🌍 Part of our Humanitarian & NGO Industry Training Series — browse all related courses →
About This Course
Sexual and gender-based violence remains one of the most pervasive and devastating human rights violations in humanitarian emergencies. Conflicts, natural disasters, displacement, and the breakdown of social protection systems dramatically increase survivors' vulnerability, yet many humanitarian organisations still lack the trained personnel and coordinated systems needed to deliver a timely, ethical, and effective response.
This five-day course — Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) in Humanitarian Settings — provides humanitarian professionals with a rigorous, field-applicable grounding in SGBV prevention and response. Drawing on the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) Guidelines, the Sphere Standards, and the UN's Call to Action on Protection from Gender-Based Violence in Emergencies, participants gain both the conceptual framework and the operational tools to act with confidence across all phases of a humanitarian response.
The programme takes a survivor-centred, do-no-harm approach throughout. Participants examine the root causes and risk factors that drive SGBV in crises, map the multi-sector response architecture, and practise the clinical, psychosocial, legal, and protection referral pathways that survivors require. Special attention is given to safe and ethical data collection, community engagement, cash and voucher assistance as a protection tool, and the prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEA) within humanitarian organisations.
With a strong emphasis on practical application, participants leave with skills they can deploy immediately — whether they are designing a SGBV programme, coordinating across the GBV sub-cluster, supervising frontline responders, or integrating SGBV risk mitigation into their sector's own operations.
Who Should Attend
- GBV programme officers and coordinators working in humanitarian or development contexts
- Protection officers and protection cluster/sub-cluster leads
- Health, psychosocial, and mental health practitioners responding to crises
- Case managers and social workers operating in refugee, IDP, or host-community settings
- Humanitarian programme managers overseeing multi-sector emergency responses
- Monitoring, evaluation, accountability, and learning (MEAL) staff responsible for SGBV data
- Policy and advocacy officers working on gender equality and protection mandates
- NGO, UN agency, and government staff integrating SGBV risk mitigation into sectoral programming
Learning Objectives
- Define sexual and gender-based violence and articulate its forms, drivers, and consequences within humanitarian contexts
- Apply the survivor-centred, do-no-harm, and rights-based principles to all stages of SGBV prevention and response
- Navigate the international legal and policy frameworks governing SGBV response, including the IASC GBV Guidelines and Sphere Standards
- Design and implement multi-sector referral pathways covering medical, psychosocial, legal, and protection services
- Conduct safe, ethical SGBV assessments and needs analyses in acute and protracted emergency settings
- Coordinate effectively within the GBV sub-cluster and across health, shelter, WASH, food security, and other sectors
- Apply safe and ethical principles to SGBV data collection, storage, analysis, and information-sharing
- Develop and operationalise SGBV risk-mitigation plans within sectoral programming
- Design community-based prevention initiatives that engage men, boys, women, girls, and marginalised groups
- Strengthen organisational prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEA) systems and accountability mechanisms
Course Modules
Module 1: Understanding SGBV: Definitions, Forms, and the Humanitarian Context
- Defining sexual and gender-based violence: typology and scope
- The gendered power dynamics and social norms that underpin SGBV
- How humanitarian emergencies create and amplify SGBV risk
- Key statistics, patterns, and evidence from conflict and displacement settings
- Intersectionality and heightened vulnerability: age, disability, ethnicity, and displacement status as compounding risk factors
- The continuum of violence: understanding how SGBV manifests across the phases of a humanitarian crisis from onset through recovery
Module 2: International Legal and Policy Frameworks
- International humanitarian law, human rights law, and refugee law as they apply to SGBV
- The IASC GBV Guidelines and the Call to Action on Protection from GBV in Emergencies
- Sphere Standards and the Minimum Initial Service Package (MISP)
- National and regional legal frameworks and their interaction with international obligations
- Accountability mechanisms and monitoring bodies: how treaty bodies, the Universal Periodic Review, and Special Procedures address SGBV in humanitarian contexts
- Gaps, limitations, and contested norms in the application of international frameworks: navigating tensions between legal standards and operational realities
Module 3: Survivor-Centred and Do-No-Harm Approaches
- Core principles: survivor autonomy, confidentiality, safety, and non-discrimination
- Do-no-harm in practice: avoiding re-traumatisation and secondary harm
- Trauma-informed communication and active listening techniques
- Cultural sensitivity and adapting survivor-centred approaches across diverse contexts
- Informed consent throughout the support process: what it means, how it is obtained, and when and how it may be revisited
