👨‍👧‍👦Non-discrimination

The principle of non-discrimination states that people have equal rights to obtain the best possible GBV support and assistance, without any distinction, exclusion, restriction, or unfair treatment on the basis of their SOGIESC, disability, neurodivergence, race, language, citizenship status, social class, and other status.

Source - Women’s Refugee Commission & UNICEF. Caring for Survivors: A Principled Approach.

Non-discrimination is an overarching principle that frames other principles of a survivor-centric approach; it is fundamental to respecting others, maintaining the safety of a GBV survivor, and enforcing data confidentiality and patient privacy.

The principle of non-discrimination should be integrated into both the structures and policies of the organizations as well as the practices of the service providers in order to ensure the best outcomes.

For example, while a service provider may not hold discriminatory views towards LGBTQIA+ people, processes and procedures surrounding GBV could embed bias, resulting in a lack of confidence in seeking support services. Intake forms, if not revised, may require a survivor to share their deadname or name as per legal documents. This not only requires a person to disclose their gender identity but could also subject trans and non-binary people to humiliation throughout the receipt of services. This in turn could increase gender dysphoria and trust deficit.

Additionally, LGBTQIA+ people’s intersecting identities such as disabilities or socioeconomic background should also be considered alongside their SOGIESC identities, rather than in isolation.

🗣️How to integrate the principle of Non-Discrimination into your practice?

• Be non-judgemental, non-prejudicial.

• Use gender-affirming language and gender-neutral language across services. For example, see Integrating gender-neutral and affirming language in your services.

• Ensure all staff members, volunteers, and care providers are trained in LGBTQIA+ sensitisation training or have increased capacity in providing queer inclusive/affirming GBV response or support services.

• Introduce comprehensive non-discrimination policies and review all existing policies, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and guidelines to ensure that they are inclusive of LGBTQIA+ survivors.

• Accommodate the needs of those seeking support. This includes providing translation services, allowing requests to meet online, allowing them to be accompanied by a third party, and other requests that the survivor may request. Meeting the survivor’s needs can increase their trust in the process and service providers.

Explaining Terms: Deadname

Deadnaming is the act of referring to a transgender or non-binary person by a name they used prior to transitioning, such as their birth name or legal name.

Explaining Terms: Intersectionality

Intersectionality is a feminist framework used to analyze inequalities based on an individual’s overlapping identities. Intersectionality recognizes that people are made up of multiple identities, which may carry different powers, and privileges or be positioned differently within the social hierarchy. The unique combination and interaction of these intersecting identities have an impact on a person’s access to among others, opportunities, information, and services.

CEDAW’s General Recommendation 28 defines intersectionality as follows:

Intersectionality is a basic concept for understanding the scope of the general obligations of States parties contained in article 2 (non-discrimination). The discrimination of women based on sex and gender is inextricably linked with other factors that affect women, such as race, ethnicity, religion or belief, health, status, age, class, caste and sexual orientation and gender identity. Discrimination on the basis of sex or gender may affect women belonging to such groups to a different degree or in different ways to men. States parties must legally recognize such intersecting forms of discrimination and their compounded negative impact on the women concerned and prohibit them. They also need to adopt and pursue policies and programmes designed to eliminate such occurrences, including, where appropriate, temporary special measures in accordance with article 4, paragraph 1, of the Convention and general recommendation No. 25.

Source - CEDAW General Recommendation 28