Financing women’s justice needs: Global perspectives on violence against women, and a case study on Uganda

This study undertakes a global desk review to quantify public financing to prevent and respond to violence against women (VAW), including intimate partner violence, the most pervasive form of violence facing women, and one that has emerged as a clear priority for justice responses.

The case for investing in violence prevention and response arises from avoiding the major costs associated with such violence. Survivors of violence encounter health costs, often suffer loss of productivity, and experience financial hardship. There are also intergenerational impacts on children who experience or witness violence. The extent to which governments are spending to prevent and respond to VAW and to address women’s justice needs is severely underreported.

The desk review reveals that even where systems of gender budgeting are relatively well developed, the budgets may not provide insights into the level and pattern of public investments to advance justice for women experiencing violence. Furthermore, while most countries now have national violence laws, many do not legislatively provide for budget allocations.