SGBV prevention focuses on changing the conditions that allow violence to occur, therefore interrupting existing patters of occurrence or preventing it before it even happens.

Sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) is caused by gender inequality and other social inequalities. Prevention focuses on addressing these root causes through behaviour, attitude, and legal changes to reduce discrimination and address power imbalances.

Communities are central to sustainable prevention and response to SGBV. Meaningful participation, community dialogue and accountability to affected people are essential for building trust, challenging harmful norms and ensuring that prevention and response systems are accessible, acceptable and inclusive.

What do we mean by risk?

SGBV risks are factors that increase the likelihood of SGBV occurring (but are not the root causes). SGBV risks contribute to – but are not the same as – incidents of GBV or forms of GBV (such as sexual violence or intimate partner violence). SGBV risk mitigation refers specifically to actions taken to reduce identified risks.

Especially in the humanitarian sector, there are risks of SGBV linked to the context but also risks linked to the humanitarian response itself - how services and service modalities are conceived. For instance, food distribution organized without proper safety system in place may expose women and children queuing for the delivery of assistance, to risk of harm and harassment.

SGBV risk mitigation can refer to both: using assistance interventions to mitigate SGBV risks associated with the emergency and/or local context; and mitigating SGBV risks posed, or exacerbated by, assistance interventions themselves.

Strong advocacy begins with solid evidence. This page compiles research, data, and reports that document the realities of sexual and gender-based violence in crisis settings - from prevalence and risk factors to the impact of humanitarian interventions.

Strengthening the knowledge and skills of staff, volunteers and leaders on SGBV prevention and response is a strategic priority of the Movement. The 2015 International Conference Resolution calls for expanded capacity building across all levels to ensure that Red Cross and Red Crescent personnel can prevent, mitigate and respond to SGBV in emergencies and protracted crises.

As humanitarians, we must assume that sexual and gender-based violence is always occurring in communities, and that incidents or risks will only increase in crises. We have an obligation to mitigate this risk and to prepare to respond to cases of SGBV in all emergencies.

We must not wait for data before we act, we know that the barriers to disclosing SGBV are so high and increase in emergencies. We must reverse the burden of proof.

Whether you're a volunteer, field staff member, or front-line responder, you may be the first person a survivor reaches out to for help. The resources on this page provide essential guidance for anyone who may receive a disclosure of sexual or gender-based violence.

You don't need to be an SGBV specialist to respond with compassion and care. What matters most is that you understand survivor-centered principles, know how to listen safely, and can connect survivors to appropriate services. These resources will help you respond in a way that respects survivors' dignity, protects their safety, and supports their healing.

A survivor-centred approach places the rights, needs, and wishes of GBV survivors at the heart of all response efforts. This approach recognizes that survivors are the primary decision-makers in their own recovery and that humanitarian actors exist to support—not direct—their choices.

Our work is driven by an understanding that violence, discrimination and exclusion are interlinked.