GENDER THEMATIC POLICY NOTES SERIES: ISSUES AND PRACTICE NOTE ADDRESSING GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE TO ACCELERATE GENDER EQUALITY MIRAI MARUO, DIANA J. ARANGO, ARIANA MARIA DEL MAR GROSSI, MANUEL CONTRERAS-URBINA OVERVIEW Gender-based Violence (GBV) is the most egregious manifestation of gender inequality and an alarming global public health, human rights and development challenge. It is most often perpetrated against women and girls. One in three women worldwide —equivalent to 736 million women— have suffered intimate partner violence and/or sexual violence from a non-partner in their lifetime (WHO 2021). Socio-cultural factors, such as unequal gender norms and stereotypes, contribute to condoning violence and harmful practices against women and girls. GBV takes many forms, each yoked with physical and mental health consequences, as well as economic impacts, for survivors, their children, and society as a whole. Evidence-based solutions are available to inform how to effectively prevent and respond to GBV. Drawing on the growing global evidence base, the note examines the effectiveness of various GBV prevention and response measures in low and middle-income countries. Promising approaches include community-based programs aiming to transform behaviors and attitudes, economic and social empowerment, parenting and couple’s support, health worker outreach, and school-based programs. The World Bank supports governments and private sector partners in strengthening systems and service delivery for survivor care, creating safer public and workspaces, collecting and analyzing data, and addressing gaps in policy frameworks and implementation across a broad range of sectors. This note reviews available data and evidence on GBV, outlines promising approaches, and presents strategic and operational recommendations. The following key messages serve as a call-to-action to policymakers, practitioners, researchers, and organizations seeking to eradicate GBV: • GBV prevention and response clear the path to reach development goals, including gender equality. • Institutionalizing GBV prevention and response across sectors, supported by adequate financing, can help prevent violence. Investments in technical expertise are essential. • Collaboration and coordination with international and national partners as well as the private sector are critical for inclusive, sustainable, and deeper engagements. Supporting national coordinating bodies can enhance an effective and coherent multi-sectoral approach. • GBV has significant impact upon businesses. Working with the private sector is critical in mitigating risks, particularly of sexual exploitation and abuse and sexual harassment (SEA/SH), shifting social norms, particularly those based on discrimination, and addressing GBV in the world of work. • It is critical to invest in monitoring and evaluation to measure progress and ensure results, while continuing to build the evidence base to expand knowledge on effective approaches across sectors. • All stakeholders must uphold the principles of safety and ethics in all instances when working to address GBV. SEPTEMBER 2023 TABLE OF CONTENTS OVERVIEW 1. INTRODUCTION 1 2. DEEPENING EVIDENCE BASE TO PREVENT AND RESPOND TO GBV 5 3. LESSONS FROM WORLD BANK OPERATIONAL EXPERIENCE 10 4. LOOKING AHEAD: KEY RECOMMENDATIONS TO ADDRESS GBV 17 RESOURCES 19 REFERENCES 20 ANNEX 1. RESPECT FRAMEWORK AND ITS EVIDENCE-BASE 24 ANNEX 2. SELECTED EVIDENCE ON GBV-RELATED INTERVENTIONS BY THE WORLD BANK 27 This thematic policy note is part of a series that provides an analytical foundation for the World Bank Group Gender Strategy (2024–2030). This series seeks to give a broad overview of the latest research and findings on gender equality outcomes and summarizes key thematic issues, evidence on promising solutions, operational good practices, and key areas for future engagement in promoting gender equality and empowerment. The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed in this work are entirely those of the author(s). They do not necessarily reflect the views of the World Bank or its Board of Directors. This thematic policy note was written by a World Bank task team led by Mirai Maruo and Diana Arango and including Ariana Maria Del Mar Grossi and Manuel Contreras-Urbina. The team thanks Benedicte Leroy De La Briere, Patricia Fernandes, and Niyati Shah for their helpful peer-review comments and Louise J. Cord, Anastasia Gekis, Maninder S. Gill, Iffath Sharif, Juan Pablo Uribe, Ana Luiza Almeida E Silva, Andrea Cullinan, Daniela Greco, Shabnam Hameed, Paolo Lombardo, Maria Beatriz Orlando and Laura Rawlings, for their valuable input. 1. INTRODUCTION Gender based violence (GBV)1 is a global epidemic. Deeply rooted in unequal power relations, GBV remains the most oppressive manifestation of gender inequality. It is most often perpetrated against women and girls. GBV comes in many forms,2 but intimate partner violence (IPV) and non-partner sexual violence remain especially pervasive across economies, cultures, ethnicities, socio-economic groups, and age groups. Figure 1 shows that one in three women worldwide— equivalent to 736 million women—experience IPV or sexual violence from a non-partner in their lifetime (WHO 2021). Some regions and countries have higher lifetime prevalence IPV rates, such as Pacific small island states, South Asia, and Sub-Saharan Africa,3 but no country is immune to GBV. Nearly 12 million girls are married each year before reaching the age 18 (UNICEF 2022), and at least 200 million girls and women have undergone female genital mutilation in 31 countries with representative data on prevalence (UNICEF 2023). Women and girls also represent more than 70 percent of detected trafficking victims, most being trafficked for sexual exploitation (UNODC 2018). FIGURE 1. LIFETIME IPV PREVALENCE ESTIMATES FOR WOMEN AGES 15–49 ACROSS WORLD BANK REGIONS (NATIONAL ESTIMATES 2000-2018 FROM 161 COUNTRIES) Source: Data from Global Database on the Prevalence of Violence Against Women (WHO) 1  ender-based violence (GBV) is an umbrella term for any harmful act that is perpetrated against a person’s will and that is based on G socially-ascribed (i.e., gender) differences between males and females. It includes acts that inflict physical, sexual or mental harm or suffering, threats of such acts, coercion, and other deprivations of liberty. These acts can occur in public or in private (2015 Inter-Agency Standing Committee Gender-based Violence Guidelines). 