October 2024 – SVRI Forum
At the SVRI Forum 2024, the GAPB presented a session on "Boys on the Move: Pathways to Improving Support for Boys Affected by Sexual Violence and the Global Alliance for the Protection of Boys (GAPB)."
Hosted by ECPAT International, Women’s Refugee Commission, Equimundo, Family for Every Child, Save the Children International, Physicians for Human Rights, All Survivors Project, the session explored how harmful constructions of masculinity shape boys' behaviours, particularly around sexuality, and address strategies for supporting boys who display harmful sexual behaviours.
Focused on civil society initiatives in South Africa and the online sphere, it provided a platform to discuss vulnerabilities in migration, displacement, and the unique challenges faced by children with diverse sexual orientation, gender identity, expression, and characteristics (SOGIESC).
September 2024 - ASEAN ICT Forum on Child Online Protection
The 2024 ASEAN ICT Forum on Child Online Protection marked a pivotal moment with the introduction of the GAPB in the region. In a joint session on “Protecting Boys from Online Sexual Violence”, participants discussed challenging gender biases around the victimisation of boys who have experienced sexual violence, with practitioners from UrbanLight and M'Lop Tapang sharing insights from their work with boys in Thailand and Cambodia. In exploring the intersection of offline gender biases and their influence online, it became clear that interventions must remain interconnected.
June 2024 - 2024 Annual Meeting for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action
At the 2024 Annual Meeting for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action in Panama, the GAPB led a session on "Supporting the Humanitarian Sector to Deliver Interventions, including Boys Affected by Sexual Violence" in collaboration with All Survivors Project, ECPAT International, and Fundación Renacer.
This session shed light on the often-overlooked issue of sexual violence against boys in humanitarian settings, exploring the urgent need to strengthen services and capacities to better support boy survivors. The event provided a platform for dialogue, identifying opportunities for collaboration while ensuring accountability to the needs of girls as well.