Who Is Centered in the Humanitarian Response to Gender-Based Violence? A Critical Discourse Analysis of the Survivor-Centered Approach

Abstract

Since the 1990s, the international humanitarian system has developed approaches, tools, and standards for the prevention of and response to gender-based violence (GBV) in emergencies premised on the survivor-centered approach (SCA). We utilize critical discourse analysis to explore how the articulation of SCA within humanitarian discourse aligns with its stated intent to return control to survivors. The analysis reveals that existing power dynamics within the humanitarian system distort the application of SCA, leaving humanitarian service providers in charge of assessing the best course of action, or severely limiting survivors’ choices. We raise an alternative more aligned with the feminist and transformative goals of humanitarian action against GBV: the survivor-led approach.