2 GBV takes various forms. Intimate partner violence (IPV), which is physical, sexual, and/or emotional violence perpetrated by a current  or former intimate partner, continues to be one of the most common forms of GBV globally. Other forms of GBV include harmful traditional practices, early and forced marriage, denial of resources, services and opportunities, female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/FGC), forced prostitution, murder in the name of so-called honor, sexual harassment, sexual violence, sexual exploitation, and trafficking. There are also emerging types of GBV, such as technology-facilitated violence (also known as online violence). 3 Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia have the highest lifetime prevalence rate for IPV at 51 percent, 41 percent, and 39 percent,  respectively. As a region, Southern Asia has the highest IPV prevalence rate at 35 percent, followed by Sub-Saharan Africa (33 percent) and Northern Africa (30 percent). While the global average is at 27 percent, least developed countries have 10 percentage point higher prevalence at 37 percent (WHO, 2021). 1 GBV is a major barrier to building human capital. GBV It reduces their ability to participate in school, work, and has far-reaching negative implications for survivors, their public life and can directly influence women’s choice families, and society as a whole. GBV is linked to negative for education and earning options (Borker 2022). In the health consequences for survivors, including injuries, workplace, GBV can affect safety and well-being, leading to mental health problems, a higher rate of substance abuse, reduced productivity, increased absenteeism, and higher and poorer sexual and reproductive health outcomes cost on employee turnover (IFC 2019). More than one in five (Ellsberg et al. 2008; WHO 2021). Safety concerns about (22.8 per cent or 743 million) persons in employment are getting to and from school may affect girls’ enrollment and said to have experienced at least one form of violence and choice for education in some cultural settings (Gennari harassment at work during their working life, and women et al. 2014; Borker 2022). A World Bank study finds that are particularly exposed to sexual violence and sexual more women than men in Delhi would choose a lower harassment at work (ILO 2022). A study that monitored quintile college to feel safer while traveling (Borker 2021). the impact of assaults on women by co-workers finds GBV can also lead to poor school performance and may that such violence results in an overall decline of women ultimately lead girls to dropout (UNESCO and UNGEI employees in a company because fewer new women are 2015), heightening girls’ vulnerability to future forms of hired, and current women employees leave (Adams-Prassl GBV, including IPV, but also early child marriage and early et al. 2022). Inaction against GBV translates into financial childbearing, among others (Wodon et al. 2018). Some and investment risk for businesses (IFC 2020). studies show a correlation between higher educational attainment and lesser IPV risks (Ibid 2018). Femicide, GBV incurs high economic costs. GBV is associated with gender-motivated killings of women and girls, is the most lower levels of social cohesion and lost economic outputs striking example of human capital loss. The UN estimates for individuals and businesses (Raghavendra et al. 2017; that only in 2021 around 45,000 women and girls around Adams-Prassl et al. 2022). A study from Sub-Saharan Africa the world have been killed by their intimate partners or suggests that higher levels of violence against women and other family members (UNODC 2022). girls are associated with lower economic development: an increase in the share of women subject to violence by 1 GBV can impede women’s access to paid work and percentage point can reduce economic activities by up to employment, their productivity at work, and their 8.7 percent (Ouedraogo and Stenzel 2021). Another study retention in the labor market. Fear of sexual harassment reveals that women who were in an abusive relationship in public spaces impacts the mobility of women and girls. saw their employment rates fall 12 percent and their 2 earnings decline by 26 percent, when matched against may refrain from using the formal channels to report (GWI, similar women with non-abusive partners (Nix 2023). A IDLO 2022), choosing to rather approach community or similar decline in earnings was reported by a study in India: family members to stop the violence. women lose an average of at least five paid workdays for each IPV incident, reducing their salary in at least 25 percent Conflicts and human-made or natural crisis situations each time an incident of violence occurs (UN Women 2016). pose additional GBV risks to women and girls. For example, A World Bank study estimated the costs of IPV across five the COVID-19 pandemic has been linked to increased GBV countries to run from 1.2 percent to 3.7 percent of GDP, across regions (see Figure 2). Many countries reported which is equivalent to what many governments spend on surges