Activate Orange-Supportive Health Care Systems.

Gender-based violence (GBV) is well recognized as a human rights violation and a public health problem with legal, social, cultural, economic and psychological dimensions.

The health sector plays an instrumental role in responding to GBV. Survivors need access to comprehensive health services, including urgent medical treatment, emergency contraception, prophylaxis for HIV and sexually transmitted diseases, mental health care, forensic evidence collection, and legal support.

Health care workers are often first responders to GBV-related injuries, and routine screening assures that survivors can get the support they need, including referrals to other essential services. Equally important, health care workers have wide reach into homes and communities and can influence social norms and behaviour change to stop the violence.

Capacity building for healthcare practitioners to ensure they are able to adequately respond and contribute to the minimization of GBV prevalence is a crucial step towards the elimination of GBV in our society.