GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE PORTFOLIO PERFORMANCE EVALUATIONTHE IMPLEMENATION EVALUATION (IE)

Funded by USAID's BetterTogether Challenge, the activity used an advocate model to provide support services to Venezuelan migrant survivors of gender-based violence (GBV). The activity's needs assessment proved instrumental in shifting program design from an accountability approach in public spaces to a client-centered initiative to address domestic GBV during the COVID-19 pandemic. WELCOME was successful in reaching Venezuelan migrant women who are survivors of GBV, as well as Cuban and Dominican female survivors and some male survivors. The activity engaged with local organizations to create a referral pathway that provided GBV services, including safe spaces, food assistance, psychosocial support, or employment opportunities, via an advocates' model. However, WELCOME staff faced obstacles in gaining the cooperation of local police officers and hospital staff due to busy schedules, language barriers, COVID-19 restrictions, and weak operating procedures. La Casita advocates' capacity to manage several cases was limited due to their busy schedules and the voluntary nature of their position. After the funding from GenDev and Democracy International ended, WELCOME's existence heavily relies on the ability of La Casita's Director to continue with it. La Casita has faced challenges in procuring additional funds and works at a much smaller scale. Staff had to quickly adapt to include support for male survivors of GBV. The activity design was based on local context and flexible to achieve results on the ground. However, the activity faced challenges in reaching participants they were meant to target, particularly in engaging with local service providers and ensuring wide awareness of and easy access to services. The activity also struggled with achieving sustainability, relying heavily on the Director of La Casita to continue its existence. To address these challenges, recommendations include reassessing the role of advocates and the scope of work required to fulfill their expectations, continuing to encourage and fund initial needs assessment stages, and promoting migrant and non-migrant inclusive engagement in implementation. Future funding schemes for GBV survivor programming need to integrate fundraising support and milestones. Strengthening organizations' local and international networks by promoting the submission of joint funding proposals and equitable partnerships between large organizations and local groups is also crucial. Additionally, avoiding reliance on volunteer time or short-term funded jobs by establishing milestones to help trained individuals be hired by other relevant organizations is essential.