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National policy and legal environments are often fluid and can change quickly. It is important that programmes update their analysis regularly, and especially in anticipation of and response to significant political events such as national elections and other changes in government or leadership. A review of Spotlight Initiative programmes across Latin America and Africa in 2022 found that elections and changes in government in Mali, Niger, Liberia, Argentina and Mexico had significant impacts on programming. The programmes had to engage with newly elected government officials to gain their…

Through the analysis, identify which groups of people are excluded from decision-making. For example, are there women in Parliament? If so, do they face barriers to influencing change? Are they primarily from elite backgrounds and are women from poorer, rural or minority religious or ethnic backgrounds excluded? Are women with disabilities, adolescent girls, or LBT women included in decision-making? Are survivors of VAWG given a platform to influence decision-making? Once you have a better understanding of which groups hold positions of power and which are excluded, you will be in a better…

In many contexts, there is a hybrid legal system or coexistence of state law and traditional or religious laws. In some cases, there is clarity about the jurisdiction of these different systems, but, in other cases, this is less clear or not implemented in practice. There can also be significant difference between the content of state laws and traditional or religious laws, especially regarding the protection and rights of women and girls. It is important to analyse these realities and also look at women and girls’ preferences for accessing justice. Even though, on paper, state laws may offer…

If programmes are working at the sub-national level, it is important to identify any enablers or barriers that may impact VAWG programming in those particular states, regions or districts. For example, there may be a national law that criminalises intimate partner violence, but within a particular region, the knowledge or implementation of this law may be limited. In some contexts, there are also local by-laws which may be more or less progressive than national legislation. Equally, there may be strong anti-equality sentiment at the national level, but within a particular state, local…

Identify which laws and policies already exist to protect women and girls from VAWG and hold perpetrators to account, along with gaps that need to be addressed. Consider how these laws impact on different populations of women and girls at risk and survivors of violence. For example, if homosexuality is illegal, this would put survivors with diverse sexual orientations, gender expressions and identities, at risk of arrest if they seek support, posing a substantial barrier to them accessing mainstream services. Ensure your analysis looks at wider laws which impact gender equality and women and…

A robust analysis will include an identification of key decision-makers across the executive and legislative parts of government, their interests and commitments and the likelihood of them supporting or blocking positive changes in laws and policies. Consider, for example, which government ministers have a history of voting in favour of laws to protect and promote women’s rights. These may be allies who are more sympathetic to work to end VAWG. Equally, be aware of decision-makers that may be resistant and consider how to protect your efforts from their potential influence. Finally, it is also…

The most appropriate methods for gathering data for an analysis of the national policy, legal and institutional environment will vary depending on how much information is already publicly available and the specific political environment. In some contexts, there may be plenty of official information - including texts of laws and policies, parliamentary records, budgetary reports and implementation reports - available online. There may also be reports and analysis from civil society and/or research organisations on the political context, the state of legislative reform and institutional…

Establishing a systematic approach to collecting and analysing data on influencing activities can help to measure the progress, impact and effectiveness of the overall VAWG influencing strategy. A Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) plan should be developed from the outset. When setting goals and objectives, indicators that can measure and evaluate progress should be identified. It's also important to monitor any impacts or potential risks of the VAWG influencing strategy, especially to vulnerable groups including survivors of violence. Collecting data regularly is important to enable…

Communications that distil the complexity of VAWG issues into clear messaging focused on personal and social values, and resonate or motivate audiences, can be powerful tools to move people to action and change behaviours. Depending on the influencing strategies and tactics selected, communications and raising awareness can take different forms; the framing of a national media campaign will be different to that of lobbying and direct advocacy. These options should be considered on the basis of the target audience, their needs and contextual factors, such as language or dialect to use and…

Working collectively can help maximise the impact of influencing work. Engaging a diverse group of stakeholders with a mix of skills, knowledge and experiences can help identify levers where influencing can impact change. Depending on the scale of the VAWG influencing strategy, it could be helpful to establish a governance mechanism to ensure partnerships are grounded in agreed principles and ways of working. 

As outlined in Spotlight Initiative’s Pillar on Women’s Movements, engaging stakeholders on VAWG issues presents a key opportunity to shift balances of power to national, local and…