Annex A. OECD Questionnaire on Integrated Service Delivery to Address Gender-Based Violence
In addition to this survey, over the early part of 2022, the OECD will conduct three further surveys on GBV:
1. An additional survey on Integrated Service Delivery to Address Gender-Based Violence for Non-Government Organisation respondents.
2. 2022 OECD Survey on Strengthening Governance and Survivor/Victim centric Approaches to end GBV (which will be distributed through the OECD Working Party on Gender Mainstreaming & Governance).
3. Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI) Legal Survey (which will be distributed to DEV member countries through its Governing Board).
The aim of the surveys is to identify member states’ public governance and survivor-centred approaches to GBV including good practice examples as well as common challenges and requirements. This will help to promote cross-country learning and strengthen the evidence base about what works to support survivors of GBV.
For the purpose of the surveys, GBV refers to any type of violence directed at someone based on their factual or perceived sex, gender, gender identity or gender expression that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual, psychological, or economic harm or suffering, including threats of such acts, coercion, or arbitrary deprivation of liberty. GBV can occur in public, private, and digital spaces. It is a phenomenon deeply rooted in gender inequality, power imbalances, and harmful gender norms. Accordingly, GBV disproportionately affects women and girls, although people of all genders can experience GBV.
This survey – Questionnaire on Integrated Service Delivery to Address Gender-Based Violence (QISDS) – focuses on the provision of integrated services. Your responses will inform OECD advice on how to improve and better integrate service delivery for people who have experienced GBV. It is a vitally important area. We know domestic violence has escalated during COVID-19, but even in pre-pandemic times, survivors faced a host of complex challenges when seeking support to escape and recover from violence. To support survivors, different policy and service delivery domains such as education, social protection, justice, health, employment, physical and financial security need to work together. Further, violence against women was the main priority indicated by the vast majority of countries who responded to the question about what areas of gender inequality should be dealt with most urgently in the OECD Questionnaire on progress towards Gender Equality in the area of “Employment” circulated to countries in May this year.
The Questionnaire is divided into three sections:
1. Service Provision and Delivery: this section presents tables dedicated to specific policy domains (physical health, mental health, housing, etc.). We kindly ask you and your colleagues to identify, as best as possible, which levels and offices of government are responsible for supporting survivors across these policy areas.
2. Emergency Support during COVID-19: this section asks about additional resources and tools that your government committed to support people experiencing gender-based violence (GBV) during the pandemic.
3. Integrating Service Delivery across Domains: this section explores the degree to which national, federal or central government is directly involved in integrating service delivery (ISD) across providers, and/or promotes ISD. While the section focuses on actions at the national level, information on any relevant actions at the sub-national level are also sought.
Please focus on programmes and resources that are specifically available to survivors of GBV. For example, below you will find a section on child-related services, while a country may offer sole-parent benefits, these benefits should not be included in the table unless the benefit is exclusively available to a parent who has experienced GBV. There is an opportunity in some of the questions to provide information on other services available to, but not specifically designed for GBV survivors, if you believe it is relevant.
The following seven tables ask about who is responsible for the direct provision of what services for survivors of gender-based violence, hereafter referred to as “clients”. The tables also ask about the annual funding allocated to entities who are engaged in the direct provision and delivery of services for ‘clients’, including the source(s) of funding and the nature or type of services and volumes, that is, the number of clients served if known.
The tables cover the following groups of services:
In the tables, please only include those services specifically designed to respond to the needs of individuals who have experienced or are currently experiencing gender-based violence. There may be other services available that are not specifically designed for survivors of gender-based violence; these are asked about in the second part of each question.
Note: “Direct provision of services” includes any government operated or government funded front-line office(s) or point(s) of service through which members of the public can access support in the form of services or referrals to services, funded by a dedicated budget. “Direct provision of services” can also mean that government directly employs dedicated staff/service providers who are located in one or more offices operated by an affiliated partner.
Physical health services
How would you describe the role of the following actors when it comes to the direct provision and delivery of physical health services for clients? Please mark an X in the relevant cell where an actor has no responsibility. Where an actor does have responsibility, please include the names of the relevant Ministries, agencies, or departments involved and the specific role they play. Please include URLs where possible.
Please also specify the annual funding allocated to these different actors who are engaged in the direct provision and delivery of physical health services for “clients”, including the source(s) of funding, the nature or type of services and volumes, that is, the number of clients served, if known.
Note: “physical health services” refers to a broad range of medical services or related referrals, such as dedicated clinics or offices within hospitals; specialised practitioners such as radiologists, physiotherapists or gynecologists who provide dedicated hours to clients; dedicated nurse-operated hotlines; etc. (Mental health services are covered in the next table.)
