Information Sharing

1. Information Sharing

2. Overview • Inquiries into sexual violence incidents are extremely sensitive. • Collecting and sharing information on GBV can be dangerous, even life threatening to survivors, communities, and those involved in collecting the information. • There are many ethical and safety issues that must be considered and planned for in advance.

3. Why Share Information? To improve GBV programming by: • Strengthening inter-agency coordination • Facilitating referral mechanisms • Improving communication/feedback between GBV actors • Informing decisions • Understanding gaps and where there may be duplication of services for improved response • Enhancing, coordinating with and broadening the target audience for prevention programming • Managing GBV information in an effective, ethical, safe and coordinated way for all stakeholders working on prevention and response to GBV. • Informing advocacy and fundraising efforts

4. Considerations for GBV Info Management • At every stage of the data management process (collection, storage, sharing and analysis), actors must carefully consider the following: • how the information will be used • who will see it • how the information will be reported and to whom • for what purposes will it be reported • who will benefit from it and when • possible risks and risk minimization

5. Reference Guide • Read: WHO Ethical and safety recommendations for researching, documenting and monitoring sexual violence in emergencies • The following slides outline 8 essential Ethical and Safety considerations outlined in this publication.

6. 8 Ethical & Safety Recommendations • The benefits to respondents or communities of documenting GBV must be greater than the risks to respondents and communities. • Information gathering and documentation must be done in a manner that presents the least risk to respondents, is methodologically sound, and builds on current experience and good practice.

7. 8 Ethical & Safety Recommendations (continued) • Basic care and support for survivors/victims must be available locally before commencing any activity that may involve individuals disclosing information about their experiences of sexual violence. • The safety and security of all those involved in information gathering about sexual violence is of paramount concern and should be continuously monitored. • The confidentiality of individuals who provide information about sexual violence must be protected at all times.

8. 8 Ethical & Safety Recommendations (continued) • Anyone providing information about sexual violence must give informed consent before participating in the data gathering activity. • All members of the data collection team must be carefully selected and receive relevant and sufficient specialized training and support. • Additional safeguards must be put into place if children (i.e. those under 18 years) are to be the subject of information gathering.

9. Questions to Consider • What is the purpose of the proposed data collection activity? • How likely is it that the data collection and analysis will achieve the intended purpose? • What are the likely risks to survivors, their families, supporters, and communities? • What are the likely risks to those involved in the proposed data collection activity? • How can the above risks be minimized? • Will this population benefit directly from the end result?

10. Info-sharing protocols • Determine the purpose and expected outcomes for sharing information • Decide what information is to be shared and how/to whom (information flow chain) • Clarify the roles and responsibilities for all actors involved (those sharing, those compiling, those analyzing) Please see the sample Information Sharing protocol in your Workbook

11. Info-sharing protocols (continued) • Agree on how submitted and compiled data is stored, analyzed and used once compiled (and how it will not be used) • Ensure confidentiality measures are taken at every step – to protect the individuals who have experienced and reported GBV, and the organizations documenting their cases • Determine how consent from GBV survivors is obtained for all data to be shared

12. Questions, Comments