IAPHP

About the Toolkit

Harmful Practices (hereinafter, HPs) are behaviours or actions that are considered detrimental to individuals or groups, being grounded in discrimination based on sex, gender or age, among other factors, including instances of multiple and intersectional discrimination. These constitute denials of human rights and cause physical, emotional, or psychological harm, often associated with serious forms of violence.

HPs are prevalent in many different communities worldwide. They may be deeply rooted within the community, forming part of social norms (i.e. behavioural norms followed by groups in particular contexts), along with misconceptions related to certain disadvantaged groups of women and children. Regardless of any regional and national particularities of political, economic and cultural systems, it is a duty of all States to prevent HPs and promote human rights, which are universal, indivisible, inalienable, interrelated and interdependent.

This toolkit has been developed to provide practical tools and resources to support professionals and practitioners from different backgrounds, so that they may prevent, identify, refer and intervene with women who have experienced, or are at risk of, harm related to an HP. It is hoped that this toolkit increases the awareness, empowerment and confidence of professionals working in education, health, social and justice areas.

The toolkit and additional online material are free to access and available to all professionals and practitioners from any agency/organisation. It includes four sections – Prevention; Early Detection and Referral; Crisis Intervention and a final section titled Recommendations for Policy and Practice, which includes a set of practical procedures for first-line practitioners. In this website, you can also find a box of resources, videos and case-studies.