New York, USA | November 6, 2023
Key Documents
The Emergency Relief Coordinator (ERC) and the Call to Action on Protection from Gender-Based Violence in Emergencies (Call to Action), led by Germany, convened a High-Level Roundtable on 6 November 2023 with IASC Principals, donors, and partners. The meeting focused on strengthening the prioritisation and funding of GBV prevention and response in humanitarian settings, building on commitments made in 2021.
Key Themes and Discussions
Persistent Funding Gaps and Systemic Challenges
Participants emphasised that GBV remains significantly underfunded and under-prioritised across humanitarian responses:
GBV is present in all crises but often not addressed from the outset
Funding shortfalls and underreporting continue to limit effective response
Barriers persist for women-led organisations (WLOs) in accessing funding
Speakers highlighted the urgent need for stronger system-wide prioritisation and strategic action.
Role of Women-Led Organisations
A central focus of the discussion was the role of local and women-led organisations:
WLOs are often the first responders and key providers of services
Significant barriers remain in accessing flexible, multi-year funding
Participants stressed the need for greater inclusion in decision-making processes
Calls were made to improve accountability and ensure that funding reaches local actors effectively.
Strengthening Accountability and Tracking
Participants highlighted the importance of improving systems to track and monitor GBV funding:
Strengthening tools such as the Financial Tracking System (FTS)
Increasing transparency and consistency in reporting
Enhancing accountability across donors and implementing partners
Better data and tracking were identified as essential to improving funding outcomes.
From Commitments to Action
The Roundtable focused on translating political commitments into practical action:
Ensuring GBV is prioritised across humanitarian planning and response
Strengthening partnerships between UN agencies, donors, and local actors
Promoting prevention efforts alongside response
Participants stressed that commitments must be accompanied by concrete implementation and accountability mechanisms.
Key Commitments
A range of organisations and stakeholders made commitments, including:
Increasing funding to local organisations and improving access for WLOs
Expanding multi-year, flexible funding mechanisms
Strengthening GBV integration across sectors and programmes
Enhancing data collection, analysis, and reporting on GBV needs and funding
Several agencies also committed to specific actions, such as increasing funding shares to local actors, conducting targeted analyses, and strengthening partnerships at country level.
Next Steps
Participants agreed to:
Monitor progress on commitments through IASC mechanisms
Continue dialogue between donors, agencies, and local actors
Strengthen accountability and follow-up on agreed actions
Progress will be reviewed at future IASC meetings.
Summary
The 2023 IASC GBV Funding Roundtable highlighted the urgent need to close the gap between commitments and action on GBV in emergencies. While progress has been made, significant challenges remain in funding, prioritisation, and inclusion of local actors. The meeting reinforced the importance of collective action, stronger accountability, and sustained political engagement to ensure effective GBV prevention and response.