addressing gender-based violence through usaid's health ... - IGWG

Communication for Social
and Behavior Change Programs
Reasons WHY Communication for Social
and Behavior Change (CSBC) programs
should address gender-based violence
“Communication for Social and Behavior Change”
(CSBC) encompasses a range of mass media as well as
interpersonal communication strategies such as radio,
television, community theatre, workshops, magazines,
awareness campaigns, posters, flyers, and pamphlets.
Many health programs have successfully used CSBC
to address other public health issues, and the women’s
movement has a long history of using communication
strategies to address gender-based violence (see
Drezin, 2001 and Drezin and Lloyd-Laney, 2003).
Moreover, because GBV is closely linked to other health
issues, evidence suggests that many existing health
communication campaigns could be more effective
if they integrated attention to GBV into their work,
especially those working in the area of prevention of
unintended pregnancies and HIV transmission. Finally,
communications work is also an important part of other
strategies used to address GBV, including advocacy with
decisionmakers, sensitization and training of providers,
and community mobilization strategies.
HOW Communication for Social
and Behavior Change programs can
address GBV
1) Support activities that aim to reduce the
acceptability of violence and that promote a model of
gender-equitable norms and behaviors. The first step
in reducing levels of gender-based violence is to change
norms and attitudes that encourage or tolerate genderbased
violence in the first place. Communication
strategies can contribute to changing norms and
attitudes on at least three levels:
• At the individual level, CSBC can provide
information, increase awareness, and shift attitudes.
CSBC may also influence behaviors including
Selected reasons why CSBC programs
should address gender-based violence
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Raising awareness and changing attitudes, cultural
and social norms, and behaviors are essential
for preventing and responding to gender-based
violence.
CSBC programs can contribute to improving the
community response to GBV and to developing
support systems to facilitate survivors’ access to
assistance.
CSBC programs could be made more effective by
recognizing that many health focus areas—such
as HIV or family planning—are linked to GBV and
thus should be addressed simultaneously.
CSBC strategies complement other GBV
prevention and response activities by changing
the social environment and raising women’s
awareness of services.
violence by perpetrators (for instance, by promoting
nonviolent men as positive role models); helpseeking
by survivors; and the compassionate response
of family, friends, and service providers.
• At the community level, CSBC can influence the
social and political environment, generate dialogue
and debate, and influence public policy initiatives.
• At the societal or national level, CSBC can influence
the public discourse and the policy environment
nationally and internationally.
2) Support efforts to integrate the issue of GBV into
existing CSBC programs. Many programs already
using CSBC strategies to address issues linked to
gender-based violence, including HIV and family
planning, can incorporate messages and components
on gender-based violence into the program’s overall
activities. Communication programs can also design
campaigns primarily focused on gender-based violence,
such as on sexual coercion among young people,
intimate partner violence, or rape.
Part II-B
Communication for Social and Behavior Change Programs
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