Humanitarian Symposium Munich 2023

The topic of the Humanitarian Symposium Munich (HSM) 2023 will be "Gender Based Violence in Humanitarian Settings". It will take place in hybrid format, where in presence as well as online invited speakers will present their work and expertise on the topic throughout a full day program. The speakers will be scholars as well as practitioners from the field of humanitarian aid, development cooperation, and global health. Participants will also be able to join the symposium in presence as well as online.

Gender based violence, also defined as sexual and gender based violence (SGBV), is one of many critical poor sexual and reproductive health outcomes experienced by adolescents and women in humanitarian settings. In times of emergency, these groups encounter an increased vulnerability since they may lose their social networks’ support and be exposed to risky conditions and unsafe environments, such as human trafficking, insecure occupations, and abuse.

During the HSM 2023, the health impacts of gender-based violence against women and girls in addition to the different causes and aspects of this specific type of violence will be presented and discussed. The various levels and nuances of health burdens as well as structural issues, systems, and gender norms involved in the generation of a closed circle of violence will be explained. The sessions of the symposium will bring a global perspective on the topic by having speakers with different focus areas.

The exhibition of Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) during the symposium’s breaks provides an opportunity of knowledge and experiences exchange as well as connection and communication with a great variety of institutions working in the field of development cooperation and humanitarian aid.