How can violence against women and girls (VAW) be addressed more effectively in security and justice (S&J) programmes? This paper outlines how S&J programmes have addressed VAW and provides suggestions for improvement. Engagement with civil society is important; CSOs can help women to articulate their experience and can advocate for institutional and social change. A focus on prevention should complement support to victims of violence.
VAW occurs in all countries and in many countries is endemic. Women and children are disproportionately affected in conflict and post-conflict situations. Entrenched social attitudes and gender biased criminal justice systems mean that most victims have little or no recourse to justice, care or support. Moreover, the institutions which are supposed to protect citizens, such as police and armed forces, are often key perpetrators of abuse.
The extent to which S&J programmes reflect the needs of intended beneficiaries is acknowledged as a key success factor: ‘people-centred’ approaches produce more effective and sustainable results, which are seen as more relevant and legitimate by beneficiaries. S&J programmes which focus exclusively on the institution to be reformed without engaging the population – including women – are less likely to be successful.
Progress in one part of the security and justice sectors can be undermined by a lack of progress in another. If police improve investigation rates for crimes against women, but the rest of the criminal justice system cannot cope, this will undermine the police and public confidence. Other findings include the following:
- There may be considerable male resistance to reform efforts which enhance women’s status. Careful analysis, monitoring and outreach may help to identify male champions of the processes and reduce resistance.
- Cultural discourse may condone VAW and may be a major challenge. Yet cultures and traditions are dynamic; culturally-based mechanisms may provide a useful entry point.
- Whilst projects specifically focusing on VAW have had good results, there is a risk that treating VAW separately from ‘mainstream’ security and justice programmes might marginalise the crime and its victims further.
- A severe lack of data makes targeting the programmes, monitoring and evaluating their impact and cross-comparative work very difficult. This decreases their impact significantly.
A more detailed theory of change for how S&J programming will address violence against women needs to be articulated. In implementing an holistic, people-centred approach to S&J, it is important to recognise that local people’s priorities may differ from those of national institutions, and to avoid a focus on elite (male) discourse. Further:
- Sustained political will from both national elites and external actors is needed.
- Generating trust in institutions may require radical reform where institutions have been abusive. In other contexts, police and justice institutions may need to engage with women’s groups to find out how to gain the trust of women victims of violence and meet their different needs.
- A focus on prevention may require measures to support new legislation, gender-awareness raising within police and military structures; working with men and boys to change social attitudes; tackling perpetrator immunity; and making physical environments safer.
- It is important to understand that sexual violence is only one form of VAW; many other forms remain hidden or unaddressed by S&J programmes.
- The implications of challenges and tensions in this area of work need to be considered. Challenges include: (1) the tension between working closely in partnership with States in the development of their S&J sectors whilst at the same time challenging the impunity of serving officials; (2) supporting the role of communities in shaping the societal consensus and in so doing challenging the cultural basis that underpins much VAW without enforcing culturally-insensitive models of development; and (3) balancing immediate responses to VAW with longer-term preventative responses.
