Self Help Africa’s Work on GBV

Self Help Africa (SHA)  appreciates that GBV in deeply rooted in structural relationships of inequality and the power imbalance that exists between men and women, boys and girls. As such, SHA strives to reduce GBV in their programming with small holder farmers by fostering activities that promote family discussion and mutual understanding of issues such as gender roles and responsibilities, unequal relationships and workloads.

SHA have adopted the Family Life Model (FLM) as an approach to help counteract gender inequality. This is a localised and integrated approach that articulates the relationship between the family aspirations and the necessary resources to meet them. The FLM aims to encourage the family to be an agent of change and transformation in the community and society by challenging traditional notions of gender roles and responsibilities. It strives to ensure that the family makes decisions together, sharing resources and their benefits fairly. SHA’s research has shown that this model helps to ensure greater family harmony and peace in the household between all of its members, creating an environment where decisions are made jointly and there is more equal control over available resources, often leading to a reduction in GBV.63 Prevention is SHA’s core area of concern as they strive to reduce physical, sexual, psychological and economic GBV recognising that every person should have the right to be free from physical, emotional and psychological harm.