GBV violates fundamental human rights and is a major barrier to achieving gender equality. Women, girls, and people with diverse sexual orientations and gender identities are most at risk, and the statistics are staggering. Every 10 minutes, a woman is killed simply because she is a woman. That’s the brutal reality of the world we live in.

The UN has identified violence against women as one of the most severe human rights violations globally. In humanitarian crises, the problem worsens—70 per cent of women in crisis settings experience GBV, compared to 35 per cent worldwide. The evidence is all around us, reflected in the heartbreaking reports of violence from crises unfolding across our screens daily.

Sexual violence is used systematically as a weapon in conflicts all over the world, devastating men, women, children, and LGBTQI+ communities. The impact is compounded by the destruction of critical GBV services and the loss of skilled staff during times of conflict. In Sudan, the need for GBV-related services has skyrocketed – increasing by 100 per cent to 6.7 million people as of December 2023. Internally displaced women and girls face the highest risk, enduring conflict-related sexual violence, sexual exploitation, and abuse.

20 years on from the establishment of the ICGBV in response to the extreme levels of sexual violence faced by women and girls in Darfur, Sudan, it may seem as though little has changed. Yet, there has been progress in shifting GBV policies and practices to recognise survivors as the architects of their own recovery.

The ICGBV’s new report titled “From Survivor-Centred to Survivor-Led: Lessons from Promising Survivor-Led Gender-Based Violence Accountability Initiatives,” highlights valuable lessons from survivor-led efforts in GBV prevention, mitigation, and response.

Welcoming the report, President Michael D. Higgins, ICGBV Patron, advised:

‘This report gives voice to those who have too often been silenced, voices that can make a difference, voices of those who have not only survived violence but have found the strength to lead in the pursuit of justice and healing.’

Survivor-led accountability requires, first and foremost, that the survivor’s dignity is upheld and that they have the resources and skills to lead the process of justice and recovery – if they choose to do so. 

Empowering survivors at every stage is critical, especially considering the profound loss of agency they experience during acts of violence. Research suggests that even well-intentioned survivor-centred approaches can unintentionally de-centre survivors, reinforcing paternalistic systems within humanitarian protection.

True survivor-led approaches shift power dynamics, recognising survivors as the best decision-makers and experts based on their own lived experiences.

President Michael D. Higgins also advises:

‘The transition from survivor-centred approaches to survivor-led action seeks a profound shift in policy and practice — one that places survivors’ agency at the heart of justice efforts. It is a powerful, enduring call for justice, dignity and action, highlighting that those who have endured the deepest wounds must be central to building solutions, shaping policies, and ensuring accountability.’

The ICGBV research emphasises the shift from ‘survivor-centred’ to ‘survivor-led’ accountability, where survivors take the lead as decision-makers and agents of change. Survivor-led approaches build on the foundation of survivor-centred work, providing clearer concepts and unlocking greater potential for transformative impact.

Empowered survivors can advocate for themselves and others, creating a ripple effect that strengthens community resilience and advocacy efforts, influences policy, and ultimately leads to long-term, sustainable, and systemic change.

Collective healing emerged as a key theme in the findings, highlighting the power of peer support in survivor-led approaches to GBV and the transformative potential of movement building —where communities unite to drive change and help survivors overcome barriers to leadership. ‘What might begin as a collective psychosocial healing process can ultimately become a political process’ or ‘therapeutic activism’ – when an act of healing grows into broader reform. Survivor-led approaches also strengthen accountability mechanisms, making services more responsive to survivors’ needs and driving better outcomes, including increased funding opportunities.

However, supporting survivor-led approaches requires dedicated resources. Survivors need access to funding to run their initiatives, including fair compensation for their expertise and time. Advocacy for systemic change is resource-intensive and often takes years. Despite the significant economic cost of GBV—more than double the expenditure on education in many countries—and its long-term impact on future generations, funding for GBV remains critically low, accounting for just 0.69% of total humanitarian aid and less than 1% of Official Development Assistance (ODA).

Flexible, unrestricted, multi-year funding is crucial to support the comprehensive work needed to change the norms, attitudes, and behaviours that drive GBV. Governments, policymakers, practitioners, donors, and researchers must actively provide funding, offer in-kind support, and supply the technical and organisational resources necessary to ensure survivors can access holistic care. It is also essential that they prioritise fair and equal involvement with survivor-led GBV accountability initiatives that are in line with their responsibilities.

As we approach the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, which is considered one of the most progressive blueprints for advancing women’s rights globally, many believe it would not be possible in today’s environment. It is, therefore, timely that we mitigate against the current challenges that affect its implementation and the achievement of gender equality more broadly. Eliminating violence against women is paramount to this agenda,  and the only right path to achieve it is by following the courageous lead of survivors.

Mary Van Lieshout – Co-Chair, ICGBV and Deputy CEO and Director, External Relations, GOAL