Advanced Search

To implement a PMER approach consistently and across the programme cycle, it can be helpful to convene working groups on strategic PMER development and implementation. Members of the working group should represent a variety of local stakeholders, including civil society, rights holders and key stakeholders (including women and girls, feminist and women’s rights activists and organisations). As an example, the role of the working group could include:

Providing strategic advice on the overall scope and direction of the PMER approach and strategy.
Providing technical advice on implementing…

Violence against women and girls is rooted in an unequal distribution of power and resources, reinforced through harmful social norms, behaviours and practices. To address this, programming should advance rights-based social norms, attitudes and behaviours at societal, community and individual levels. An effective way to do this is through an inclusive, locally-driven, participatory approach to programming, including in monitoring, evaluation and reporting processes.

To understand how participatory approaches can help address gender inequality and unequal power dynamics, see how the…

Given the highly sensitive nature of data about violence against women and girls, it is important that robust ethical and safety protocols and procedures are in place to ensure the safety of respondents and the research team. In many cases, this includes securing ethical permissions from national ethics committees and/or university ethics boards. For more information, read how to conduct ethical data collection.

When conducting primary research, it is important to test data collection tools, particularly for large-scale prevalence surveys. Piloting will help test the survey wording, interview training, safety and emotional distress protocols, data capture, quality control, and coding. This stage is also useful for identifying potential issues with response rates and refusals, particularly in subgroups of interest, and ensures the survey’s sample size is adequate for reliable data. The results of the pilot stage are instrumental in finalising the data collection methods and, if weaknesses are…

Where you are supporting primary data collection, it is critical to carefully select interviewers and field supervisors for their ability to handle sensitive issues like violence. They must be thoroughly trained in ethical considerations, empathetic interviewing techniques and the specific challenges of collecting data on violence. This includes understanding some of the contextual nuances affecting responses, handling the emotional distress of respondents and themselves, maintaining confidentiality and safety for all involved, and providing appropriate referral for any interviewees who show…

A key element of improving VAWG data is effective coordination with key stakeholders, particularly when putting in place integrated national systems for collecting administrative data. This approach involves engaging relevant government ministries and a diverse range of entities, including police, health systems, courts, hotlines, shelters and other service providers. One of the first recommended steps here is to create a National or Subnational VAW Administrative Data Coordination Mechanism with leadership, membership, and roles agreed in the Terms of Reference. For examples and further…

Adequate budgeting for improving VAWG data is essential for long-term viability and impact. Resources need to be allocated for design, testing, data collection, and dissemination, as well as the ongoing maintenance of data collection systems, ensuring they remain up-to-date and effective over time. This includes costs associated with training personnel in data collection and analysis, the technological infrastructure required for storing and processing data, and the tools necessary for effective data gathering, such as surveys and reporting mechanisms. In addition, resources are needed for the…

The first step is to identify which types of data require improvement and how. For example, prevalence data, which provides insights into the scale of violence within a population, is distinct from administrative data, typically derived from service providers or law enforcement, which only provides details on reported incidents and responses. Each of the following data types serves a unique purpose in addressing VAWG and requires tailored strategies for improvement:

Generating accurate prevalence data requires comprehensive and statistically representative population surveys.
Improving…

When using new data systems, such as artificial intelligence (AI), to analyse big data, it is important to consider any potential risks. For example, the Spotlight Initiative Latin America Regional Programme worked with Brazil’s National Justice Council to develop an innovative AI tool that strengthens the gender-responsive analysis of femicide by the justice sector. To support the ethical roll-out of the AI tool, Spotlight Initiative worked with partners to produce a guide for the justice sectors on how to use AI to support the analysis of femicide data.

Ethical guidelines for data collection, sharing and reporting must guide any VAWG data collection process. This is essential for all VAWG data, but particular principles and processes apply for especially sensitive data, including related to groups at high risk of discrimination, such as LGBTQI people, or data on adolescents under the age of 18. For example, the Violence Against Children and Youth Surveys (VACS) are nationally representative household surveys of adolescents and young people ages 13-24 and are considered good practice in terms of the way that data is collected and disseminated…