The risks associated with sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) in urban areas against refugees and asylum-seekers are generally linked to gap in the domestic framework, but also to the harmful traditional practices, especially those that exist within Malian refugee communities.
Many SGBV cases continue to go unreported as the community is not accustomed to reporting SGBV because of traditional, cultural and religious factors. Violence against children in form of early marriages, abuse, exploitation, and neglect is observed against children in urban areas.
Strengthening the economic capacity of households is part of the strategy aimed at reducing the risks of violence against urban refugees. Access to basic services and education for refugee girls and boys will be utilized as a protection tool.
UNHCR will focus on protecting refugee children, people living with disabilities, involvement of men and boys in SGBV prevention and response activities, access to domestic energy, eradication of the practice of survival sex as a means of coping with the situation of displacement by some refugees, and the promotion of LGBTI protection principles.
Capacity-building for the Ministry of Population and Child Protection is aimed at preparing the ministry to include refugees in its priority activities. UN agencies with development mandates, like UNFPA and UNICEF, will be increasingly involved from 2018-2020 to prepare for the integration of refugees into their national programmes.
To this end, the referral system for survivors of SGBV should be strengthened by UNHCR in the host community in line with the level of service provided in the various regions and communities, Particularly areas of focus include prevention; medical response; psychosocial, and economic reintegration; legal, judicial and security activities.