sexual violence, is a serious, life-threatening protection issue primarily affecting women and children. It is well documented that GBV is a widespread inter- national public health and human rights issue, and that adequate, appropriate, and comprehensive prevention and response are inadequate in most countries worldwide. Gender-based violence is especially problematic in the context of complex emergencies and natural disasters, where civilian women and children are often targeted for abuse, and are the most vulnerable to exploitation, violence, and abuse simply because of their gender, age, and status in society.
The primary purpose of these guidelines is to enable humanitarian actors and communities to plan, establish, and coordinate a set of minimum multisectoral interventions to prevent and respond to sexual violence during the early phase of an emergency.
