Collective Action to Reduce Gender-Based Violence (CARE-GBV) Quarterly Report January 1 – March 31, 2021

The objective of CARE-GBV is to strengthen the gender-based violence (GBV) portfolio across USAID through the development of minimum standards for addressing GBV within USAID, strategic plans, research, training, and professional networking support. CARE-GBV aims to achieve results through innovative approaches that build on the extensive pool of existing resources developed by USAID and Agency implementing partners (IPs), as well as knowledge and resources created by other donors and organizations. The Task Order is centered on strengthening USAID's collective prevention and response in GBV development programming across USAID and addresses five objectives. Objective 1 focuses on developing and disseminating foundational elements (FEs) for integrated and standalone GBV programming in development contexts. Objective 2 aims to strengthen prevention and response programming on harmful GBV practices across different sectors through convening workshops, implementation plans, and learning agenda development. CARE-GBV also focuses on creating knowledge products to strengthen GBV programming, strengthening the USAID GBV community of practice and donor coordination in GBV programming, and applying 'research to practice' through small grants to new, local, and underutilized partners around existing GBV activities. A cross-cutting task supports achieving these objectives by providing a context analysis to understand what promotes and what constrains USAID GBV programming. During this reporting period, CARE-GBV increased its technical capacity through the hiring of consultants to provide additional support related to multiple objectives. Two qualitative assessment specialists were hired to support the data collection and analysis related to the baselines. A strategic communications consultant was hired to develop and define the Activity's communications plan and assist with dissemination of products by identifying and assisting with required USAID clearances. CARE-GBV continued a comprehensive desk review to identify resources to inform the FEs. This review included the development of a template to summarize key findings from each document and the review of more than 230 documents to date. The findings from the desk review are being applied to the content of the FEs to ensure they are informed by the latest evidence and link to existing tools and resources. CARE-GBV began a baseline context analysis to understand what works and what constrains GBV programming within USAID's portfolio, as well as baseline landscape analyses correlating to the CARE-GBV specific objectives as outlined in the approved work plan. To develop the protocol, CARE-GBV gathered input from USAID stakeholders, including Washington-based regional gender advisors, the Contracting Officer's Representative (COR), and the alternate COR. CARE-GBV held the first meeting of the technical advisory group (TAG) of GBV experts to provide expertise on the development and dissemination of the FEs. The TAG is composed of 31 individuals who have significant and diverse expertise in GBV, and who represent more than 25 organizations and 12 countries around the globe. CARE-GBV continued to build out a combined child, early, and forced marriage (CEFM) and female genital mutilation or cutting (FGM/C) map, based on existing databases and feedback from the USAID GBV Working Group. Using ArcGIS online, CARE-GBV developed the first version of an interactive map of most of West Africa, showing CEFM and FGM/C prevalence at the national and district levels and other relevant data. CARE-GBV completed the first how-to note on identifying and fostering equitable social norms. The how-to note leverages the most recent evidence on how norms change, providing brief definitions, outlining clear steps to identify and monitor social norms programming, and offering a worksheet with various resources and tools, so Missions and implementing partners can apply the information. The team also identified topics for the next two notes. The second will be titled How to Use Interactive Maps to Inform Programming on Child, Early, and Forced Marriage and Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting. The second will be about survivor-centered programming. CARE-GBV moved forward with the grants under contract (GUCs) process, which includes the development of a template for the GUCs and the review of the first set of GUCs. The team also began to develop a plan for the GUCs process, including the development of a timeline and a plan for the review and approval of GUCs.