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Communities Care: Transforming
Lives and Preventing Violence
Mendy Marsh, Child Protection Specialist, GBV in Emergencies, UNICEF New York; Athieng Riak, Child Protection
Officer, UNICEF South Sudan; and Patty Alleman, Senior Advisor, Gender and Development, UNICEF New York
V
iolence against women and girls, also called
gender-based violence (GBV), is a pervasive
problem in societies all over the world – in all
countries, on all continents, among the rich and poor,
in cities and in the countryside. Violence comes in many
forms. Women and girls are often extremely vulnerable to
sexual violence during armed conflict, natural disasters
and during displacement, with harsh tolls on their physi-
cal and mental health and socio-economic wellbeing. It
can also have grave social consequences, such as isolating
families and undermining community cohesion.
Despite wide recognition of the devastating effects of GBV
on survivors, as well as their children, societies often do not
do enough to put a stop to the problem. On the contrary,
many communities have shared beliefs and unspoken rules
that send the message that sexual violence against girls
and women is acceptable. These beliefs have to do with
expectations of how women, men, boys and girls should
behave, who should have power and control in different
situations, and how communities value the lives and well-
being of women and girls and support their rights, needs
and opportunities.
These expectations usually put girls and women at a
disadvantage, leading to discrimination, violence and lack
of justice. Changing these norms and perspectives is a
necessary step to putting a stop to GBV and to ensuring
quality services for survivors that promote healing and
prevent re-victimization.
The programme
Communities Care: Transforming Lives and
Preventing Violence (CC)
1
, developed by the United Nations
Children’s Fund (UNICEF), aims to do just that. Grounded
in the idea that even though armed conflict causes horrific
suffering, the resulting disruption may also create opportuni-
ties for positive changes in social norms.
The process of transforming harmful community norms
is not easy, and requires the dedication and participation
of everyone, from community leaders and teachers, health
workers and students, to law enforcement and parents. All
must work together to build healthier, safer and more peaceful
and prosperous communities in which all enjoy their rights to
live free from violence.
CC programme participant WilliamMadut Mel with his children: “My commitment is to send both my daughters and sons to school, to treat them equally”
Images: UNICEF/Adriane Ohanesian 2015
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