Safely at school: reducing risks of school-related gender-based violence for children with disabilities in Sierra Leone

The project aims to articulate the needs and concerns of girls and boys with disabilities regarding school-related gender-based violence (SRGBV) and co-develop disability-inclusive SRGBV-response workplans.

The project outcomes will aim to ensure:

• The needs and concerns of boys and girls with disabilities in relation to SRGBV are articulated and centred in safeguarding at schools and in the district
• District-level education and other stakeholders agree on evidence-informed actions and resourcing to reduce SRGBV
• Evidence is widely used to influence national SRGBV policies and inclusive education programmes
• Strengthened research capacity of young researchers with disabilities and organisations of people with disabilities (OPDs).

Children with disabilities are at high risk of SRGBV in Sierra Leone. Little is known about their understanding of and experiences with SRGBV, where they feel most unsafe and what responses they would like to see. Input from children with disabilities is crucial to design effective disability-inclusive policies and interventions.

We use community-based participatory action research to explore the experiences of children with disabilities in relation to SRGBV in four junior secondary schools in Sierra Leone.