Current challenges for addressing gender-based violence James L. Lang Regional Advisor UNDP Asia-Pacific United Nations Development Programme

Introduction Progress over the last 20 years: Growth in laws on domestic violence across countries Better data including comparable measures Growing evidence base on promising approaches No indications of overall reductions….

Current challenges The scale of the problem is disproportionate resources dedicated to the solution Increased investment in primary prevention is needed More targeting of the communities most at need Using evidence and theory to respond to individual to macro level drivers of violence This includes better policies frameworks and coordination of partners

Proportional Diagram of Experiences of Violence 24,000 women from 15 sites around the world 4

Prevalence of physical and/or sexual violence by an intimate partner in Asia-Pacific EverLast 12 months Bangladesh (city) 53.4% 30.2% Bangladesh (province) 61.7% 31.9% Kiribati* 67.6% 36.1% Maldives* 19.5% 6.4% Samoa* 46.1% 22.4% Solomon Islands* 63.5% 49.4% Thailand (city) 41.1% 21.3% Thailand (province) 47.4% 22.9% Viet Nam* 34.0% 9% 5 *national studies Percentage of ever-partnered women reporting, aged Surveys using the WHO Multi-country Study on Women’s Health and Domestic Violence methodology

6 More investment in prevention Primary Prevention is stopping violence before it starts All actions to decrease risks of violence and promote protection from violence to benefit society…

Holistic approach to ending GBV Prevention and response are part of a holistic approach to ending GBV 7 PREVENTION RESPONSE VIOLENT EVENT

Levels of partner violence vary greatly between settings WHO Multi-country Study on Domestic Violence & Women’s Health 3.7% 53.7%

9 Variations: Men’s Reporting of IPV There different patters of prevalence

What needs to change to prevent violence ? These overlap and change across time & setting 10 Risk factors: increase the likelihood of experiencing or perpetrating GBV Protective factors: decrease likelihood of an individual experiencing or perpetrating GBV

Understanding the drivers of Intimate Partner Violence IPV Macro Level Community Partner Woman Relationship Conflict Arena This model for understanding violence considers multiple variables at different levels of society, operating at different times, in a probabilistic fashion Woman Partner (male) Developmental Life Course

Understanding risk factors and social determinants Individual/relationship risk factors: Life history and childhood experiences Gender attitudes and sexual practices Broader social determinants: Social acceptance of violence Discriminatory customs and policies – land rights, family law, practices such as early marriage

The lifelong burden of violence Depression criminality ill health Violence in adulthood Child sexual abuse Neglect, orphaned, child labor Violence against children triggers potential pathways to ill health, and victimization and perpetration later in life for all people

Deeper coordination and longer- term commitments Education Norms & Culture Political voice for women and civil society Health & family services Rights, justice & protection Labor and economic participation