continuing qualitative research. The few initiatives that used a qualitative component were also the most comprehensive and informative, contextualizing the numeric representation of GBV within the service, legal, and cultural context in which GBV is perpetrated and experienced.
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spelling mit-1721.1/976082019-04-09T18:22:36Z Gender-Based Violence Research Initiatives in Refugee, Internally Displaced, and Post-Conflict Settings: Lessons Learned Clark, Cari Gender-based violence (GBV) warrants research in any circumstance in which it is perpetrated. Yet, there is a paucity of GBV research published about refugee, internally displaced (IDP) and post-conflict populations. Therefore, this project was designed to identify and analyze GBV studies, with a view to the conditions under which they were conducted, their strengths and limitations, and their impact on international and local programming. For these purposes, loosely structured qualitative interviews were conducted with local, international, and UN organization personnel. In addition, focus groups were held with refugee and IDP populations in Azerbaijan, Kosovo, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. The GBV research studies identified during site visits served various purposes including program planning, outreach, and advocacy. Their methodologies ranged from simple ad hoc polling to complex surveys, incorporating quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-method designs. Although the definitions of violence and methodologies varied, preventing comparisons across study sites, the initiatives provide evidence that GBV research is occurring on various scales in refugee, IDP and post-conflict settings. Continued and improved research is much needed, particularly involving local NGOs. Minor adjustments in research design and implementation could greatly enhance the generalizability, validity, and comparability of the findings. One adjustment advocated in this report is the utilization of a standardized questionnaire and research protocol, in order to facilitate the design and implementation of high quality GBV research in multiple refugee, IDP, and post-conflict settings. Online assistance in the form of research guides and a theoretically sound, field-tested sample questionnaire could facilitate the exchange of information and experience. Equally needed is continuing qualitative research. The few initiatives that used a qualitative component were also the most comprehensive and informative, contextualizing the numeric representation of GBV within the service, legal, and cultural context in which GBV is perpetrated and experienced. 2015-07-01T15:59:28Z 2015-07-01T15:59:28Z 2003-04 Working Paper http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/97608 en_US Rosemarie Rogers Working Paper Series;17 application/pdf Inter-University Committee on International Migration
spellingShingle Clark, Cari
Gender-Based Violence Research Initiatives in Refugee, Internally Displaced, and Post-Conflict Settings: Lessons Learned
title Gender-Based Violence Research Initiatives in Refugee, Internally Displaced, and Post-Conflict Settings: Lessons Learned
title_full Gender-Based Violence Research Initiatives in Refugee, Internally Displaced, and Post-Conflict Settings: Lessons Learned
title_fullStr Gender-Based Violence Research Initiatives in Refugee, Internally Displaced, and Post-Conflict Settings: Lessons Learned
title_full_unstemmed Gender-Based Violence Research Initiatives in Refugee, Internally Displaced, and Post-Conflict Settings: Lessons Learned
title_short Gender-Based Violence Research Initiatives in Refugee, Internally Displaced, and Post-Conflict Settings: Lessons Learned
title_sort gender based violence research initiatives in refugee internally displaced and post conflict settings lessons learned
url http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/97608
work_keys_str_mv AT clarkcari genderbasedviolenceresearchinitiativesinrefugeeinternallydisplacedandpostconflictsettingslessonslearned