Programming to address violence against women: 10 case studies

Violence against women is slowly becoming more and more an issue for public debate and action. This report documents 10 case studies from dirferent developing countries that provide examples and lessons informing best practice that can be used to confront the problem on an international scale. The review is part of a series of explorations that UNFPA has undertaken over the last several years to look at the cultural dimensions of gender equality and reproductive health and rights. The key message to emerge from this work is that violence against women is a multidimensional problem that requires a multidimensional response.

The 10 case studies are:

Mauritania: midwives call attention to the problem of rape, and Imams encourage justice for its victims
Romania: tackling domestic violence from many angles
Sierra Leone: getting at the roots of ‘survival’ sex
Morocco: pulling together to protect women’s rights
Columbia: claiming the right to life and health in a region of death
Kenya: creating a safe haven, and a better future, for Maasai girls escaping violence
Turkey: celebrities kick into action to curb violence against women
Mexico: addressing family and sexual violence through public policy
Bangladesh: community pressure groups challenge age-old views on violence against women
Ghana: liberating slaves and changing minds, starting at the grass roots
The main findings of the report are:

mre resources must be allocated for programming that eals with prevention of violence against women at the interrnational, regional and country levels
women need to become economically self-reliant if they are to break free of abusive relationships
and cultural behaviours are to be transformed, the engagement of men is crucial
involving the media as a partner and a collaborator in local or national campaigns has proved effective
people can be critical of their own cultural practices once they are provided with ‘indigenous evidence’ of the harm they cause to women, the family and the community
local power structures, including faith-based organisations, can play an important role in facilitating acceptance and ownership of programmes addressing violence against women
creating a coalition across sectors and building its capacity to fight violence against women is a necessary condition for ensuring prevention in the long run

Publisher: United Nations Population Fund
Year of Publication: 2006