Women in an Insecure World: Violence against Women – Facts, Figures and Analysis

Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces (DCAF). ISBN 92-9222-028-4. 335pp, 2005.

Contributions from over 60 authors highlight the active role women can have in peacemaking and post-conflict reconstruction. What makes women’s role in combating violence indispensable is that they demonstrate the capability of overcoming the trauma of violent acts, to survive and help in the survival of others, and to contribute actively to building peace. The book provides analytical data and statistics, legal documents and policy recommendations complemented by feature stories and illustrations.

The publication is available from DCAF, Rue de Chantepoulet 11, Case postale 1360, 1211 Geneva 1, Switzerland, for €22. The Executive Summary is available online. See For further information email:

Broken bodies, broken dreams: violence against women exposed

ISBN 9966-7108-0-9. 250pp.

Published by the Integrated Regional Information Networks (IRIN), Broken Bodies offers a powerful testimony of the different types of gender-based violence experienced by women and girls worldwide throughout their lives, through the use of photographs, individual case studies and illustrative text. It costs $30 and comes with a training CD. For further information email:

Clinical management of rape survivors: developing protocols for use with refugees and internally displaced persons

Jointly developed by the World Health Organisation, UNFPA, UNHCR and the International Committee of the Red Cross, the guide has been field tested by a range of humanitarian agencies. Intended for use by qualified healthcare providers, it includes detailed guidance on the clinical management of women, men and children who have been raped. It explains how to perform a thorough physical examination, record the findings and give medical care, including the provision of post-exposure prophylaxis to prevent the transmission of HIV, to someone who has been penetrated in the vagina, anus or mouth by a penis or other object.

UNHCR and UNFPA have trained over 300 medical staff working in GBV programmes in some 20 countries with refugee or other emergency situations on the application of this guidance. Workshops are ongoing and the training modules are available to the people who have been trained, so that they can conduct their own workshop for their colleagues. For more information, contact Wilma Doedens, Humanitarian Response Unit, UNFPA.

Guidelines for Gender-based Violence Interventions in Humanitarian Emergencies: Focusing on Prevention and Response to Sexual Violence

The guidelines were developed by the Inter-Agency Standing Committee’s Taskforce on Gender and Humanitarian Assistance. They detail minimum interventions for prevention and response to sexual violence to be undertaken in the early stages of an emergency. They have been field tested by a large number of agencies. The guidelines are available in English, French, Spanish, Arabic and Bahasa Indonesia. For more information, contact Kate Burns, OCHA , Wilma Doedens, UNFPA or Tanja Sleeuwenhoek, WHO

Gender and Armed Conflict Overview Report

by Amani El Jack. BRIDGE. 2003.

Supporting Resources Collection

by Emma Bell with Lata Narayanaswamy. BRIDGE 2003.

Gender-based Violence: Emerging Issues in Programs Serving Displaced Populations

Reproductive Health for Refugees Consortium, 2002.

Gender-based Violence Tools Manual for Assessment & Program Design, Monitoring & Evaluation in conflict-affected settings

Reproductive Health for Refugees Consortium, 2004.

A Practical Approach to Gender-Based Violence: A Programme Guide for Health Care Providers and Managers

UNFPA, 2001.

Sexual and Gender-based Violence against Refugees, Returnees, and Internally Displaced Persons: Guidelines for Prevention and Response

UNHCR, 2003.

Training of Trainers: Gender-based Violence Focusing on Sexual Exploitation and Abuse

UNICEF, 2002.

The UN Secretary-General’s Study on Violence against Children 2006

The UN Secretary-General’s In-depth Study on Violence against Women 2006

Women are the Fabric: Reproductive Health for Communities in Crisis

UNFPA, 2006.

Women, Girls, Boys and Men, Different Needs – Equal Opportunities: a Gender Handbook for Humanitarian Action

IASC, 2006.

Women, War and Peace. The Independent Experts’ Assessment. Progress of the World’s Women

by Elisabeth Rehn and Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. 2002.

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A more detailed listing of resources on sexual violence is online at: