Managing Gender-Based Violence & Harassment

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Managing Gender Based Violence and Harassment risks in the workplace

Gender-based violence and harassment (GBVH) cause serious harm on individuals, with lasting physical, emotional, and psychological consequences. This in turn poses significant social and commercial risks for the private sector, especially in Norfund’s markets, where knowledge and processes for addressing such risks are often limited. A 2018 WHO study revealed that nearly 1 in 3 women worldwide have experienced physical and/or sexual violence by an intimate partner or non-partner. In the wake of COVID-19 and often otherwise, socioeconomic impacts overwhelmingly hit women harder than men, and gender-sensitive measures are essential for narrowing persistent gender gaps. Despite its prevalence, GBVH remains a sensitive and often taboo topic that requires tailored approaches rather than one-size-fits-all solutions.

Recognizing this critical issue, Norfunds Business Support is financing a two-day physical training program on managing GBVH risks in the workplace for a selection of Norfund’s investees. Initiated by British International Investment (BII) and co-funded with Norfund and other Development Finance Institutions (DFIs), including DEG, Proparco, and DFC, this program aims to empower our portfolio companies to prevent and address GBVH effectively, fostering safer workplaces while mitigating risks to productivity, reputation, and survivor well-being. By raising awareness on this topic, employees are empowered to implement best practices and speak up if situations or actions arise. Over a two-year period, Norfund has secured 35 seats for training courses occurring in Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa.

“GBVH is a key risk in our markets and mitigation initiatives are highly sought after in West Africa. Assisting investees in identifying, addressing, and preventing GBVH risks reflects Norfund’s commitment to gender equality as one of our four cross-cutting issues. This strategic approach contributes to broader societal progress and strengthens sustainability of our portfolio companies”

-Mfon Essien, E&S Manager, Norfund

Program content

The trainings are conducted by Social Development Direct (SDD), a leading British consultancy on gender equality and social inclusion. With their strong know-how of pragmatic training, they achieve real implementations in the participants companies. The intended audience of the training is people who assess GBVH risks and/or manage incident response, for instance Human Resources, E&S, or similar functions. This enables them to carry on their insights and implement practices to reduce GBVH risks in their organizations. The content of the training include:

1. An introduction to GBVH and key concepts, including reference to international standards and national legislation
   • Assessing GBVH risks in the workplace – why and how to do this well
   • Incident management and investigations – essential principles and key process to incident management
   • Strengthening GBVH policies and a survivor-centered approach to GBVH
2. Grievance mechanisms – what they are, barriers to reporting and establishing mechanisms that are survivor-centered

Results 2024

2024 marks a successful year of training, having completed cohort 1. Trainings were held in Kenya, India and Ghana with great feedback from 9 participants funded by Norfund. Additionally, several more participants from our portfolio companies participated, but sponsored by other DFIs, that are also co-investors in the participants’ companies. Participants report applying the knowledge from the trainings into their internal policies and personnel inductions, as well as use of the materials and tools in internal trainings. The attendees also bring an increased awareness on the topic back to their workplaces, and this can in turn enhance reporting channels’ effectiveness.

“Changes have already been implemented [in the organization]”

-Norfund-funded participant, Cohort 1, Kenya

SDD conducted evaluations from participants in cohort 1. The feedback showed that all participants agreed or strongly agreed that the concepts were clearly explained, and that examples and exercises were realistic. Furthermore, 100% of participants in Kenya and India, and 94% in Ghana agreed or strongly agreed that the training materials provided are useful. Lastly, 100% in Ghana, 96% in Kenya and 84% in India agreed to a large or very large extent that the training provided knowledge that is actionable within their specific role.

Going forward

Looking ahead, Norfund is committed to expanding the reach and impact of the GBVH training program. For the second cohort, trainers have been confirmed in Bangladesh, South Africa, Indonesia and Cote d’Ivoire. Additionally, in 2025, we are planning to conduct trainings in Senegal as well as repeat trainings in countries such as Kenya and India. These sessions will build on the valuable feedback provided by the first cohort, ensuring that the training content is continuously improved and tailored to meet the specific needs of each region. By incorporating this feedback, we aim to enhance the effectiveness of the training and further empower our investees to manage GBVH risks in the workplace.