Mombasa, Kenya – According to the World Health Organization, one in three women and girls worldwide will experience gender-based violence (GBV) during their lifetime^[1]. The vulnerability to GBV is even higher for migrants, particularly along irregular or perilous migration routes suspectable to conflict and insecurity.

Within this context, IOM, through the Better Migration Management (BMM) Programme, funded by the European Union (EU) and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), hosted a 3-day Regional Training of Trainers (ToT) in Mombasa County, Kenya, from March 11 to 13, 2024.

The training equipped frontline civil society and government protection actors with essential knowledge of GBV risk mitigation, prevention, and response strategies. It aimed to strengthen the region's response mechanisms and foster a safer, more supportive environment for vulnerable migrants.

By bringing together 17 diverse stakeholders from Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, and Uganda, including those supporting migrants affected by the Sudan crisis, the session created a cohort of trainers capable of disseminating knowledge gained within their institutions, adapted to country specific contexts and in line with international standards and principles.

In her remarks, Ms Sofia Karim, the BMM Deputy Regional Programme Manager, underscored the severity of the issue, stating, “Globally, approximately 736 million individuals endure physical or sexual violence from an intimate partner or non-partner—a statistic that, sadly, has shown little improvement over the past decade.” She further emphasized that GBV is exacerbated during crises and poses a threat to individuals affected by crises worldwide.

Ms Karim provided context specific to the region, highlighting findings from IOM that reveal the vulnerability profile of individuals entering South Sudan from Sudan. These include single women, female-headed households, child-headed households, unaccompanied and separated children, the elderly, victims of trafficking, as well as individuals who have been wounded or have witnessed conflict-related sexual violence, exploitation, and abuse, among other challenges.

Moving forward, IOM remains committed to supporting protection actors and governments in their efforts through knowledge-sharing and capacity-building initiatives for sustained progress in supporting migrants vulnerable to GBV along migration routes in the East and Horn of Africa, paving the way for safer and more secure migration journeys for all.

The BMM Programme is financed by the EU and BMZ. Its objective is to improve the safe, orderly, and regular management of migration within and from the Horn of Africa region by applying a human rights-based approach. The programme is implemented by British Council, CIVIPOL, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, IOM, and UNODC in Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, and Uganda.

For further information and enquiries, please contact:

Sofia Karim, Deputy Regional Programme Manager, IOM Regional Office for East and Horn of Africa, Email: sokarim@iom.int