Protection is about advocating for and protecting the rights of people in need of protection: children, refugees, civilians in armed conflict, survivors of natural disasters, and other vulnerable populations. In humanitarian and crisis settings, Protection takes on many forms. Protection is the key concern in most humanitarian crises and is a sector-wide responsibility. Protection is perhaps the most important issue for people with diverse sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions, and sex characteristics (SOGIESC) because they are often at risk of increased violence, discrimination and harassment during humanitarian crises.
Gender-based violence is one of the most well-known focuses of Protection work. Gender-based violence (GBV) is most often discussed within a heteronormative framing. This means that there is an assumption that GBV is perpetrated by (heterosexual) men against (heterosexual) women. While the majority of instances of GBV may in fit into this framing, people with diverse SOGIESC experience high rates of violence and discrimination. Violence perpetrated against this community is GBV: the perpetrator is motivated by biases against or hatred for people with diverse sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions, and/or sex characteristics. GBV often increases in the wake of humanitarian disasters and crises, and it is a sectoral imperative to prevent and respond to GBV and all Protection issues.
The resources available in the Protection category have a GBV focus, and cover an array of topics including: the increased risks of GBV faced by LBTQ women; GBV against trans and gender diverse communities following environmental disasters; the realities of GBV for displaced people and/or refugees with diverse SOGIE in urban refugee settings; and the relationship between gender stereotypes, discrimination, and unaccompanied men and boy refugees. Some of the resources available in this section contain descriptions of GBV and GBV-supportive attitudes.
These resources have been compiled to enable humanitarian practitioners to better understand the specific Protection needs of people with diverse SOGIESC, and to enable practitioners to better protect all people affected by humanitarian crises.
