Gender-Based Violence and Psychological Support Training Course

Course Introduction
Gender-based violence (GBV) affects individuals and communities worldwide, causing profound physical, emotional, and psychological harm. This Gender-Based Violence and Psychological Support Training Course equips participants with knowledge and practical skills to provide empathetic, ethical, and effective support to survivors of GBV.
GBV often intersects with social, cultural, economic, and political factors, making its impact complex and pervasive. This course provides participants with an understanding of the underlying causes, forms, and consequences of GBV while emphasizing trauma-informed, survivor-centered approaches in diverse contexts.
Participants will gain insight into the psychological and emotional effects of GBV, including trauma, anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress. The course explores how these effects manifest across genders, ages, and socio-cultural backgrounds and equips participants to respond with sensitivity and professionalism.
Practical skills form a core component, enabling participants to provide psychological first aid, emotional support, and safe referrals. The course emphasizes maintaining ethical boundaries, confidentiality, and creating supportive environments that empower survivors and prevent re-traumatization.
Emerging issues such as digital violence, intimate partner violence, conflict-related sexual violence, and online harassment are addressed. Participants will also explore strategies for community awareness, advocacy, and preventive interventions to reduce GBV prevalence and promote survivor wellbeing.
By the end of the training, participants will be prepared to apply trauma-informed, culturally sensitive practices, coordinate support services, and contribute to creating safe spaces that foster resilience, recovery, and empowerment for survivors of GBV.

Who Should Attend

• Social workers and psychosocial support professionals
• Health and mental health practitioners
• NGO, humanitarian, and community development staff
• Law enforcement and protection officers
• Policy makers and program managers
• Educators and school administrators
• Faith-based and community leaders
• Gender equality and human rights advocates
• Human resource and workplace wellbeing professionals
• Volunteers and frontline staff working with vulnerable populations

Duration

5 days

Course Objectives

• Equip participants with comprehensive knowledge of the types, causes, and consequences of gender-based violence in different cultural and societal contexts.
• Develop skills to recognize signs of GBV and its psychological impact on survivors across genders, ages, and social backgrounds.
• Enhance participants’ capacity to provide trauma-informed, survivor-centered psychological support while maintaining ethical and professional boundaries.
• Strengthen understanding of confidentiality, informed consent, and safe referral processes in GBV response and support systems.
• Build practical skills in psychological first aid, active listening, empathy, and crisis intervention for survivors of GBV.
• Introduce strategies for preventing re-traumatization and promoting resilience, recovery, and empowerment among survivors.
• Improve awareness of emerging issues such as digital violence, conflict-related sexual violence, and intimate partner violence.
• Enhance participants’ ability to coordinate multi-sectoral support, including health, legal, psychosocial, and community services.
• Equip learners with advocacy and community awareness skills to promote GBV prevention and foster safer environments.
• Enable participants to design, implement, and evaluate GBV support programs that are culturally sensitive, ethical, and sustainable.

Comprehensive Course Outline

Module 1: Introduction to Gender-Based Violence

• Definitions, types, and forms of GBV
• Prevalence, trends, and statistics
• Socio-cultural, economic, and political determinants
• Human rights and legal frameworks

Module 2: Psychological Impact of GBV

• Trauma and stress responses
• Anxiety, depression, and PTSD
• Behavioral and relational effects
• Long-term psychosocial consequences

Module 3: Vulnerable and At-Risk Populations

• Women and girls in various contexts
• Children and adolescents
• Persons with disabilities
• Conflict and displacement-affected populations

Module 4: Survivor-Centered Approaches

• Principles of trauma-informed care
• Ethical engagement and confidentiality
• Empowerment-focused support
• Avoiding re-traumatization

Module 5: Psychological First Aid and Support

• Active listening and empathy
• Crisis intervention techniques
• Emotional regulation and coping strategies
• Referral and follow-up pathways

Module 6: Prevention and Community Engagement

• Awareness campaigns and advocacy
• Engaging communities in prevention
• Addressing harmful norms and behaviors
• Promoting gender equality and safety

Module 7: Legal and Protection Frameworks

• National and international laws on GBV
• Protection mechanisms and reporting
• Collaboration with law enforcement and judiciary
• Survivor rights and advocacy

Module 8: Emerging Issues in GBV

• Digital and online violence
• Intimate partner and domestic violence
• Conflict-related sexual violence
• Humanitarian and emergency contexts

Module 9: Multisectoral Coordination

• Health, legal, psychosocial collaboration
• Community-based referral systems
• Case management approaches
• Monitoring and accountability

Module 10: Program Planning and Evaluation

• Designing GBV support interventions
• Monitoring and evaluation frameworks
• Sustainability and scaling best practices
• Integrating learnings into professional practice

Training Approach

This course will be delivered by our skilled trainers who have vast knowledge and experience as expert professionals in the fields. The course is taught in English and through a mix of theory, practical activities, group discussion and case studies. Course manuals and additional training materials will be provided to the participants upon completion of the training.

Tailor-Made Course

This course can also be tailor-made to meet organization requirement. For further inquiries, please contact us on: Email: training@upskilldevelopment.com Tel: +254 721 331 808

Training Venue

The training will be held at our Upskill Training Centre. We also offer training for a group at requested location all over the world. The course fee covers the course tuition, training materials, two break refreshments, airport transfers, Upskill gift package and buffet lunch.

Visa application, travel expenses, dinners, accommodation, insurance, and other personal expenses are catered by the participant

Certification

Participants will be issued with Upskill certificate upon completion of this course.

Airport Pickup and Accommodation

Airport pickup and accommodation is arranged upon request. For booking contact our Training Coordinator through Email: training@upskilldevelopment.com, +254 721 331 808

Terms of Payment

Unless otherwise agreed between the two parties payment of the course fee should be done 3 working days before commencement of the training so as to enable us to prepare better