SAFETY FIRST: HOW TO LEVERAGE SOCIAL SAFETY NETS TO PREVENT GENDER BASED VIOLENCE

Gender-based violence (GBV) has substantial individual and collective costs that disproportionately affect poorer women and girls and can constrain the impact of social programs. Globally, GBV is a drain on human capital development, poverty reduction, and growth. GBV also undermines the core objectives of social safety nets (SSNs) by eroding human capital, productivity, and well-being, as well as by increasing women and children’s vulnerability. The objective of this note is to provide operational guidance on how to optimize SSN program design and implementation to prevent GBV and empower women.