WASHINGTON, July 10, 2019 — The World Bank Group and the Sexual Violence Research Initiative (SVRI) today announced a new open call for awards recognizing promising innovations aimed at preventing and responding to gender-based violence. Applications for the Development Marketplace: Innovations to Address Gender-Based Violence must be received online by September 13, 2019.
SVRI and the World Bank Group will distribute funding to advance evidence-based interventions to prevent and respond to gender-based violence (GBV) in low- and middle-income countries. An expert panel will select winners engaged in research, interventions, or other activities related to GBV prevention and response based on overall merit, research/project design and methods, significance, project team, and ethical considerations.
All applications must be submitted and received via the SVRI and World Bank Group Awards online system by midnight (South African Standard Time, or 4:59:59 EST) September 13, 2019. Only applications submitted through the online system before the closing date and time will be considered. Winners will be announced in 2020.
The Development Marketplace: Innovations to Address Gender-Based Violence is sponsored by the World Bank Group and SVRI in honor of GBV victims and survivors around the world, and in memory of Hannah Graham, daughter of a longtime World Bank Group employee.
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates 35% of women worldwide have experienced physical or sexual partner violence or non-partner sexual violence, a crisis of pandemic proportion. The costs of gender-based violence are substantial. Violence against women and girls impedes their full participation in society, limits access to education and economic participation, and hinders efforts to achieve gender equality broadly.
The Development Marketplace: Innovations to Address Gender-Based Violence is in its fifth year. Over four years, the Development Marketplace has supported innovative research projects in 28 countries with an investment totaling more than $4 million.
