This summary presents the evidence on the effectiveness of different types of response mechanisms for violence against women and girls in preventing the occurrence of violence. The interventions reviewed were all developed and deployed with a primary goal of strengthening the response of the police and criminal justice system, health system or social sector to violence against women and girls. This review has not assessed evidence on their effectiveness in achieving this primary goal; it has focused on assessing any evidence that they are able to achieve a secondary or parallel goal of prevention of violence against women and girls.

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Violence against women and girls is one of the greatest economic and public health problems facing the world today. Globally, 35% of women have experienced some form of violence. 30% of women have experienced violence from their partner.  The What Works to Prevent Violence Against Women and Girls Programme is a UK Department for International Development flagship programme, which is investing an unprecedented £25 million, over five years, to the prevention of violence against women and girls. It supports primary prevention efforts across Africa, Asia and the Middle East.

This publication provides an overview of the What Works to Prevent VAWG Programme, and sets out the goals for the Global Programme over the coming years, to: conduct cutting-edge research, support innovation, promote knowledge sharing and buid capacity, and drive the policy agenda.

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To be published soon.

This factsheet is about how gender inequality fuels the HIV epidemic. Gender based violence (GBV) leads to a higher incidence of unsafe sex and a lower ability to negotiate condom use. Social norms around child marriage, age discordant relationships and early sexual debut can also affect HIV acquisition. Research indicates that economic dependence on male partners or family members makes women and girls more likely to acquire HIV. This factsheet looks at ways to empower women economically, and potentially barriers blocking the way. It also features case studies from around the world.

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Download the latest Infographic compiled by Component Three of the What Works to Prevent Violence Against Women and Girls Global Programme. 

Gibbs A, Sikweyiya Y, Jewkes R. “I tried to resist and avoid bad friends”: The role of social contexts in shaping the transformation of masculinities in a gender-transformative and livelihood strengthening intervention in South Africa. Men and Masculinities Article first published online: January 1, 2017 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1097184X17696173

Clark, C.J.; Spencer, R.A.; Shrestha, B.; Ferguson, G.; Oakes, M.J.; & Gupta, J. Evaluating a multicomponent social behaviour change communication strategy to reduce intimate partner violence among married couples: study protocol for a cluster randomized trial in Nepal, BMC Public Health (in press)

Gibbs, A., Washington, L., Willan, S., Ntini, N., Khumalo, T., Mbatha, N.& Ferrari, G. (2017). The Stepping Stones and Creating Futures intervention to prevent intimate partner violence and HIV-risk behaviours in Durban, South Africa: study protocol for a cluster randomized control trial, and baseline characteristics. BMC public health, 17(1), 336.

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Violence against women and girls (VAWG) is a significant social, economic and public health problem. No country is immune from this problem and it impacts all socio-economic groups, all ethnicities  and all ages. This does not mean it is inevitable; it can be transformed through political will, through increased investment in programmes and policies, and through community support for normative change. The publication has been authored by the Members of Component Two for What Works: Economic and Social Costs of Violence Programme.

Violence persists in sex workers’ relationships with their intimate partners, an intervention and evaluation study, Samvedana Plus, was designed to understand and address violence and HIV risk in the intimate partnerships of female sex workers. Karnataka Health Promotion Trust (KHPT) is implementing Samvedana Plus, in partnership with Chaitanya AIDS Tadegattuwa Mahila Sangha, a communitybased organisation (CBO) of sex workers in northern Karnataka, India. The findings of the report are related to four broad categories: characteristics of the female sex workers and intimate partner relationships; gender attitudes, social norms and violence acceptance; experience of intimate partner violence, solidarity and self-worth; and STI/HIV risk perceptions, skills for self-protection and condom use among female sex workers.