Final Evaluation: Building capacity of duty bearers and beneficiaries to improve access to services for women and children survivors of intimate partner violence and non-partner sexual violence and change community’s attitude and behaviour towards violence against women (Viet Nam)

 Location: Viet Nam 

Grantee: Hagar International 

Grant period: 1 October 2019 – 30 September 2022 

Grant amount: USD 491,334 

Authors/editors: Nguyen Thi Huong, Nguyen Thi Le 

Publication year: 2022 

Hagar International implemented the three-year project “Building capacity of duty bearers and beneficiaries to improve access to services for women and children survivors of intimate partner violence and non-partner sexual violence and change community’s attitude and behaviour towards violence against women” in Nghe An and Yen Bai provinces in Viet Nam with the support of the UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women from 2019 to 2022. The project aimed to: 

• address violence against women and children in four communes by improving access to services for survivors; 
• enhance multi-sectoral coordination of services; 
• change community members’ attitudes and behaviour towards gender-based violence; 
• strengthen the capacities of village leaders, women’s union members, commune rapid emergency response teams, and provincial district authorities to provide trauma-sensitive multisectoral support and referral services to survivors of violence; and  
• increase awareness of violence against women and children, national laws and policies, and support services. 

The final evaluation found that the project substantially contributed to reducing rates of violence against women and children from 57.6% to 23% by the end of the project, and improved survivors’ ability to identify and respond to incidents of violence. 

Main findings of the evaluation: 

• All of the male and female peer group members increased their awareness and knowledge of gender-based violence and how to keep women and girls safe, and were economically empowered through livelihood support. 
• 900 survivors of gender-based violence received trauma-sensitive multisectoral support services.  
• 60 village leaders were sensitized to recognize and identify violence against women and children, and had improved ability to provide initial emergency and referral support to survivors.  
• 180 provincial, district and commune officials, including emergency response teams, had increased knowledge and skills to prevent and respond to violence. 
• 79 community members participated in peer group sessions on violence against women and girls, gender equality, national legislation, human rights, trauma care, and how to keep women and girls safe in their communities. Of these, 12 became agents of change.