Browse by Theme: Intimate Partner Violence

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is the most common form of violence against women, with an estimated one in three women having experienced partner physical or sexual violence in their lifetime. The Indashyikirwa programme in Rwanda is an intervention that aims to prevent IPV and support healthy, equitable relationships through a participatory couples curriculum and community activism activities. The programme has been rigorously evaluted through research conducted with couples in the intervention.

Programmmes to prevent intimate partner violence (IPV) must also consider the safety and support needs of women experiencing abuse. This is especially important for programmes that raise awareness of violence in communities with limited knowledge of, or access to, services. Indashyikirwa, an IPV prevention programme in Rwanda, established women’s safe spaces, where women and men could disclose and discuss IPV, and be referred or accompanied to health, justice or social services.

A critical component of community level gender based violence (GBV) prevention programming is meaningful engagement of opinion leaders, including local government officials, religious leaders, and service providers. This can help facilitate an ‘enabling environment’ for social norms change, disseminate programme messages, support advocacy efforts, and improve responses to IPV survivors.

Community activism is increasingly being used as a strategy to shift harmful social norms, and ensure an enabling environment for preventing and responding to gender based violence. The Indashyikirwa programme in Rwanda equipped trained couples as community activists.

This report estimates that violence against women costs society upwards of 2% of global GDP, and states that the problem is serious in low, middle and high income countries alike.

Reflections on men and boys engaging gender work in development

The 2015 Engaging Men and Boys Learning Initiative explored the experiences of men involved in the struggle for gender equality. How did they first get involved? What sustains men and boys’ engagement in this work? How can men better support women and women’s organisations in the fight for gender equality? And how can organisations like CARE support them?

How a school curriculum-based approach can work

Gender-based violence devastates the lives of women, girls, families and communities worldwide. But progress to reduce gender-based violence is possible – and reaching young people through education is key. This briefing paper describes CARE’s work to engage men and boys through a curriculum-based approach in order to challenge and change the social norms and attitudes that cause and perpetuate violence. It concludes with recommendations focusing on the role that donors, governments, civil society and education specialists can play to ensure that successes can be replicated and scaled up.