Meet Dr. Omer Adjibode, Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Advisor for the USAID-funded Integrated Health Services Activity (IHSA) in Benin. The purpose of IHSA is to strengthen local capacity for the delivery of high-impact malaria, family planning, maternal and child health (MCH), and GBV services with strong citizen engagement to reduce maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent girls’ mortality and morbidity.
In his role, Omer is responsible for defining strategies to improve care for GBV survivors. In this issue of Leading Voices, he talks about the virtual One Stop GBV center, an innovative resource for GBV survivors in Benin. According to national legislation in Benin, “GBV includes physical, moral, sexual or psychological violence, female genital mutilation, forced or arranged marriages, "honour" crimes and other practices harmful to women.”
Can you tell us more about how GBV is addressed in Benin? What are the key components of successful strategies or, on the contrary, some areas for improvement?
