Sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) is violence that is directed against a person on the basis of gender or sex. It includes domestic violence as well as rape, sexual abuse and sexual harassment, intimidation at work and school, human trafficking and forced prostitution. While women, men, boys and girls can equally be targets, women and girls are the main victims of sexual or gender-based violence.

Prevention of sexual and gender-based violence is high on UNHCR's agenda. In 2003, the UN Refugee Agency issued a set of Guidelines on Prevention and Response to Sexual and Gender-based Violence that is employed in all operations around the world and promoted to other stakeholders who are involved in protection and assistance activities.

UNHCR places the prevention of and response to sexual and gender-based violence within the framework of its gender equality and gender mainstreaming strategy. When preparing country programmes, staff must ensure that all UNHCR operations have put in place standard operating procedures to prevent and respond to SGBV. 

UNHCR leads a worldwide campaign to establish institutional protection mechanisms in all locations where refugees and asylum seekers are accommodated. In Central Europe most countries have adopted UNHCR's standard operating procedures to respond to and prevent cases of sexual and gender-based violence against refugees and asylum seekers.

UNHCR also spreads awareness among refugees and asylum seekers in Central Europe and develops posters and leaflets that are easy for everyone to understand, including those with weak literacy levels. 

UNHCR also promotes the provision of sanitary materials to all women and girls and the support of men and boys in combating SGBV as well as systems to improve data collection and analysis relating to the occurrence of cases of sexual and gender-based violence.