In the space provided below, please describe any additional details about the government’s responsibilities related to direct provision of physical health services to clients. This can include (a) describing relevant information about modes of delivery (b) identifying programs not specifically designed for survivors of GBV, but that may still serve this population, or (c) naming Ministries, agencies or departments who collaborate on service provision, but are not directly responsible for delivering these to clients, etc.
Mental health services
How would you describe the role of the following actors when it comes to the direct provision and delivery of mental health services for clients? Please mark an X in the relevant cell where an actor has no responsibility. Where an actor does have responsibility, please include the name of the relevant Ministries, agencies, or departments involved and the specific role they play. Please include URLs where possible.
Please also specify the annual funding allocated to the different actors who are engaged in the direct provision and delivery of mental health services for “clients”, including the source(s) of funding, the nature or type of services and volumes, that is, the number of clients served, if known.
Note: “mental health services” here refers to a broad range of direct medical services or related referrals such as, for example: short and long-term counselling or psychiatric assessment; dedicated mental health care professionals in hospitals or outpatient settings; specialised support for clients with pre-existing conditions, etc.
In the space provided below, please describe any additional details about the government’s responsibilities related to direct provision of mental health services to clients. This can include (a) describing relevant information about modes of delivery (b) identifying programs not specifically designed for survivors of GBV, but that may still serve this population, or (c) naming Ministries, agencies or departments who collaborate on service provision, but are not directly responsible for delivering these to clients, etc.
Access to justice
How would you describe the role of the following actors when it comes to the direct provision and delivery of access to justice services for clients? Please mark an X in the relevant cell where an actor has no responsibility. Where an actor does have responsibility, please include the names of the relevant Ministries, agencies, or departments involved and the specific role they play. Please include URLs where possible.
Please also specify the annual funding allocated to the different actors who are engaged in the direct provision and delivery of access to justice services for ‘clients’, including the source(s) of funding, the nature or type of services and volumes, that is, the number of clients served, if known.
Note: “access to justice” here refers to services offering support in the form of legal advice, resources, representation or specialised courts related to navigating the criminal, civil and administrative branches of the justice system, including any ancillary services. This includes legal awareness resources and campaigns, available legal aid, specialised GBV courts and prosecution for GBV perpetrators, as well as special provisions related to victims and witnesses of GBV. It can also encompass the existence of integration/accumulation of proceedings that relate to the same GBV case despite the claims being of different nature (civil, criminal and administrative).
In the space provided below, please describe any additional details about the government’s responsibilities related to direct provision of access to justice-related services for clients. This can include (a) describing relevant information about modes of delivery (b) identifying programs not specifically designed for survivors of GBV, but may still serve this population, or (c) naming Ministries, agencies or departments who collaborate on service provision, but are not directly responsible for delivering these to clients, etc. Due to the breadth of potential legal resources, we invite you to elaborate on the nature of legal support (e.g. related to child custody; tenant laws; immigration; insurance claims; etc.).
Housing support
How would you describe the role of the following actors when it comes to the direct provision and delivery of housing support for clients? Please mark an X in the relevant cell where an actor has no responsibility. Where an actor does have responsibility, please include the names of the relevant Ministries, agencies, or departments involved and the specific role they play. Please include URLs where possible.
Please also specify the annual funding allocated to the different actors who are engaged in the direct provision and delivery of housing support for “clients”, including the source(s) of funding, the nature or type of services and volumes, that is, the number of clients served, if known.
Note: “housing support services” here refers to rental or housing assistance including, for example, emergency (including sheltered housing), temporary or long-term transitional housing infrastructure, support for clients accessing social housing or cash support for housing.
In the space provided below, please describe any additional details about the federal government’s responsibilities related to direct provision of housing support services for clients. This can include (a) describing relevant information about modes of delivery (b) identifying programs that are not specifically designed for survivors of GBV, but may still serve this demographic, or (c) naming Ministries, agencies or departments who collaborate on service provision, but are not directly responsible for delivering these to clients, etc.
Child-related services
How would you describe the role of the following actors when it comes to the direct provision and delivery of child-related services for clients? Please mark an X in the relevant cell where an actor has no responsibility. Where an actor does have responsibility, please include the names of the relevant Ministries, agencies, or departments involved and the specific role they play. Please include URLs where possible.
Please also specify the annual funding allocated to the different actors who are engaged in the direct provision and delivery of child-related services for “clients”, including the source(s) of funding, the nature or type of services and volumes, that is, the number of clients served, if known.
Note: “Child-related services” here refers to childcare supports, and child welfare and well-being supports, such as specially trained paediatricians, day care services, parental counselling, child-friendly shelters, counsellors or social and/or workers in schools, etc.
In the space provided below, please describe any additional details about the federal government’s responsibilities related to direct provision of child-related services for clients. This can include (a) describing relevant information about modes of delivery (b) identifying programs that are not specifically designed for survivors of GBV, but may still serve this demographic, or (c) naming Ministries, agencies or departments who collaborate on service provision, but are not directly responsible for delivering these to clients, etc.
