The URDR has specialist expertise on gender-based violence, and a particular focus on sexual violence. Research on this issue has been done in the DRC, Rwanda, Burundi, Liberia, Uganda, South Africa, and Colombia. Our critical lens interrogates ways in which local communities, and faith communities in particular, resist but also facilitate GBV, by tracking, analysing and advising on primary prevention interventions involving faith and traditional leaders.
Relevant recent research includes:
• The DFID-funded What Works to Prevent Violence Against Women and Girls Global Programme, where the URDR was research lead on the DRC-based project Engaging with Faith Groups to Prevent Violence Against Women and Girls in Conflict-affected Communities, implemented by Tearfund and HEAL Africa.
• PhotoVOICE 2.0: Harnessing religious women’s agency in responding to VAW and VAC, where the URDR did in-depth research into the ways that the Zambian Mother’s Union (MU) contributes to and resists violence against women and against children.
“Freedom cannot be achieved unless women have been emancipated from all forms of oppression…our endeavours must be about the liberation of the woman, the emancipation of the man and the liberty of the child” – Nelson Mandela