Challenges surrounding access to medical certificates for survivors of gender-based violence

Medical certificates can play a critical role in supporting GBV survivors’ access to justice, protection, health care and social services. Yet survivors and service providers often face significant barriers in obtaining, delivering and using these documents effectively and safely.

A panel discussion presented in partnership with Médecins du Monde explored the challenges surrounding access to medical certificates for survivors of gender-based violence (GBV) in humanitarian and development contexts.

This discussion examined:

• What medical certificates for GBV survivors are and why they matter
• Key challenges in obtaining and issuing certificates from multiple perspectives, including survivors, health care professionals and frontline organizations
• Country-specific contexts and experiences, including current challenges and barriers but also recent solutions from Bénin, Burkina Faso and Haiti