Predictable, Preventable: Best Practices for Addressing Interpersonal and Self-Directed Violence During and After Disasters

This advocacy report encourages making the prevention of interpersonal and self-directed violence a priority within the International Federation’s response to disasters. The aim is not to eradicate all endemic social problems during a disaster response, but to contain and reduce the risk of violence so it does not escalate and to create an environment where prevention is eventually possible. Whether through food distribution, building shelter, providing clean water, generating livelihoods, giving medical treatment or mobilizing com- munities on health or psychosocial issues, violence prevention needs to be a cross-cutting issue that is part of the responsibility, vision and action of all disaster responders.