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Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Helpdesk

The Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Helpdesk was a research and advice service for the Department for International Development (DFID) and all other UK Government departments.
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The VAWG Helpdesk closed in July 2020.  We are now running a new helpdesk Ending Violence against Women and Children Helpdesk which is part of the What Works to Prevent Violence against Women and Girls programme.

The Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Helpdesk was a research and advice service for the Department for International Development (DFID) and all other UK Government departments. The Helpdesk was run by a SDDirect-led consortium that included ActionAid, International Rescue Committee (IRC), Womankind Worldwide, and the Institute of Development Studies (IDS).

The VAWG Helpdesk offered:

  • VAWG Query Service - Rapid desk research, analysis and advice for DFID staff and other government departments. The Helpdesk was staffed by experienced senior researchers who provided high quality written reports on a wide range of VAWG issues to queries raised by DFID and UK Government policy advisers and programme staff. 
  • Short Term Country Assignments - To support DFID country offices on design, implementation, review and evaluation of VAWG programmes. We maintained a roster of senior VAWG experts - both international and national - to give ‘hands on’ advice on VAWG programming in DFID focus countries.  Individual experts and teams were fielded in response to country office Terms of Reference on wide ranging VAWG topics. The Helpdesk team was experienced in supporting in-country staff and we often mobilised at short notice.

The VAWG Helpdesk produced:

  • In-depth publically available Guidance Notes on best practice in VAWG programming and policy engagement. Topics included: Addressing VAWG through security and justice programming; Addressing VAWG in education programming; Addressing VAWG through economic development and women’s economic empowerment programmes; Addressing VAWG through health programming; and Shifting Social Norms to tackle VAWG.
  • A quarterly publically available Evidence Digest on the latest evidence in the field of violence against women and girls - this invaluable resource provided DFID advisors, programme staff, and development practitioners with a manageable summary of the latest research, policy and news, and DFID programme updates on VAWG. 

The Helpdesk offered expertise in core areas including:

  • VAWG in conflict-affected, humanitarian and development settings
  • Holistic and cross-sector approaches to VAWG – including health, education and WASH
  • Access to justice and security and protection for women and girls
  • Community based approaches and social norm change
  • Advocacy and political mobilisation, including strengthening women’s and youth organisations
  • Economic analysis and value-for-money assessments
  • Situational analysis and research (quantitative and qualitative)
  • Programming guidance and best practice reviews
  • Monitoring and evaluation of VAWG programmes
  • Training on VAWG
Area of work this relates to

Staff working on this project