- Navigating tensions between survivor choice and safeguarding obligations, including when a survivor's decision may place themselves or others at risk
Module 4: Health Sector Response to SGBV
- Clinical management of rape: the MISP and comprehensive care protocols
- Sexually transmitted infections, HIV post-exposure prophylaxis, and reproductive health services
- Documentation of medical evidence in compliance with survivor consent and legal standards
- Strengthening health facility readiness for SGBV in resource-constrained settings
- Management of injuries, pregnancy resulting from sexual violence, and safe abortion care within applicable legal and ethical frameworks
- Training and supporting frontline health workers: competency standards, supervision, and reducing provider burnout in SGBV response
Module 5: Psychosocial Support and Mental Health Response
- Understanding trauma, grief, and the psychological impact of SGBV on survivors
- Psychological First Aid (PFA) as an immediate support tool in humanitarian settings
- Community-based psychosocial programming: group approaches and peer support models
- Referral to specialised mental health services and managing complex trauma presentations
- The layered Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) pyramid: aligning response intensity with survivor need across the acute and recovery phases
- Addressing protective factors and building resilience: integrating social connectedness, livelihoods, and community networks into psychosocial programming
Module 6: Legal, Justice, and Protection Referral Pathways
- Legal aid, documentation support, and access to justice for SGBV survivors
- Designing and mapping multi-sector referral pathways in acute and protracted crises
- Case management principles and confidential file management for survivor cases
- Coordinating protection referrals across GBV, child protection, and legal actors
- Barriers to justice and protection: stigma, insecurity, legal identity gaps, and survivor fear of reprisal, and strategies to reduce them
- Monitoring the quality and timeliness of referral pathway responses and establishing feedback loops to continuously improve survivor outcomes
Module 7: GBV Sub-Cluster Coordination and Inter-Agency Collaboration
- The GBV sub-cluster's mandate, structure, and coordination tools
- Roles and responsibilities of health, WASH, shelter, and food security sectors in GBV risk mitigation
- Information management within the sub-cluster: the GBV Information Management System (GBVIMS)
- Advocacy and resource mobilisation within inter-agency coordination mechanisms
- Engaging national and local civil society organisations and women-led groups as essential partners in GBV sub-cluster coordination
- Transition and handover planning: sustaining GBV coordination gains when international clusters transition to national leadership structures
Module 8: Safe and Ethical SGBV Data Collection and Management
- Principles of safe and ethical data: consent, anonymisation, and minimum necessary data
- Designing safe SGBV assessments and needs analyses in humanitarian settings
- Using the GBVIMS and other data tools: data entry, aggregation, and trend analysis
- Information-sharing protocols and managing data-breach risks in insecure environments
- Digital safety considerations: protecting survivor data when using mobile data collection, cloud storage, and remote communication tools in conflict-affected contexts
- Translating SGBV data into evidence-based advocacy and programme decision-making without compromising survivor confidentiality
Module 9: SGBV Prevention: Community Engagement and Behaviour Change
- Engaging men, boys, and community leaders as agents of prevention
- Designing community-based prevention programmes rooted in social norms analysis
- Safe Spaces and Women and Girls Safe Spaces (WGSS): design, programming, and quality standards
- Monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of SGBV prevention interventions
- Adapting prevention programming to the specific risks of camp, urban, and hard-to-reach displacement settings
- Integrating economic empowerment and education access into SGBV prevention as strategies that address structural drivers of vulnerability
Module 10: Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) and Organisational Accountability
- Understanding SEA: definitions, forms, and the power dynamics of aid worker conduct
- Building and operationalising an organisational PSEA policy and Code of Conduct
- Establishing safe, accessible community-based complaint and feedback mechanisms
- Supporting staff wellbeing, managing vicarious trauma, and sustaining SGBV teams
- Conducting fair, survivor-centred investigations into SEA allegations: roles, confidentiality obligations, and principles of due process
- Strengthening inter-agency PSEA networks: joint referral mechanisms, information-sharing agreements, and collective accountability across the humanitarian system
Requirements & Prerequisites
Participants should have at least one year of experience working in a humanitarian, development, or protection-related role. A basic familiarity with humanitarian response systems — such as the cluster approach or humanitarian programme cycle — is recommended. No prior specialist SGBV training is required, though professionals with existing GBV experience will also benefit from the programme's advanced coordination, data, and programme design modules.
