Burundians Responding Against Violence & Inequality (BRAVI) QUARTERLY REPORT/PROGRESS REPORT January 1st- March 31st 2016

The project was awarded to EngenderHealth by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in September 2014. The main objectives of the project are to strengthen the health sector response, promote awareness and use of SGBV services, and promote gender-equitable norms in the community to prevent SGBV and support survivors. During the reporting period from January to March 2016, the BRAVI project implemented activities under the three specific Intermediate Results (IRs) cited above. The main achievement of this quarter under IR 1, health sector response strengthening, is the development of a training guide on SGBV response in the clinical setting. The guide was developed through a participatory process involving the Ministry of Health (MOH) and other stakeholders intervening in SGBV responses. Under IR2, BRAVI continued to support SGBV coordination meetings at the national, provincial, and communal levels. The Technical Working Group (TWG) action plan for 2016 was developed and validated, and meetings were regularly organized. At the provincial and communal levels, BRAVI project supported Centers of Family and Community Development (CDFC) to organize coordination meetings of SGBV stakeholders to discuss topics such as reporting and referral systems, collaboration between stakeholders, and existing SGBV services in health facilities. With regards to IR 3, promoting gender-equitable norms in the community, the BRAVI project trained 12 facilitators, including 4 women and 8 men, for 5 days on the Men As Partners (MAP) Approach to build their capacity to conduct MAP workshops in communities where BRAVI operates. Eight facilitators were from local NGOs involved in SGBV prevention. In addition, BRAVI trained 49 men in the first two-day session using the MAP Manual in the Kiremba commune. The training aimed to provide participants with space to reflect on their personal attitudes related to gender and the ways in which they may contribute to perpetuating gender-inequitable norms in their personal lives. The implementation of the BRAVI project faced several challenges, including activities at the central level being on standby due to the Ministry of Human Rights, Social Affairs, and Gender (MDPHASG) not having the required funds for the evaluation of the SGBV national strategy and the development of the updated version of the SGBV national tool for data collection. Security issues also prevented BRAVI from organizing some activities, such as health capacity building and coordination meetings. Other challenges were related to healthcare availability and quality in religious health centers and lack of community SGBV knowledge. The BRAVI project has made significant progress in strengthening the health sector response to SGBV survivors. The development of a training guide on SGBV response in the clinical setting is a major achievement, and the project has also supported SGBV coordination meetings at various levels. The training of facilitators on the Men As Partners Approach is also a significant step towards promoting gender-equitable norms in the community. However, the project faces several challenges that need to be addressed to ensure its success. The BRAVI project has developed a training package for SGBV service provision that includes a facilitator guide, standardized clinic forms, a comprehensive algorithm, and job aids. The guide was reviewed by partners experienced in trainings and involved in SGBV responses, and feedback was incorporated to improve the guide. The project has also organized a technical review workshop to analyze the complementarity and conformity of the guide to the existing government training manual. The BRAVI project has also focused on building the capacity of its staff, including the Finance and Administrative Officer, who was trained in QuickBooks and other financial protocols. The Senior Country Manager participated in the EngenderHealth Program Managers Meeting in the Philippines. The project has also ensured its participation in different partner meetings, including donor and other stakeholder meetings. Overall, the BRAVI project has made significant progress in improving SGBV prevention and response efforts in Burundi. However, the project faces several challenges that need to be addressed to ensure its success.