World Bank announces awards for innovations against gender based violence

The World Bank Group and the Sexual Violence Research Initiative (SVRI) today announced a new open call for awards recognizing promising innovations aimed at preventing and responding to gender-based violence.

The World Bank Group and the Sexual Violence Research Initiative (SVRI) today announced a new open call for awards recognizing promising innovations aimed at preventing and responding to gender-based violence. Applications for the Development Marketplace for Innovation in Addressing Gender-Based Violence must be received online by September 5, 2018.

SVRI and the World Bank Group will disburse more than US$1 million to advance evidence-based interventions to prevent and respond to gender-based violence (GBV) in low- and middle-income countries. An expert panel will select winners engaged in research, interventions, or other activities related to GBV prevention and response based on overall merit, research/project design and methods, significance, project manager/team, and ethical considerations. This year, the Call for Proposals includes the private sector; companies that have engaged in preventing and responding to GBV are encouraged to apply.  

All applications must be submitted and received via the SVRI and World Bank Group Grant Awards online system by midnight (South African Standard Time, or 4:59:59 EST) September 5, 2018. Only applications submitted through the online system before the closing date and time will be considered. Winners will be announced in April 2019. The Development Marketplace is sponsored by the World Bank Group and SVRI in honor of GBV victims and survivors around the world, and in memory of Hannah Graham, daughter of a longtime World Bank Group employee.

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates 35% of women worldwide have experienced physical or sexual partner violence or non-partner sexual violence, or roughly 938 million women. The costs of gender-based violence are substantial. Violence against women and girls impedes their full participation in society, limits access to education and economic participation, and hinders efforts to achieve gender equality broadly.

In April 2018, the Bank Group and SVRI awarded 11 research teams from around the world a total of US$1.1 million. The winners, chosen from hundreds of submissions by research institutions, NGOs, and aid and other organizations, were from Armenia, Cambodia, Colombia, Honduras, Jordan, Kenya, Nepal, Peru, Papua New Guinea, Rwanda, and South Africa.