Training Methodology
- Survivor-centred case study analysis drawn from documented humanitarian operations in Sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, and Asia to ground participants in real-world complexity
- Role-play exercises simulating first-disclosure and clinical-intake conversations, enabling participants to practise trauma-informed communication techniques in a safe environment
- Small-group referral pathway mapping using hypothetical camp and urban displacement scenarios, producing practical referral tools participants can adapt for their own contexts
- Facilitated after-action review of real SGBV programme failures and successes, drawing out lessons on coordination gaps, data breaches, and survivor safety
- Interactive PSEA scenario workshops where teams identify organisational vulnerabilities and design corrective accountability measures
- Hands-on data exercise using anonymised SGBV datasets to practise safe aggregation, analysis, and responsible information-sharing protocols
- Guest practitioner sessions featuring experienced GBV coordinators and protection specialists sharing field insights and responding to participant questions
- Reflective journalling and structured peer dialogue to support staff self-care and secondary traumatic stress awareness throughout the programme
Organisational Benefits
- Strengthened organisational capacity to deliver survivor-centred, ethically sound SGBV programmes in the field
- Improved coordination across internal departments and with external GBV sub-cluster partners
- Reduced institutional and reputational risk through robust PSEA policies and safe data management practices
- Higher-quality programme design rooted in internationally recognised standards and evidence-based approaches
- Enhanced staff confidence and resilience when working with survivors of trauma and violence
- Better integration of SGBV risk-mitigation measures across all humanitarian sectors, maximising protection outcomes
- Stronger monitoring and evaluation systems that generate reliable, ethics-compliant SGBV data
- More effective resource mobilisation and proposal writing, supported by a clear understanding of donor expectations and global frameworks
Where Is Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) in Humanitarian Settings Training Offered?
This course runs in-person across: Nairobi, Johannesburg, Kigali, Kampala, Lagos, Abuja, Arusha, Kisumu, Pretoria, Addis Ababa, Naivasha, Nakuru, Cape Town, Zanzibar, Riyadh, Mombasa, Dubai, Dar es Salaam, Accra, plus Live Virtual (online) cohorts. Browse live dates for your city below.
Upcoming Schedules
| Location | Format | Dates | Price |
|---|
| Nairobi, Kenya |
In-Person |
5 Oct 2026 – 9 Oct 2026 |
KES 105,000 |
| Johannesburg, South Africa |
In-Person |
5 Oct 2026 – 9 Oct 2026 |
USD 3,500 |
| Kigali, Rwanda |
In-Person |
12 Oct 2026 – 16 Oct 2026 |
USD 1,900 |
| Kampala, Uganda |
In-Person |
12 Oct 2026 – 16 Oct 2026 |
USD 1,900 |
| Live Virtual |
Online |
17 Oct 2026 – 8 Nov 2026 |
KES 80,000 |
| Lagos, Nigeria |
In-Person |
19 Oct 2026 – 23 Oct 2026 |
USD 2,500 |
| Abuja, Nigeria |
In-Person |
19 Oct 2026 – 23 Oct 2026 |
USD 2,800 |
| Arusha, Tanzania |
In-Person |
19 Oct 2026 – 23 Oct 2026 |
USD 2,100 |
| Kisumu, Kenya |
In-Person |
19 Oct 2026 – 23 Oct 2026 |
KES 120,000 |
| Pretoria, South Africa |
In-Person |
19 Oct 2026 – 23 Oct 2026 |
USD 3,300 |
| Addis Ababa, Ethiopia |
In-Person |
19 Oct 2026 – 23 Oct 2026 |
USD 2,400 |
| Live Virtual |
Online |
19 Oct 2026 – 23 Oct 2026 |
KES 80,000 |
| Naivasha, Kenya |
In-Person |
19 Oct 2026 – 23 Oct 2026 |
KES 115,000 |
| Nakuru, Kenya |
In-Person |
19 Oct 2026 – 23 Oct 2026 |
KES 120,000 |
| Cape Town, South Africa |
In-Person |
26 Oct 2026 – 30 Oct 2026 |
USD 3,800 |
+235 more dates — view live schedule →
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need prior SGBV training to attend this course?
No prior specialist SGBV training is required. The course is designed for humanitarian professionals with general field experience who want to build or deepen their SGBV competencies. Those with existing GBV backgrounds will benefit particularly from the coordination, data management, and organisational PSEA modules.
Will I receive a certificate on completion?
Yes. Participants who attend all five days and complete the practical exercises receive a Certificate of Completion from TrainingComplex. The certificate confirms competency in SGBV prevention and response within humanitarian settings and can be included in professional portfolios and donor-facing staff capacity declarations.
How is the course delivered — is it lecture-based?
The course is highly participatory. While there are facilitated input sessions, the majority of time is spent on case studies, role plays, referral pathway mapping, data exercises, and small-group discussions. Participants are expected to engage actively and will have opportunities to draw on and share their own field experiences.
Is this course appropriate for staff working outside active conflict zones?
Yes. Although examples are drawn from conflict and displacement contexts, the principles, frameworks, and tools covered apply equally to natural disaster responses, refugee and IDP hosting situations, and development programming in fragile or post-crisis settings.
What support is available for the emotional demands of this subject matter?
TrainingComplex takes staff wellbeing seriously. The facilitators integrate structured self-care and secondary traumatic stress awareness sessions throughout the week, and participants are provided with a list of psychological support resources. Facilitators are trained to manage distressing disclosures sensitively and safely.
