Mechanisms underpinning interventions to reduce sexual violence in armed conflict: A realist-informed systematic review

Sexual violence is recognised as a widespread consequence of armed conflict and other humanitarian crises. The limited evidence in literature on interventions in this field suggests a need for alternatives to traditional review methods, particularly given the challenges of undertaking research in conflict and crisis settings. This study employed a realist review of the literature on interventions with the aim of identifying the mechanisms at work across the range of types of intervention. The realist approach is an exploratory and theory-driven review method. It is well suited to complex interventions as it takes into account contextual factors to identify mechanisms that contribute to outcomes. The limited data available indicate that there are few deterrents to sexual violence in crises. Four main mechanisms appear to contribute to effective interventions: increasing the risk to offenders of being detected; building community engagement; ensuring community members are aware of available help for and responses to sexual violence; and safe and anonymous systems for reporting and seeking help. These mechanisms appeared to contribute to outcomes in multiple-component interventions, as well as those relating to gathering firewood, codes of conduct for personnel and legal interventions. Drawing on pre-existing capacity or culture in communities is an additional mechanism which should be explored. Though increasing the risk to offenders of being detected was assumed to be a central mechanism in deterring sexual violence, the evidence suggests that this mechanism operated only in interventions focused on gathering firewood and providing alternative fuels. The other three mechanisms appeared important to the likelihood of an intervention being successful, particularly when operating simultaneously. In a field where robust outcome research remains likely to be limited, realist methods provide opportunities to understand existing evidence. Our analysis identifies the important potential of building in mechanisms involving community engagement, awareness of responses and safe reporting provisions into the range of types of intervention for sexual violence in crises

The evolution of strategic environmental assessment from the Law 20.417

La evaluación ambiental estratégica se incorporó el año 2010, como instrumento de gestión ambiental a través de la Ley N° 20.417, que creó el Ministerio del Medio Ambiente, el Servicio de Evaluación Ambiental y la Superintendencia del Medio Ambiente, la cual introdujo reformas importantes en la regulación del medio ambiente. Casi seis años más tarde, el reglamento para la Evaluación Ambiental Estratégica, fue aprobado mediante el Decreto 32/2015 del Ministerio del Medio Ambiente. Durante la ausencia de norma reglamentaria, Contraloría General de la República dio ciertas directrices a seguir por los Órganos Responsables al momento de evaluar ambientalmente los Instrumentos de Planificación Territorial, Planes y Políticas, estableciendo como ley supletoria para llevar a cabo el procedimiento administrativo a la Ley N° 19.880. Con ello se debió implementar abruptamente la EAE considerando ciertos vacíos legales que con la llegada del Reglamento se esperaban resolver.The strategic environmental assessment was incorporated in 2010 as an instrument of environmental management through the Law N° 20.417, that created the Ministry, the Environment Assessment Authority and the Superintendence, which made on the environment regulation, important reforms. Nearly six years later, the strategic environmental assessment regulation, was approved by Decree 32/2015 of the Environment Ministry. During the absence of regulatory standard, Contraloría General gave some guidelines to be followed by the responsible institutions that have to elaborate the strategic environmental assessment of the Territorial Planning Instruments, Plans and Public Policies, establishing as a suppletive law to this administrative procedure, the Law N° 19.880. This was an abrupt implementation, considering certain loopholes that are expected to be solved with the recently approved regulation

Mechanisms underpinning interventions to reduce sexual violence in armed conflict: A realist-informed systematic review

Sexual violence is recognised as a widespread consequence of armed conflict and other humanitarian crises. The limited evidence in literature on interventions in this field suggests a need for alternatives to traditional review methods, particularly given the challenges of undertaking research in conflict and crisis settings. This study employed a realist review of the literature on interventions with the aim of identifying the mechanisms at work across the range of types of intervention. The realist approach is an exploratory and theory-driven review method. It is well suited to complex interventions as it takes into account contextual factors to identify mechanisms that contribute to outcomes. The limited data available indicate that there are few deterrents to sexual violence in crises. Four main mechanisms appear to contribute to effective interventions: increasing the risk to offenders of being detected; building community engagement; ensuring community members are aware of available help for and responses to sexual violence; and safe and anonymous systems for reporting and seeking help. These mechanisms appeared to contribute to outcomes in multiple-component interventions, as well as those relating to gathering firewood, codes of conduct for personnel and legal interventions. Drawing on pre-existing capacity or culture in communities is an additional mechanism which should be explored. Though increasing the risk to offenders of being detected was assumed to be a central mechanism in deterring sexual violence, the evidence suggests that this mechanism operated only in interventions focused on gathering firewood and providing alternative fuels. The other three mechanisms appeared important to the likelihood of an intervention being successful, particularly when operating simultaneously. In a field where robust outcome research remains likely to be limited, realist methods provide opportunities to understand existing evidence. Our analysis identifies the important potential of building in mechanisms involving community engagement, awareness of responses and safe reporting provisions into the range of types of intervention for sexual violence in crises