Gender-based violence (GBV) remains prevalent in Ethiopia, with 23 percent of women aged 15–49 having experienced physical violence and 10 percent having experienced sexual violence. The USAID Transform: Primary Health Care Activity’s 2019 GBV landscape analysis found that while most health workers wanted to provide quality post-violence care, many had no GBV-specific training, were not aware of standard operating procedures (SOPs), and did not have a formal referral and follow-up mechanisms.

This technical brief provides an overview of how the Transform: Primary Health Care Activity sought to strengthen GBV prevention and response through Ethiopia’s primary health care system and apply best practices for a comprehensive and coordinated approach to health services for GBV survivors. The Activity employed an ecological approach, intervening at each level of the health system: policy, institutional, health facility, and individual. The brief also includes lessons learned from the implementation of this approach to support continued efforts to create an enabling environment for health workers and strengthen GBV services in primary health care in Ethiopia.

Photo Credit: Kelly Ramudo/USAID Ethiopia