Analysis of gaps in Legislation on Gender-Based Violence and Violence against Women and Girls in Lao PDR January 18, 2017

Introduction The objective of the analysis was to identify gaps in research on GBV/VAWG in Lao PDR and in the Law on Preventing and Combatting Violence against Women and Children, and in the National Action Plan on Preventing and Eliminating Violence against Women and Violence against Children for potential areas of advocacy.

Methodology The analysis is based on interviews with members form the GBV/VAWG Taskforce: GDA, UN Women, ChildFund, Helvetas, UNFPA, Save the Children, UNICEF, ADWLE, World Concern, and Somsouk Sananikhone The interviews had four focuses The organizations work in relation to GBV and VAWG Gaps in research on GBV and VAWG Gaps in and recommendations for the Law on Preventing and Combatting Violence against Women and Children Gaps in and recommendations for the National Action Plan on Preventing and Eliminating Violence against Women and Violence against Children

Methodology All findings presented are based on the opinions of the informants !

Organizations Areas of Work Research on GBV/VAWG Four organizations are doing research on GBV/VAWG study on women´s lives to understand and document the gendered division of labour within households sexual harassment to map out the extend of sexual harassment in the workplace women’s experience on violence qualitative research to document what factors pushes people, to migrate, to drink alcohol, do drugs, or to do violence

Organizations Areas of Work Policies and Legislation Two organizations have activities related to GBV/VAWG policies and legislation Support to a ministry in developing a gender equality strategy as well as a pilot project on crisis centres in hospitals Activities related to the Law on development and protection for women (2004) amongst other things, providing technical support on and information about gender

Organizations Areas of Work Prevention of GBV/VAWG Most the organizations have work related to revention EVAW Campaign - 16 Days of Activism. Training activities training in basic understanding of gender, women’s rights and policy related to women’s advancement, training on protection women capacity building of women, trainers, law enforcement, etc.

Organizations Areas of Work Responding Only one organization have response related activities Legal clinic for vulnerable women

Key Gaps in Research on GBV/VAWG Customary Practices Violence in ethnic communities Community context Frequency of violence at community level Causes of violence Migration The relationship between resource development, economic migration including forced relocation, and the effect on the prevalence of GBV/VAWG Migration in remote areas Trafficking

Key Gaps in Research on GBV/VAWG Climate and Environmental Changes link between GBV/VAWG and the changes in income, livelihoods, workloads, and family structures because of climate and environmental changes. Sexual Harassment at the Workplace

Gaps in the Law on Preventing and Combatting Violence against Women and Children The role of the village mediation unit Objectivity of the VMU Every compliant should be brought directly to the police And that violence should not be allowed to be mediated Information and knowledge about the Law Lack of access to information about the law Implementation of the Law Difficulties for the to access services due to corruption Limited services for women and children affected by violence

Gaps in the National Action Plan on Preventing and Eliminating Violence against Women and Violence against Children Definition of Gender-based Violence and exclusion of LGBTQ+ Implementation of the Action Plan No guideline on how the action plan should be carried out NCAW are the focal points, but now it is merging with LWU – so what happens then Limited budget for allocation to implementing the Action Plan No clear budget No budget to create services to help victims of violence

Recommendations for Addressing Gaps in the Law More awareness raising of the Law and capacity building of the main stakeholders The VMU should be removed as a legal institution for judging cases of violence Advocacy to ensure monitoring takes place Allocation of budget to strengthen and build response services to help victims of violence as well as creating referral mechanisms Make sure that legal judgement is being followed through

Recommendations for Addressing Gaps in the National Action Plan Awareness raising on GBV/VAWG should be broaden to a provincial, district, and community level Education on gender equality in primary schools Capacity building of line ministries on incorporation the Action Plan into their own plan of action Larger focus on addressing women´s role on a decision making level in the Action Plan

Recommendations for Addressing Gaps in the National Action Plan Develop costed plans for the implementation of the Action Plan Allocation of budget to implements activities on awareness raising on GBV/VAWG Create a real strategy for the implementation of the Action Plan, or start with a pilot project Build response services to help victims of violence

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