In their lives, one in three women will experience physical or sexual abuse. Many more will experience psychological violence. Yet less than one percent of global humanitarian funding is spent on sexual and gender-based violence prevention and response activities. Pathfinder is working toward a world where people of all gender identities can lead lives free from violence, discrimination, and coercion—enjoying their right to full bodily autonomy and reproductive agency.

• Gender inequality and gender-based violence (GBV) restrict women’s and girls’ mobility, access to resources, and limit their decision-making power―all of which impact their ability to act on their sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR).
• Violence against women—particularly intimate partner violence and sexual violence—is a major public health problem and a violation of women’s human rights.
• Globally about 1 in 3 (30%) of women worldwide have been subjected to either physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence or non-partner sexual violence in their lifetime.

What We Do

• Use “gender-transformative” approaches—ones that seek to transform harmful gender norms; reduce the impact of GBV on sexual and reproductive health and rights; and change the policies, structures, and systems that hold individuals of all genders back. 
• Strengthening health systems’ capacity to integrate GBV services at primary health service points and ensure survivor-centered care. 
• Engage boys and men in sexual and reproductive health and rights programs to promote positive norms of masculinity, adoption of equitable gender norms, and healthy outcomes for themselves, their partners, and their children. 
• Offer person-centered care and survivor-centered GBV services. This means health workers provide services that center the priorities and preferences of the client. 
• Offer coaching, mentorship, and job aids to health workers at all levels of the health system to ensure survivor-centered care across sexual and reproductive health and rights services.