Income support
How would you describe the role of the following actors when it comes to the direct provision and delivery of income support for clients? Please mark an X in the relevant cell where an actor has no responsibility. Where an actor does have responsibility, please include the names of the relevant Ministries, agencies, or departments involved and the specific role they play. Please include URLs where possible.
Please also specify the annual funding allocated to the different actors who are engaged in the direct provision and delivery of income support for “clients”, including the source(s) of funding, the nature or type of services and volumes, that is, the number of clients served, if known.
Note: “income support” here refers to interventions such as direct cash transfers, general or targeted allowances whose eligibility criteria direct funds to these clients. While it does not include general social assistance that targets a wider population, it could include any specific assistance that helps a client access general social assistance.
In the space provided below, please describe any additional details about the federal government’s responsibilities related to direct provision and delivery of income support for clients. This can include (a) describing relevant information about modes of delivery (b) identifying programs that are not specifically designed for survivors of GBV, but may still serve this demographic, or (c) naming Ministries, agencies or departments who collaborate on service provision, but are not directly responsible for delivering these to clients, etc.
Crisis intervention or case management
How would you describe the role of the following actors when it comes to the direct provision and delivery of crisis intervention or case management services for clients? Please mark an X in the relevant cell where an actor has no responsibility. Where an actor does have responsibility, please include the names of the relevant Ministries, agencies, or departments involved and the specific role they play. Please include URLs where possible.
Please also specify the annual funding allocated to the different actors who are engaged in the direct provision and delivery of crisis intervention or case management services for “clients”, including the source(s) of funding, the nature or type of services and volumes, that is, the number of clients served, if known.
Note: “crisis intervention or management services” here refers to the cross-cutting personnel and infrastructure in place to mitigate physical, emotional, and/or psychological harm in sudden emergency situations. This can include, for example, specialised units among first-responders, dedicated emergency hotlines for reporting developing incidents of violence, dedicated reporting checkpoints in public places (such as pharmacies or schools, for example) and related communication campaigns about reporting mechanisms, such as official “code words”. Due to the breadth of this question, the space below may be used to contextualize the nature of such services.
In the space provided below, please describe any additional details about the federal government’s responsibilities related to direct crisis intervention or management services for clients. This can include (a) describing relevant information about modes of delivery (b) identifying programs not specifically designed for survivors of GBV, but may still serve this population (c) naming Ministries, agencies or departments who collaborate on service provision, but are not directly responsible for delivering these to clients, or (d) specially trained staff who work specifically with clients in the provision of universal services, etc. Where applicable, please specify the nature of the crisis intervention or management service(s) provided by the aforementioned Ministries, agencies, departments or other actors.
The following questions are about any emergency funding allocated to support the direct, cross-sectoral provision and delivery of services for “clients”.
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, service providers have had to adapt to physically distanced service delivery while at the same time, the incidence of some forms of gender-based violence is estimated to have increased as a result of COVID-19 related confinement measures.
Have additional/emergency funds been allocated or reprioritised by the government (this could be national/federal/central, regional/state/provincial or local government) to support direct service provision and delivery for clients (i.e. above and beyond existing, pre-pandemic budgetary provisions)?
Note: Please consider funds that support the direct delivery of services across sectors (i.e. services directly provided by national, sub-national, non-governmental, or private-sector entities)
1. Yes, the government has released additional funds or reprioritised funds to support direct service delivery to survivor/victims of gender-based violence in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak;
2. No additional funding has been released to support direct service delivery to survivor/victims of gender-based violence in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak;
If yes, considering the additional/emergency funds allocated to support the direct provision and delivery of services for clients across sectors in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, please indicate in the space below the: (a) name of beneficiaries (i.e. the actor(s) who receive funding to deliver services) (b) source of funding or benefactor (i.e. the name of the Ministry, agency, department of office who allocates the funds to the service provider) (c) sum of funding, and (d) the nature/frequency of funding.
In the space provided below, please describe any additional details about the provision of services to clients through the COVID-19 pandemic. For example, were services provided differently to meet the needs of clients during COVID-19?
The following questions are about integrated service delivery for “clients”. Clients often require support from more than one service provider, for example, they may require medical attention, financial aid, support with housing, child-care support, counselling and legal support simultaneously. Clients may also have to submit the same basic information repeatedly to apply to different services, rather than Ministries or offices safely sharing this data directly. Integrated or co-located points of service can provide clients with a “one-stop” experience.
“Integrated points of service” are those where a multidisciplinary team of specialised service providers from different sectors are directly employed by one entity.
“Co-located points of service” are those where a multidisciplinary team of specialised service providers from different sectors work together in a communal space – all or some of the time – while remaining employed by their respective agencies.
Does the national/federal/central government directly operate integrated or co-located point(s) of service?