in GBV helpline calls during the pandemic, ranging primary education (Klugman et al. 2014). from a 40 percent increase in Malaysia to 400 percent in Tunisia (UN Women 2021). In Indonesia, 83 percent of phone There are many uncalculated costs of GBV in terms of survey respondents reported an increase in IPV in their inter-generational impacts and uncounted survivors due communities due to the pandemic and related restrictions to under-reporting. Reasons to not report instances of GBV on mobility (Halim et al. 2020). An online survey in India include fear, stigma, shame, unfamiliarity with reporting demonstrated a rise in domestic violence during the early mechanisms or limited awareness of rights, or a lack of stages of the COVID-19 lockdown, pointing to increased quality services that do not provide survivors adequate stress and intra-household tensions (Abel et al. 2020). In safety, confidentiality, respect, or non-discrimination. Afghanistan, Cambodia, and Indonesia, survivors faced Available data from 44 countries indicate that almost half challenges in accessing shelters, helplines, and psycho- of women who have experienced violence never sought social services due to operational disruptions, resource help (World Bank 2022-a). An analysis of Demographic and shortages, and fear of COVID-19 health risks (UN Women Health Survey data from 24 countries reveals that only 7 2021). A systematic review of GBV prevalence studies in percent of women experiencing GBV reported to a formal contexts of violence and fragility finds that IPV, physical service (Palermo 2013). In India, for example, less than violence, and rape were measured most frequently and one-fourth of women who had experienced some form that IPV remains the most common form of violence in of GBV sought help, and only 1 percent sought help from emergencies (Stark et al. 2011). In Colombia and Liberia, a formal institution (Krishnakumar 2021). Even when legal women faced 40 and 55 percent greater odds, respectively, frameworks and justice services are available, survivors of experiencing past-year IPV compared to non-displaced women (Arango et al. 2021). FIGURE 2. WOMEN WHO REPORTED THAT PHYSICAL OR VERBAL ABUSE BY A SPOUSE/PARTNER INCREASED IN THEIR COMMUNITY DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC (%), BY REGION Source: Data from Global Database on the Prevalence of Violence Against Women (WHO) 3 Reports from climate and natural disaster experiences To produce this note, a review of systematic reviews of across the globe also illustrate compounded vulnerability global evidence on interventions to respond and prevent of women and girls during and after such events (Anastario GBV was conducted. Despite limitations and constraints et al. 2009; Fisher 2010; GBV AoR 2022; Gennari et al. to comparing data using different methodologies, these 2015; Harville et al. 2011; Horton 2012; Schumacher et al. reviews uncovered areas of interventions that are effective 2010; Weitzman et al. 2016). Natural resource scarcity and in reducing and preventing violence, as well as those that associated economic stresses can also trigger coerced use are less so. They also revealed evidence gaps that need to be of transactional sex or child marriage as coping strategies addressed to provide further insights. This note examines (Castañeda Camey et al. 2020). these findings as well as lessons learned from select World Bank programs and projects. Since 2013, the World Bank’s This thematic policy note presents a suite of data points portfolio of GBV-focused operations has grown from 38 to and evidence to show that eliminating GBV is not only 390 projects and programs. Taken together, this growing possible, but it is an ethical and development imperative, body of knowledge and operational experience sheds light and smart economics. As GBV reflects power inequalities on promising measures that governments, development between men and women, preventing, reducing and partners, and private sector entities can adopt to address responding to such violence has direct impact to building GBV across a broad range of sectors. and protecting human capital, promoting economic empowerment, and enhancing women’s leadership, voice, and agency. Social and economic disadvantages and other forms of discrimination (e.g. disability, sexual orientation and gender identity, religion, etc.) also exacerbate the risk of being exposed to GBV. 4 2. DEEPENING EVIDENCE BASE TO PREVENT AND RESPOND TO GBV Quality data is essential for designing effective policies. RESPECT, a framework for policymakers, was developed Donors and development organizations have invested in based on the UN framework for action to prevent violence collecting reliable data to shed light on the forms, risks, against women and updated new evidence. The RESPECT and consequences of violence and help inform effective framework presents seven strategies to prevent and policies and solutions. Representative population-based response violence against women. data for 55 low and middle-income countries using a standardized module measuring violence against women A review of global evidence reveals the following types and girls are available and have been incorporated as an of programs are successful when designed and executed optional module within the international Demographic well (Kerr-Wilson et al. 2020; Ellsberg et al. 2015; WHO/ and Health Survey Program (World Bank 2021).