The GBVIMS Steering Committee
The GBVIMS Global Team was established in 2007 in response to the need for a standardized information management system to manage GBV incident data in humanitarian contexts. Today, the GBVIMS is an inter-agency initiative overseen by a Steering Committee made up of representatives from the IRC, UNHCR, UNFPA, UNICEF, and IMC, supporting a range of workstreams.
The GBVIMS Technical Team
The GBVIMS Technical Team consists of GBV Information Management and GBV Case Management Specialists seated in UNFPA, UNHCR, UNICEF, IRC, and IMC, who, together, provide tailored operational, technical support to countries implementing various GBVIMS workstreams, including the GBVIMS basic tools, Primero/GBVIMS+, and the GBV Case Management Capacity Building Initiative. The Team also develops global resources and capacity development opportunities.
- The Inter-agency Coordinator (krougvie@unfpa.org) is first point of contact on queries related to GBVIMS workstreams, and information on all GBVIMS-related issues. The IAC coordinates the the inter-agency global Technical Team, convenes the GBVIMS Steering Committee, and provides backstopping for technical support and training needs.
- Two specialists from UNICEF (one serving in a full-time, inter-agency capacity) provide support in GBVIMS/GBVIMS+, and GBV case management, respectively.
- One specialist from UNHCR provides technical support to ongoing implementations of the GBVIMS, Primero/GBVIMS+, and case management.
- Two specialists from the IRC provide technical support on GBVIMS and GBVIMS+ to IRC’s GBV programming while engaging with inter-agency rollouts and implementations of the GBVIMS and global resource development.
- One specialist from IMC provides support to GBVIMS and Primero/GBVIMS+ rollouts in the Middle East and North Africa and engages in support to global resource and capacity development with a focus on GBV case management.
- Four specialists from UNFPA (three on a regional basis, one at global level) provide support in GBVIMS, GBVIMS+, and GBV case management.
The GBVIMS Technical Team works closely with and is accountable to the GBVIMS Steering Committee.
Meet the GBVIMS Global Technical Team
Christiana Gbondo, Global GBV Information Management System Specialist with UNHCR, works with refugee and IDP operations. Christiana is based in Sierra Leone and can be reached at gbondo@unhcr.org.
As a women empowerment and protection specialist with over 13 years experience, Christiana has developed, implemented and championed development and humanitarian programs for the prevention and response to GBV in post conflict and emergency contexts. Christiana has vast experience through INGO work in GBV programming including program development, collaboration and consortia-building, and GBVIMS. She previously served as GBVIMS focal person for IRC Sierra Leone and South Sudan and played an integral role in GBVIMS+ rollout in Nigeria. Christiana joined the GBVIMS TT in 2022.
Laura Canali, Regional GBV Advisor with IMC, based in Italy. She can be reached at lcanali@internationalmedicalcorps.org.
Laura has a broad international experience in the field of Gender-Based Violence in Emergencies. Before joining IMC as the Regional GBV Advisor for the Middle East region, Laura held various program management and coordination positions with international NGOs in South Sudan (ARC), Liberia (IRC), and Uganda (with the European Union and COOPI). She graduated from the University or York with a Master of International Human Rights Law and Practice in 2011. She joined the Gender-Based Violence Information Management System (GBVIMS) Global team in June 2015, when IMC joined the GBVIMS Steering Committee.
Erin Gerber, Case Management Specialist with UNFPA, Works in the Programme Division. Erin is based in Boston and can be reached at egerber@unfpa.org.
Erin is a clinical social worker with 12 years of experience managing and coordinating GBV in emergency and development contexts. She has worked with the IRC and NRC in Thailand, Ethiopia, South Sudan, and Iraq. Erin has worked with UNFPA since 2016 when she created the GBV Capacity Building Initiative for psychosocial support and health providers in Syria through the GBV Sub-Cluster, cross-border operations in Turkey. Since then Erin worked as Mental Health Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) Specialist in Myanmar, Bangladesh, UNFPA's Pacific Sub-Regional Office, and the Asia Pacific Regional Office. In her current role, Erin specializes in survivor-centered care, case management, capacity building, and advocacy on protection from sexual exploitation and abuse.
What support can the GBVIMS Technical Team provide?
The GBVIMS global team provides on- and off-site field support on a number of workstreams including:
- GBVIMS Basic Tools ('Legacy' offline, paper-based system)
- Primero/GBVIMS+ (online, GBV incident monitoring and case management system)
- GBV Case Management capacity and resource development
- GBV Data Anaysis capacity and resource development
Who is eligible for assistance from the GBVIMS Technical Team?
The focus of the GBVIMS Technical Team is on conflict-affected or humanitarian contexts and on locations where the GBVIMS or GBVIMS+ has already been introduced or where there are plans to roll it out. This includes countries where the GBVIMS has not been fully rolled out – either in terms of use of all elements of the System or the inclusion of all relevant partners – but is at least being utilized in a basic form by one or more agencies. However, any humanitarian actor can contact the GBVIMS Technical Team for further information on the GBVIMS.
For countries already using the GBVIMS, what assistance can be requested from the GBVIMS Technical Team?
The GBVIMS Technical Team can provide remote technical support and trouble shooting, and in-country technical support, capacity building and training (where feasible and appropriate taking into account pandemic-related restrictions).
For countries not yet using the GBVIMS, what assistance can be requested from the GBVIMS Technical Team?
The GBVIMS Technical Team can provide information on the GBVIMS, including further explanation of documents and tools available on the GBVIMS website and assist to develop requests for roll-out or in-country missions, including completing the preliminary assessment reports.
How can remote trouble-shooting and support from the GBVIMS Technical Team be accessed?
The GBVIMS Technical Team can be contacted for remote support via the interagency Coordinator (krougvie@unfpa.org, or gbvims@gmail.com) or through any member of the GBVIMS Technical Team.
How can in-country support from the GBVIMS Technical Team be requested?
Organizations wishing to have support from the GBVIMS Technical Team can make a request via email to the GBVIMS Technical Team or to any member(s) of the GBVIMS Steering Committee. The request will be submitted to the GBVIMS Steering Committee for consideration. Decisions will be made by the Steering Committee based on need and resources available.
How long can the GBVIMS Technical Team be deployed?
The duration of time for a deployment will vary based on the need and context. However, generally the Technical Team can be deployed for an average of 1 to 4 weeks.
