Executive Short Course - Addressing Sexual Violence in Conflict and Emergency Settings

The overall objective of this executive short course is to provide humanitarian mid-level and senior managers with the knowledge, competencies, and skills required to conceive and operationalise a multidisciplinary approach in sexual violence prevention and response. This is both adapted to conflict and emergency settings and as an integral part of humanitarian operations.

The course offers to deepen participants’ understanding of sexual violence, its root causes and contributing factors, and its impact on individuals and communities with a particular focus on the East Africa region. The content adopts a survivor-centred and comprehensive approach to the core principles, challenges, and practices by exploring multi-sectoral responses, including health, mental health and psycho-social support, and justice.

Participants will be able to conceive safe and ethical interventions centred on victims/survivors’ rights, needs, and wishes, and will be competent to prevent and mitigate risks of sexual violence.

This residential course session in Entebbe focuses on East Africa and targets participants based or working in the region.

Read our blog with Laura Pasquero to find out more about the course.

Objectives of the course

The overall objective of the course is to provide mid-level and senior humanitarian managers working in East Africa or with populations from the region the knowledge, competencies and skills required to conceive multidisciplinary survivor-centered interventions in the field of sexual violence prevention and response, both adapted to specific contexts and as an integral part of humanitarian operations.

This course focuses on the East Africa region and will provide participants with an overview of the context and a deeper understanding of programmes and approaches to sexual violence prevention and response. At the end of the course, participants will be able to:

• Deepen their understanding of sexual violence, its root causes and contributing factors, and its impacts on individuals and communities
• Comprehend the core principles, challenges and promising practices of a survivor-centred approach to health, MHPSS, justice and other multi-sectoral responses across the region
• Conceive safe and ethical interventions centered on victims/survivors’ rights, needs and wishes, and competent to prevent and mitigate risks of sexual violence

Workload

Around 50 hours of work during the week, including

1. Synchronous live sessions
2. Individual and group work: videos, readings

Thematic structure of the course

The course includes the following sessions:

• Core concepts, causes and introduction to a survivor-centred approach
• Survivor voices and networks
• Ethics and methods of data collection
• Sexual violence against men and boys
• Access to medical care
• Pregnancy as a result of rape
• Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS)
• Access to justice
• Prevention and risk mitigation
• Programme design

Audience

• Mid-level and senior humanitarian managers currently working directly with victims/survivors of sexual violence, or providing technical advice to or supervision of such programmes.
• The content of the course focusses on the East African region, thus those working in or with populations from East Africa will be prioritised.
• Other participants with relevant experience and expertise may be accepted if space is available.

Distance Learning Requirements

• Broadband/high speed connection - 2.5 Mbps minimum
• Please note that a PC/laptop/tablet is preferred to access most weekly content and activities
• Microphone and webcam

How to register

Admission requirements

1. A Bachelor’s degree or equivalent from a Swiss or foreign university;
2. At least two years of relevant professional experience;
3. Excellent command of English (see below)

Documents required

• CV (Resume)
• Cover letter (explaining what is the reason why you apply for this course and how will the acquired skills help you in your career)
• Employer’s funding agreement, if applicable
• Highest educational qualification obtained
• Work certificate or official document of your current job position
• Proof of English language competence to be dated less than 2 years (see details below)
• Portrait photo (ID format)
• Scanned copy of the passport

Language Requirements

The minimum required English level is B2. Providing a language certificate is mandatory, except in the following cases:

1. If you are a native English speaker, please provide a copy of your passport as proof.
2. You have been studying in English for at least three years: please provide a certificate from your institution, your transcript or your diploma.
3. If you have worked for at least five years in English with MSF or ICRC, please provide a copy of the English test you have undertaken internally with your employer.

Recognized Tests and Scores

• Cambridge English First (FCE) 160-179
• Cambridge English Preliminary (PET) 160-170
• B2 Business Vantage
• IELTS 5.5-6
• TOEFL iBT 72-94
• TOEIC Listening & Reading 785
• TOEIC Speaking & Writing 310
• PTE Geneval Level 3
• PTE Academic 59-75
• Duolingo : 110
• EF SET (CEFR) : B2

More information about the admission process is available on ourapplication page.