If yes: in the space provided, please list the point(s) of service directly operated by the government, specifying whether they are integrated, co-located, or a hybrid of both. Please include URLs where possible:
If yes: thinking about the integrated service(s) provided, in whole or in part, by the government, please describe the measures and/or practices to ensure cohesive integration and/or effective co-operation.
For example, co-ordination may be facilitated through permanent coordinating bodies; external/independent boards; focal points; etc.
If yes: thinking about the integrated and/or co-located service(s) provided, in whole or in part, by the government, please describe how is funding coordinated between service areas.
For example, budgets may be pooled and independently distributed by the organisation through which service providers are employed; budgets may be allocated to individual service sectors or specific providers, such as mental health or legal services; budgets may be allocated to providers working with specific population groups, such as youth, people with disabilities, migrants, etc.
To what degree does the national/federal/central government actively promote the integration or co-location of services at the subnational and/or non-governmental level, or via private service providers?
If the government does promote integration: please provide details about how the government promotes cross-sectoral integration or co-location of services for clients at the sub-national and/or non-governmental levels or via the private sector by selecting all the options that apply. For each selection where possible, please provide relevant URLs in the spaces provided.
1. Through dedicated funding for points of service to transition to an integrated or co-located model of service delivery, including human-resource subsidies or cash transfers for infrastructural/technological renewal;
2. Through dedicated funding to support the improvement or expansion of service delivery in points of service already operating through an integrated or co-located delivery model. This can include funds for additional service coverage, as well as larger demographic coverage;
3. By providing specialised government-employed staff to work in non-governmental points of service;
4. By establishing or supporting existing resource centre(s), training initiatives, directories or knowledge hubs for practitioners;
5. By creating or supporting existing federal task force(s), board(s) or focal point(s) who play co-ordinating roles;
6. Other: please specify other ways in which the government promotes cross-sectoral integration of services for survivor/victims of gender-based violence in the space provided. Please include relevant URLs where applicable.
While this question focuses on the actions of the national/federal/central government, cross-sectoral integration or co-location of services for clients may also occur at the sub-national level i.e. regional/state/provincial or local government levels. Where this is the case please provide information in the space below with relevant URLs where applicable.
Information-sharing
To what degree can personal information about clients be shared, for example between government and non-governmental agencies or case or social workers and doctors to help reduce the administrative burden and costs for both clients and providers?
If the answer is (a), (b) or (c) please provide details about how the government ensures personal information is shared safely, securely and ethically. Please provide relevant URLs if possible.
Communicating with Clients & Other Stakeholders
The following questions are about engagement, participation and communication with relevant stakeholders, including survivors of gender-based violence.
Does national/federal/central government produce and manage a directory of available points of service for GBV survivors across levels of government, through non-governmental organisations and/or private actors?
4. No, though planning is underway to develop and/or deploy one in the future;
5. No, and there are not yet plans to develop one in the future.
If yes: When was the last time the government took stock of or mapped available points of service for GBV survivors across levels of government and through non-governmental organisations? Please provide a date
If yes: Please provide details on how this information is disseminated, including URLs, community centres or phone service through which it is accessible.
Thinking about the services provided and delivered directly by the national/federal/central government, how are the voices of relevant stakeholders represented and integrated into the process of selecting the types of services offered, and the mechanisms through which they are delivered? Select all that apply:
1. Regular in-person or virtual meetings with clients (e.g. conferences, roundtables, workshops, focus groups etc.);
2. Ad hoc in-person or virtual meetings with clients (e.g. conferences, roundtables, workshops, focus groups etc.);
3. Regular in-person or virtual meetings with service providers, practitioners, experts and/or professionals (e.g. conferences, roundtables, workshops, focus groups etc.);
4. Ad hoc in-person or virtual meetings with service providers, practitioners, experts and/or professionals (e.g. conferences, roundtables, workshops, focus groups etc.);
9. Regular requests for comments by clients and service-users;
10. Ad hoc requests for comments by clients and service-users;
13. A permanent consultation body, board, or group of experts including both clients and service providers;
Does an independent body exist at the national/federal/central level to receive complaints from clients accessing services in any sector (national, sub-national, non-governmental, private)?
Does an independent body exist at the national/federal/central level to receive complaints from service providers working in any sector (national, sub-national, non-governmental, private)?
Has any government agency undertaken or commissioned research (for example, cost-benefit analyses) to compare the benefits of direct, unidimensional service delivery versus integrated and/or co-located service delivery?
Note, if yes, please attach relevant documentation when returning this questionnaire to the OECD if you can.
In the space below, please provide examples of good or promising practices related to integrated or co-located service delivery for GBV survivors in your country. These could be examples from the subnational level. Please include relevant URLs, where possible.
What are the current challenges, obstacles or barriers to streamlining service delivery through integrated or co-located points of service?