IOM engages over 4,800 people during the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence in northern Mozambique

Pemba, 12 December 2022 – As part of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence (GBV) campaign, the International Organization for Migration (IOM), has reached over 4,800 people through Protection and Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) activities in northern Mozambique. Recognizing the importance of promoting resilience and empowerment of women and girls, IOM’s theme for the campaign this year has been #EmpowertoProtect. 

The events started on 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and continued till 10 December, Human Rights Day. The activities included raising awareness through art, group discussions and training in Cabo Delgado and Nampula provinces. 

Women and girls are often disproportionally affected during crises. In northern Mozambique, women and children make up 79 per cent of the population displaced due to the ongoing conflict in the region, which has forced over 945,000 people to internally displace since 2017 (IOM DTM Round 16, June 2022). Being on the move, strained facilities and limited shelter can leave women exposed to unique threats. In this context, IOM has taken concrete steps through the adoption of a comprehensive and multi-layered approach focusing on mitigating the risks of GBV, providing support to survivors, and addressing the root causes, which lie in gender inequalities and disregard for human rights. This has included provision of trainings for staff and external stakeholders to ensure that GBV is understood and mitigated across all areas of intervention; implementation of safety audits together with IOM Camp Coordination and Camp Management (CCCM) teams to identify the risks; provision of community-based protection and MHPSS services, including counselling for GBV survivors and psychoeducation for the caregivers; in-kind protection assistance – and awareness raising sessions aimed at providing information on available services and empower individuals to become agents of change within their communities.  

From 25 November to 10 December 2022, IOM has carried out a wide range of activities targeting displaced and host populations in seven different districts in Cabo Delgado and Nampula provinces, including Displacement Sites. Aimed at raising awareness on GBV and providing communities with a platform to discuss violence and its effects on the communities, IOM community workers, who are trained on GBV, mental health, and protection, engaged with the communities in groups and organized door-to-door information dissemination activities to reach all vulnerable groups.  

Community theatre targeting displaced populations living in the districts of Meconta (Nampula province) and Metuge, Ibo and Montepuez (Cabo Delgado province), have provided over 1,900 people a platform to express themselves through art and creativity while raising awareness on GBV. 

Moreover, recognizing the needs and interests of different groups, IOM has conducted group discussions with already existing women and girls’ groups, men groups, and youth groups in Meconta and Nampula City, in Nampula province, and in Pemba, Ibo, Metuge and Chiure districts, in Cabo Delgado, reaching over 2,700 individuals. The activities have included discussions around GBV, providing participants with a space to learn about the topic, how to access available services in their area, and awareness on the importance of spreading this information within their communities.  

Finally, IOM has been focusing on building capacities on protection, GBV, Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA), root causes of violence, and referral mechanisms to ensure that protection principles and standards are mainstreamed across all areas of intervention. During the 16 Days Campaign, these efforts have included trainings for teams, as well as for the Women, Disability Inclusion and Site committees established by IOM CCCM in displacement sites, aimed towards increasing representation of displaced population in site management and decision-making forums. 

This campaign is made possible thanks to the generous support of USAID's Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA), European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO), Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), the Embassy of Ireland in Mozambique, the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) and the Canadian High Commission.