The Sexual Violence Research Initiative (SVRI) is a global leader in generating and promoting evidence to prevent and respond to violence against women (VAW) and violence against children (VAC). By working across four strategic pillars—building evidence, fostering partnerships, strengthening capacity, and influencing systemic change—SVRI creates a collaborative and ethical research environment. Its aim is to foster impactful, gender-sensitive, and contextually relevant research that contributes to real-world policy and program improvements. SVRI focuses on low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), advocating for equitable research practices that address existing power imbalances in global research systems. SVRI’s efforts are grounded in feminist principles and human rights frameworks, ensuring community engagement and ethical accountability throughout the research process. The organisation also emphasizes the importance of cross-sectoral and multidisciplinary collaboration to drive sustainable changes in violence prevention and survivor support systems. SVRI has been making grants since 2012 and has collaborated with international partners, including the World Bank and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, to fund research that is innovative, ethical, and community-centered.

The SVRI Research Grant supports collaborative research projects that aim to prevent and respond to violence against women and children in low- and middle-income countries. This funding opportunity emphasizes inclusive, locally-led partnerships between researchers and practitioners to generate evidence that is ethical, context-specific, and impactful. The grant encourages research that challenges gender hierarchies, promotes equity, and adheres to international safety and ethical standards. Projects should actively engage affected communities and contribute to better policies, services, tools, and methods in the field of VAW and VAC. SVRI is particularly interested in research that is multidisciplinary and cross-sectoral, strengthening both prevention and care strategies for survivors. The grant also seeks to advance knowledge through equitable research partnerships that elevate the leadership of local researchers. The SVRI Research Grant is designed to foster meaningful systemic change, ensuring that the evidence produced is applied to inform practice, policy, and advocacy. Funding is available for studies conducted over 12 to 18 months, with a focus on projects that have strong community involvement, ethical rigor, clear budget planning, and tangible plans for research uptake.