Empowering equality

At RedR Australia, we are empowered by the expertise of our gender and protection specialists. Their careers are dedicated to the pursuit of gender equality often in environments that have a long way to go, but all progress is a step closer to equality.

Dr Irene Dawa is a RedR Australia roster member and highly skilled gender advisor.  She shares, "In my work across Africa, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific, I’ve seen encouraging progress in gender equality, particularly driven by women’s rights organisations (WROs) and women’s-led organisations (WLOs). These groups are at the frontline of crises, ensuring the rights of women, marginalised groups, and LGBTQI communities are upheld."

Irene’s experience has taken her to some of the most challenging contexts where unexpected results have surfaced. She explains, “In Uganda’s refugee settlements, for example, local WROs have helped empower women to take active roles in community dialogues. When I first worked in South Sudan, women attended meetings only as silent observers. Today, in Uganda, women not only sit at the table but raise their voices to speak for themselves. This shift is the result of local initiatives that encourage women and girls to share their perspectives. It shows the impact of community-driven efforts to dismantle barriers and build confidence.”

In this case the crisis is complex, but the methodology is simple- by deploying experts like Irene within her region and partnering with established local organisations we can foster more effective gender equality outcomes.

Across all our work, RedR Australia supports local people. By listening to communities, it is possible to add value to culturally relevant, sustainable prevention and responses.

Gender equality is a cross-cutting issue in the humanitarian, development and disaster management context—Gender Based Violence advisors and gender equality experts are needed in all humanitarian projects. If inclusion is not at the centre of a response, communities suffer, and problems worsen. Crises and conflicts of all kinds can exacerbate the risk of GBV and deepen existing inequalities.

Gender and climate change

Gender-based violence in emergencies specialist and RedR Australia roster member, Caroline, is currently deployed with UNFPA and is responsible for strengthening emergency preparedness and response to gender-based violence in Pacific countries.

Caroline explains that climate change intersects with the incidence of GBV, saying “Climate change contributes to resource scarcity, which exacerbates the risk of GBV for women and girls. Severe flooding, and cyclones regularly affect the Pacific region, and these climate-related hazards are expected to increase as the climate changes. The impacts of disasters are experienced differently by women, girls, boys, and men, and they use distinct coping mechanisms in response. Women are affected more significantly due to gender inequalities and power imbalances in access to resources and information”.

Gender and intersectionality

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Based Violence, and while the impact of gender advisors' work is hard to measure, their contributions are undeniable. Experts like Rifat, a gender advisor at SPC in Fiji, emphasise the importance of recognising the intersectionality of GBV. She explains, "the effects of gender based violence is not the same for all women. A woman living with a disability for example, her suffering is not like a woman who is socially connected or well-educated or a rich woman. So, there are different categories of women with differing needs and vulnerabilities. I can say there is a difference with intersectionality based on race, gender, sex, social status, economic status,".

Achieving gender equality in the workplace, at home, in schools and ultimately all segments of the community requires opening the conversation to everyone.

Including men

Rifat notes the critical need to include men in this discourse and advocacy. She says, “I feel that we teach women what are their rights, but we are not including enough men and youth in this space. It is very essential to engage men and boys and empower them with information, so that they can work on that area, and it will help them to grow their skills on developing better interpersonal relationships with women. And ultimately, it will impact on the whole community.”

By discussing GBV and gender equality with more men and boys, there is an increased chance of shifting social norms.  

She explains further, “women have to deal with their intimate partner. So why not teach that lesson to our men and boys, and the young generation? Because at the end of the day, if anyone's relationship is not good and women become victim to gender based violence, or men can be victim of gender based violence, that's not good for anyone.”

Irene also advocates for the need to recognise the role men and boys play in achieving better gender equality, as well as understanding that men can also be subjected to gender based violence. She explains, “I’ve spoken with male survivors of GBV, who expressed relief at finally being heard. Addressing gender inequality must involve both men and women, as well as people of diverse sexual orientations, to ensure comprehensive support.”

This year’s 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Based Violence campaign focuses on the theme, "UNITE! Invest to prevent violence against women and girls." The campaign urges everyone to show their commitment to ending gender-based violence and calls on governments to share how they are investing in prevention efforts.

Gender equality is essential for building a better and more inclusive world for everyone. The work of gender experts is critical in this ongoing crisis. It is a mountain to climb but one that benefits whole communities.

To find out more about RedR Australia's work to improve Gender equality and eradicate GBV and PSEAH read on- www.redr.org.au/