Global norms, laws, and policies
Global norms and standards guide the elimination of violence against women and girls. Countries translate these into national laws and policies, backed by enforcement, to make a meaningful difference in the lives of women and girls. The goal: prevent violence, protect survivors, and promote gender equality for every woman and girl.
International agreements recognize violence as one of the most urgent and pervasive human rights violations. They include:
- Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women
- Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action
- 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
All three provide a comprehensive framework guiding States on how to prevent and respond to violence against women and girls. They are backed by ongoing resolutions by the UN General Assembly, the Human Rights Council, and the agreed conclusions of the Commission on the Status of Women.
Regional frameworks reinforce these commitments. They encompass:
- Inter-American Convention on the Prevention, Punishment and Eradication of Violence against Women, also known as the Belém do Pará Convention.
- Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence, also known as the Istanbul Convention.
- African Union Convention on the Elimination of Violence against Women and Girls
- Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa, also known as the Maputo Protocol.
Laws and national action plans
Many countries have laws and national action plans to address violence against women and girls. A 30-year review of the Beijing Platform for Action found that 90 per cent of States reported introducing or strengthening laws and their enforcement. Nearly 80 per cent introduced or expanded national action plans.
Yet progress remains uneven:
- many laws do not address all forms of violence
- laws may exclude marginalized groups
- limited resources and institutional capacity hobble enforcement
- monitoring and evaluation of impact are insufficient data are not comparable or consistent
Comprehensive approaches make a difference
Rates of violence against women and girls fall when countries combine human-rights-based laws with prevention strategies, strong institutions, accessible services, and survivor-centred justice. Countries enacting laws against domestic violence, for instance, report lower rates of intimate partner violence—9.5 per cent, compared to 16.1 per cent for those without such legislation. Rates of intimate partner violence are 2.5 times lower where comprehensive prevention and response measures are in place.
Sustained financing of laws and action plans, and the meaningful participation of women’s rights organizations are other critical components.
