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Prevention Of Violence Against Women And Girls: What Does The Evidence Say?

This Lancet paper demonstrates that violence is preventable when interventions shift from mere response to primary prevention. While high-income countries focus on survivor support, low- and middle-income countries are leading the way with participatory models like SASA! and IMAGE. These successful programs reduce violence by combining community mobilization, group training for both men and women, and economic empowerment to challenge the deep-seated gender norms that enable abuse.

Interventions To Prevent Or Reduce Violence Against Women And Girls: A Systematic Review Of Reviews

This paper, commissioned by the World Bank, is a systematic review of reviews that synthesizes global evidence on interventions to prevent or reduce Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG). By analyzing 58 high-quality reviews covering 290 interventions, the researchers identified what strategies actually work to decrease victimization and perpetration.

The Inter-Agency Minimum Standards for Gender-based Violence in Emergencies Programming

The Inter-Agency Minimum Standards for GBV in Emergencies is a global framework designed to ensure that humanitarian aid for survivors is safe, ethical, and high-quality. Developed by the Global Women’s Institute (GWI) and Trócaire, it establishes 16 essential standards—such as healthcare, safe spaces, and legal aid—prioritizing a survivor-centered approach. Because data collection in conflict zones can increase risks for women, the framework mandates strict "do no harm" protocols, including the use of female enumerators, encrypted data storage, and informed consent to prevent retaliation or re-traumatization.

Covid-19: Reducing The Risk Of Infection Might Increase The Risk Of Intimate Partner Violence

This commentary highlights a "shadow pandemic" where life-saving COVID-19 containment measures inadvertently increased the risk of intimate partner violence (IPV). The authors argue that quarantine mandates—characterized by physical isolation, economic stress, and limited mobility—mirror the exact tactics used by abusers to exert control.

GWI 10 Year Report

Celebrating its tenth anniversary, the Global Women’s Institute (GWI) is a world leader in research and action to end gender-based violence. Over the last decade, GWI has proven that violence is preventable, documenting a 70% reduction in partner violence in Nicaragua and a 45% reduction in Haiti through community-led models. By leading the global "What Works" consortium and launching the GenderPro professional certification, GWI bridges the gap between grassroots activism and international policy, providing the evidence and training needed to protect women in both stable and conflict-affected settings.

Community-Based Approaches to Intimate Partner Violence

Community-based mobilization is the most effective strategy for preventing intimate partner violence (IPV) by targeting root causes across the socio-ecological spectrum. Unlike reactive services, proven models like SASA! and Stepping Stones proactively transform harmful social norms and power imbalances through long-term community engagement. By involving men, boys, and local leaders in critical dialogue, these programs shift social attitudes from acceptance to action, achieving up to a 52% reduction in physical violence.

Brief On Violence Against Sexual And Gender Minority Women

Violence against sexual and gender minority women (lesbians, bisexual, and transgender women or LBT) is driven by an intersection of patriarchal social norms and systemic stigma. These women face a "double burden": discrimination as women in male-dominated societies and targeted violence due to their non-normative identities.

Violence Against Adolescent Girls: Falling Through The Cracks?

Adolescent girls exist at a critical intersection, or "nexus," where they are simultaneously vulnerable to violence against children (VAC) and violence against women and girls (VAWG). Despite this, they often "fall through the cracks" because research and policies frequently overlook their specific needs, either treating them as children without a gendered lens or as women without an age-sensitive perspective.

What Works To Prevent Violence Against Women And Girls In Conflict And Humanitarian Crisis: Synthesis Brief

In conflict and humanitarian crises, the breakdown of law and social structures intensifies systemic gender inequality, making intimate partner violence (IPV) the most prevalent threat—often surpassing war-related sexual violence. Displacement and extreme poverty drive cycles of forced child marriage and bride-price-related abductions as families struggle to survive. Breaking this cycle requires "gender-transformative" interventions that combine economic aid with community-led programs to challenge the patriarchal norms that entrench violence long after a conflict ends.

Evidence Brief What Works To Prevent And Respond To Violence Against Women And Girls In Conflict And Humanitarian Settings?

The Global Women’s Institute (GWI) conducts research and advocacy to protect women and girls from systemic violence, particularly in conflict zones like South Sudan and among U.S. immigrant populations. Their findings highlight that while war-related crimes are devastating, intimate partner violence and forced marriage are often the most pervasive threats, driven by a collapse of legal protections and economic desperation. GWI promotes "gender-transformative" solutions—such as school-based prevention and legislative reforms like the International Violence Against Women Act (IVAWA)—to challenge the root inequalities and social norms that sustain abuse globally.