Early in her career, when volunteering in a program to resettle internally displaced people (IDPs) in Kenya, RedR Australia roster member Pauline learnt a valuable lesson.
“There is something special with women—you need to sit with them for them to open up, and be able to be helped,” said Pauline.
Setting up safe groups for women and girls, Pauline opened her mind and ears to their stories.
“Having sat with women for a very long time during our group discussions, I realised that women have got a lot they go through,” said Pauline. “Some of them just keep quiet—they suffer silently. They're unable to talk.”
“So creating safe spaces for women and girls is key. Because when women are alone, they are able to express themselves. But when they are in groups where there are also men, women will never talk.”
Responding to the humanitarian crisis in northern Ethiopia
In recent years, conflict in northern Ethiopia has sparked a humanitarian crisis. According to the United Nations, more than 21 million people in Ethiopia need humanitarian assistance, including more than 15 million who require food support. There are more than 4 million internally displaced people in the region, while Ethiopia is also host to nearly 1 million refugees from neighbouring countries.
“Initially, the humanitarian crisis was very dire. But late last year, when there was an agreement signing, things subsided. But in this situation, you find people have been displaced from their homes and they are now IDPs [living] in schools,” said Pauline.
Recently deployed by RedR Australia to Ethiopia with global non-profit organisation FHI 360, Pauline oversaw the organisation’s protection team in northern Ethiopia. Pauline supported a wide range of activities aimed at responding to and preventing GBV with her team of 20 staff and more than 100 volunteers.
Providing holistic care for women and girls
FHI 360 is dedicated to improving lives in lasting ways by delivering programs in more than 60 countries around the world,
As a roving protection coordinator for FHI 360 in Ethiopia, Pauline’s work focused on coordinating activities to prevent and respond to GBV. Pauline explains that humanitarians are providing services to IDPs living in schools and small cities, with FHI 360 working closely with the government to provide integrated health, WASH (water, health and sanitation), nutrition and protection services to the affected populations.
“FHI 360 provides GBV response services at one-stop centers (OSC) that are established by the government,” explains Pauline.
In the one-stop center, women and girls affected by GBV benefit from a holistic approach—they can access all the services they need.
“This includes health care, legal services, mental health and psychosocial support, and security—that is police in case of security concerns,” said Pauline.
Survivors of GBV can also access specialised healthcare, such as clinical management of rape (CMR), emergency cash support, dignity kit support and referrals to additional services.
“Under one roof, we have all those services. So when a survivor comes, she's able to access all services based on her needs and choices. We use a survivor-centered approach, so it's up to the survivor to tell us how she wants us to support her.”
FHI 360 also provides support by training frontline health workers on basic GBV principles, safeguarding, prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse, and safe referrals.
Central to Pauline’s role in localisation, is working with women-led organisations, youth groups, local leaders, religious leaders and UNFPA to ensure survivors know where they can get help.
“We work very closely with community groups. So, my role is mainly coordination, ensuring the trainings are done with the right people and the [referral] information is passed on. We are also targeting the local NGOs and building their capacities for them to take over [when FHI360 finishes their program],” explained Pauline.
Engaging with men and boys to challenge to change harmful gender norms
After decades of experience in addressing GBV, Pauline has seen many approaches. And one stands out for her.
“The most important thing is the engagement of men and boys in GBV prevention,” said Pauline emphatically.
Pauline has seen that we must engage men and boys and explain to them the effects of GBV.
“They must understand the effect on not only to the women harmed, but to children in their household, their neighborhood, and their entire community and their country. You really need to show that ecological framework of how GBV is affecting an individual, the family, the community and the society, so that they can change their behavior.”
While Pauline has also seen the importance of economically empowering women, she asserts that change in men and boys must happen.
“If we say we are working with women alone, and even if we economically empower the women...if you empower the women and the man is not involved, that woman will not be safe in that house with her money.
“So we need to bring the men closer when we are working with the GBV interventions.”
“I always look at the team like coordinating your own family in the house”
Coming into the role earlier this year, Pauline was faced with various challenges in managing the protection team. Drawing on her experiences in facilitation, and working in different countries and contexts, Pauline was able to create a positive environment with the team.
“I was able to bring the staff together,” said Pauline. “Through my experience in other areas, bringing teams together was a key thing that I took into Ethiopia.”
“When I get a new team, I bring them together as a family. And above all, I just also say that I'm a mother. I always look at the team as coordinating your own family in the house.”
Pauline also stressed the importance of partnership.
“I've learned you cannot work alone—as an organisation or as an individual. You need other people to support and have team synergy. The partnership strategy has really helped; being able to bring together different stakeholders for coordinated service delivery,” said Pauline.
“We are working together with other partners very well. UN agencies such as UNFPA, UNHCR and UNICEF; INGOs; local partners; and government bureaus, especially the Bureau of Women and Children Affairs (BOWCSA), who have awarded the FHI 360 protection sector numerous certificates of recognition in different field sites for their outstanding implementation of protection interventions. And that's key—the partnership aspect.”
Pauline is also grateful to RedR Australia for their support during her deployment.
“I really appreciate the way RedR is organised and the way it does its things in a very professional way,” said Pauline.
“The coordination, the care for staff—it makes one remain motivated and committed to work.”
Learn more about the work of RedR Australia’s roster members.
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