Gender-based violence is not only a human rights violation. It is also an obstacle to sustainable development.
Men and boys join the fight to prevent violence against women
It is a shocking statistic: one in three women has experienced violence. This affects women all over the world and across all social classes. The SDC works to combat violence against women in a dozen – mostly fragile or conflict-torn – countries. It spends some CHF 10 million on these efforts every year. The SDC programmes also help women fight the impunity of perpetrators and achieve social and economic re-integration.
An important success factor in sustainable rehabilitation is the involvement of men and boys in violence prevention programmes. So, for example, in Burundi and Rwanda, affected couples who have undergone lengthy therapy and successfully broken cycles of violence within the family, are held up as positive role models. In Bolivia, Mongolia, Tajikistan and Bosnia and Herzegovina, young men confront chauvinistic, violent portrayals of masculinity and seek a new identity that is not misogynistic.
Working with young people to overcome gender stereotypes, SDC project
Worldwide, 125 countries have legislation in place to protect victims and punish perpetrators. The SDC supports its partner countries in implementing such laws. For example, in Congo and Afghanistan, our partners organise training courses for the police to teach them about their protective role. In addition, more female police officers are being recruited. The dialogue with local leaders and religious dignitaries is a key strategy in Eastern Congo, where national laws often carry little weight. Legal standards, protection and justice must be negotiated and harmonised with local traditions in order to effectively combat violence against women.
