Security Council Resolution 1960’s Monitoring, Analysis and Reporting Arrangements (MARA) were created with the aim of contributing to ending impunity for perpetrators of conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV), a goal that the community working to address CRSV has enthusiastically supported. However, preliminary feedback from on-the-ground agencies tasked with MARA data collection and reporting has highlighted the same challenges that have concerned GBV field practitioners for decades: inconsistent terminology across agencies and sectors, which makes data aggregation impossible; safety concerns for survivors and those helping them due to pervasive “bad practice” data collection processes; and ethical concerns related to data collection in the absence of services.

The Gender-Based Violence Information Management System (GBVIMS) was created to address the same challenges that have been revealed in the context of MARA implementation. By providing GBV programme managers with one simple system to manage their data on reported GBV cases, the system can standardize the way in which various types of GBV are categorized and counted, both within and across organizations, removes any identifiable information about the survivor or the service provider, and creates a structure to enable the safe and ethical sharing of these reported GBV incident data alongside service provision.

In order to address current challenges in the use of GBVIMS, the inter-agency GBVIMS team has laid out the following objectives for moving the project forward in 2012:

1. To expand—in terms of size, geographic location, and language skills—the network of professionals qualified to provide training and technical support on the GBVIMS to conflict-affected contexts.
2. To encourage system users’ full utilization of the system (including engaging in appropriate context analysis of GBVIMS-generated data) by increasing the quantity, variety, availability, accessibility and utility of technical assistance resources for GBVIMS users.
3. To facilitate peer-to-peer knowledge exchange, trouble-shooting and general support among GBVIMS users, including by documenting and disseminating best practices and opening platforms for communication exchange by GBVIMS users.
4. To continue to support on- and off-site inter-agency roll-out efforts in conflict-affected contexts, including providing proactive technical guidance and support to conflict-affected countries’ that are implementing the MARA and/or reporting on relevant SCRs that address CRSV.
5. To deepen the UN Action[1] community’s understanding of GBVIMS implementation considerations and usage in conflict-affected contexts through increased advocacy and sensitization on the complexities of safely and ethically collecting GBV data.

The expected results for the project include:

1. A minimum of ten(10) multi-lingual technical specialists trained as trainers to support on-site roll-out efforts in relevant conflict-affected contexts and provide on-going technical support on the use of the GBVIMS and/or guide safe and ethical MARA implementation in line with the guiding principles of the GBVIMS project. Of these trained trainers, a minimum of two (2) will be tasked with providing multi-country support as part of a part-time standby roster.
2. A minimum of three (3) countries tasked with MARA implementation and/or to report on CRSV for the annual Secretary-General’s report to the Security Council provided with lessons learned from the GBVIMS to ensure survivor-centred data management on CRSV.
3. The GBVIMS rolled-out at the inter-agency level in three (3) conflict-affected contexts.
4. A bundled GBVIMS/Caring for Survivors training provided in a minimum of one (1) conflict-affected context.
5. New GBVIMS technical assistance resources developed that either explicitly address CRSV, or make note of any specific considerations for conflict-affected contexts as identified by field-level actors.
6. A minimum of two (2) existing support platforms expanded and/or strengthened to facilitate peer-to-peer knowledge exchange, trouble-shooting and general support among the community of GBVIMS users working in conflict-affected and other humanitarian contexts. Existing platforms include the GBV Area of Responsibility’s Community of Practice, the GBVIMS website (gbvims.org), and the Skype-based help desk.
7. A project evaluation that tracks user satisfaction and uptake rates.
8. On-going support to existing and new GBVIMS users working in a minimum of five (5) conflict-affected contexts, which includes a minimum of one (1) field visit by a GBVIMS-certified consultant to each implementation site to monitor and provide technical assistance to all GBVIMS implementation organizations and GBV/CRSV coordination bodies.

[1] UN Action is an inter-agency initiative comprised of 13 UN entities: UNICEF, UNDP, UNHCR, UN Women, DPKO, UNAIDS, DPA, UNODC, OCHA, OHCHR, WHO, UNFPA and PBSO.