The use of epidemiological tools in conflict-affected populations: open-access educational resources for policy-makers

Table of Contents

1. Welcome
2. Introduction: Epidemiology in crises
3. Ethical issues in data collection
4. Need for epidemiologic competence
5. Surveys - Introduction
6. Surveys - Description of sampling methods
7. Surveys - Sampling error, bias, accuracy, precision, & sample size
8. Surveys - Resources required for surveys
9. Surveys - Critiquing survey reports
10. Surveillance - When to do surveillance
11. Surveillance - Methods
12. Surveillance - Common problems
13. Programme data
14. Rapid assessment
15. Mortality - Indicators and their measurement
16. Mortality - Data sources
17. Mortality - Interpretation and action
18. Nutrition - Introduction and background
19. Nutrition - Indicators and their measurement
20. Nutrition - Data sources
21. Nutrition - Interpretation and action
22. Health services
23. Vaccination programmes
24. Water supply, sanitation, and shelter
25. Violence
    1. Violence in general
    2. Gender-based violence
26. Presentation of results
27. Formulating conclusions and recommendations
28. Dissemination and action

Gender-based violence

(go to Outline)

There is, however, one type of violence for which much more work has been done in the past decade. Gender-based violence has been defined as:

Like other health conditions, gender-based violence is not restricted to conflict-affected populations, but its incidence and severity is exacerbated by emergency conditions. Gender-based violence can be perpetrated by members of warring factions, community members hosting displaced populations, domestic partners, other members of the conflict-affected population, or even the staff humanitarian organizations.

Monitoring the frequency and severity of gender-based violence is difficult. Because some forms may be relatively socially acceptable, such as husbands' violence against wives, humanitarian aid staff may not understand the importance of monitoring. Other forms, such as rape, may be so socially stigmatized that victims refuse to report occurrences.

The following recommendations give advice on the assessment and monitoring of violence against women:

Click here for "Putting Women First: Ethical and Safety Recommendations for Research on Domestic Violence Against Women." WHO 2001.

Click here for "Researching Violence Against Women: A Practical Guide for Researchers and Activists." World Health Organization and PATH 2005.

Click here for "Guidelines for Gender-based Violence Interventions in Humanitarian Settings Focusing on Prevention of and Response to Sexual Violence in Emergencies." IASC Taskforce on Gender in Humanitarian Assistance, 2005.

Gender-based Violence Tools Manual for Assessment and Program Design, Monitoring and Evaluation in Confict-affected Settings. RHRC Consortium 2003. (Click here to go to website.)