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When drafting legislation, it is important that legal reforms are evidence-based and compliant with global and regional frameworks. The UN Handbook for Legislation on Violence against Women advises that legislation be grounded in data and research on the scope, prevalence and incidence of all forms of violence against women, as well as the causes and consequences. Drawing on lessons learned and good practice from other countries can help enhance the quality and effectiveness of new laws. It is also important that laws are unambiguous, with clear definitions of what constitutes violence…

Engaging a wide range of stakeholders enriches the legislative process with diverse viewpoints, as well as encourages a sense of ownership and commitment to end VAWG. The key stakeholders vary between contexts, but are likely to include:

Survivors provide invaluable insights into their experiences of current laws, including any practical challenges faced in accessing justice and support services. See page on how to address barriers survivors face in accessing services.
Women’s organisations and civil society groups have extensive knowledge and can mobilise support for change. See page on…

Survivors should be centred within the process of legislative reform to ensure that laws are directly responsive to their needs, experiences and rights. A survivor-centred approach acknowledges the agency of survivors, prioritises their safety and well-being, and seeks to empower them throughout the legal process. Spotlight Initiative programmes – including those in Belize, Kyrgyzstan, Liberia, Papua New Guinea, and Timor-Leste – supported the engagement (and influence) of survivors in drafting legislation, making legal information accessible and ensuring training for legal and judicial…

To effectively support legislative reform, it is useful to begin with a comprehensive assessment of whether the country has ratified international and regional frameworks to end VAWG and successfully integrated key provisions in its national legislation. It is also important to look at whether the existing laws have areas that are outdated, ineffective, or not in compliance with these frameworks. Look for loopholes that could be exploited and identify any gaps in content, implementation, weaknesses, barriers to protection, investments and budget allocations, as well as monitoring mechanisms…

Improving coordination between different government ministries is key to ensuring a comprehensive approach to addressing violence against women and girls. Spotlight Initiative has focused on supporting systems for better coordination across different sectors of government, with nearly half of its country programmes either strengthening multi-stakeholder coordination mechanisms or supporting the creation of new ones in line with international standards. For example, in Zimbabwe, the “Spotlight Initiative Inter-Ministerial Coordination Mechanism” helps implement a coordinated whole-of-government…

Gender-responsive budgeting is a critical tool to ensure that VAWG programmes and services are adequately funded in national, regional and local budgets. Over 100 countries have started using gender-responsive budgeting, although as of 2023, only 26% have comprehensive systems to track gender-equality allocations in the budget. Spotlight Initiative has worked with public sector ministries to build the capacity of government officials on gender-responsive budgeting and developed tools and methodologies to assess the gender-responsiveness of budgets. For further information, see the case study b…

Staff in public sector ministries and bodies are part of wider society and may often express attitudes in line with predominant social norms which may be gender-inequitable and tolerate violence. It is therefore really important to support staff through a process of reflection and gender transformation to enable them to design, implement and sustain appropriate activities to prevent and respond to VAWG. Possible activities suggested in Spotlight Initiative’s Technical Guidance Note include:

Analysis of operational culture, policies and programmes on VAWG.
Training and ongoing support…

Working with sectoral ministries, local government offices and municipalities to strengthen their capacities is an important strategy to increase their contribution to addressing VAWG and promoting gender equality. Institutional strengthening work can include providing ongoing, specialised training to public sector staff, with refresher training and on-the-job mentoring. Spotlight Initiative uses a variety of capacity development strategies such as gender action learning, strategic planning and programme development, training, and reflective learning to engage with teams. Developing and…

Allies within the government can serve as valuable advocates for VAWG programmes. They can leverage their position to influence policy, gain support, and secure necessary resources. Strong engagement or leadership by allies in line ministries can also support effective coordination and implementation. Look for individuals who have demonstrated a commitment to gender equality or have shown sensitivity to issues related to violence, ideally those in decision-making positions. To engage these champions, it is helpful to demonstrate how working on VAWG aligns with broader government priorities and…

Examples of times when messages around VAWG are more likely to resonate with parliamentarians include key legislative calendars, budget cycles and international observance days like International Women’s Day (8 March) or the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence (25 November - 10 December). There are also ‘pressure points’ during government reshuffles and post-election, when new parliamentarians may be more receptive to fresh ideas and partnerships. Similarly, outgoing parliamentarians may wish to leave a legacy, as in Nigeria when the outgoing President, Goodluck Jonathan, signed…