­ 4 At present, UNWOMEN 2020): combined economic and social the WHO Global Database on GBV includes data of 161 empowerment programs targeting women, parenting countries and areas confirming that violence against programs, couple’s interventions to shift gender norms, women is a common, persistent and important social and school-based interventions to prevent dating and problem (WHO 2021). In 2014, the UN Department of peer violence. Core elements of well-designed and well- Economic and Social Affairs Statistics Division released implemented interventions that have yielded positive Guidelines for Producing Statistics on Violence against results are, among others, rigorous planning with a robust Women—Statistical Surveys, with the aim of supporting theory of change; tackling multiple drivers of GBV, such as countries to invest in methodological sound, safe and gender inequality and poverty, working with women and ethical mechanisms for collecting scope, prevalence, men, and when relevant, families; and optimizing training and incidence data on violence against women (United to ensure staff and volunteers have gender-equitable Nations 2014). attitudes (Jewkes et al. 2021). Data collected by GBV service providers on reported There is also good evidence that some one-off, standalone cases can help understand the type and nature of programs are not effective at reducing violence, such violence (World Bank 2021). These administrative data as brief bystander interventions, stand-alone awareness are important input for improving both prevention and campaigns, brief counseling and safety planning for response investment allocation decisions. Administrative pregnant women, and social marketing campaigns (Kerr- data can also be an important source of information for Wilson et al. 2020). Overall, interventions focused on monitoring the quality of police, judicial, health and social strategies that do not follow a gender approach or address services and assessing unmet needs. They can help inform the main roots of GBV have not shown effectiveness to the next generation of policies and procedures to respond reduce this type of violence. to GBV (UN Women 2022). Improving the Collection and Despite the important progress in the last decades in Use of Administrative Data on Violence Against Women knowledge development, there are still many research released by the UN Women and WHO provides guidance gaps. The field of GBV and the larger field of violence on improving the collection and use of administrative data prevention would benefit from closing research gaps related to violence against women. around evidence on how to adapt proven models to Over the past decades, GBV practitioners and researchers prevent GBV in different contexts, such as conflict and have built a solid evidence base of tested interventions and humanitarian and indigenous communities. There are also rigorous evaluations of potentially scalable solutions. This gaps in how to implement GBV actions in various sectors includes What Works to Prevent Violence against Women that are not commonly involved in the GBV field, such as and Girls (What Works), Spotlight Initiative launched by the energy, water, and agriculture. Another important research European Union and the UN in 2017 and the world’s largest gap is to understand better the situation of some under network on GBV prevention and response led by the Sexual researched types of violence, such as trafficking, sexual Violence Research Initiatives (SVRI). In addition, in 2019 harassment in institutional settings, violence against elders, 4 https://dhsprogram.com/ 5 among others. Finally, more research is needed to better to gender equality and intolerance of violence, the safety understand how childhood exposure to violence, gender of employees at work, and access to support; awareness socialization, masculine identity issues, peer influence, and raising and support for community prevention efforts; parenting impact on different types of GBV. and dedicated financial and human resources to address violence. A series of studies undertaken by the International The crucial role the private sector can play in mitigating Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank, GBV risks in the workplace and shifting community-based to understand workplace responses to violence in Fiji, social norms cannot be overlooked. Key global standards Myanmar, Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands also underpinning private sector efforts to address GBV, such as illustrates ways in which the private sector can meaningfully the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights contribute to GBV prevention, mitigation and response. and the ILO Convention No. 190 (Violence and Harassment Convention 2019), help elevate the private sector efforts. Table 1 consolidates selected evidence relevant to A review of case studies that feature 14 organizations World Bank-financed GBV operations and classifies the from countries across Asia and the Pacific region finds effectiveness of interventions into three categories derived the following elements are some of the most effective from What Works and RESPECT methodologies:5 Effective in responding to the impact of IPV in the workplace (interventions that systematic reviews of evidence conclude (UN Women 2019): demonstrated leadership commitment to be either effective or promising), Emerging (interventions 5 T  he classification of the effectiveness of intervention categories, typically based on randomized controlled trials and quasi- experimental studies, differ by reviewers. What Works classifies projects into four categories: Effective (at least two high or moderate quality impact evaluations, using randomized control trials and/or quasi-experimental designs, have found statistically significant reductions in physical IPV, sexual IPV, or non-partner sexual violence), Promising (one high or moderate quality impact evaluations has found statistically significant reductions), Conflicting (evidence from different high-quality studies show conflicting results on one or more domains) and No effect (at least two high or moderate quality impact evaluations have found no significant reductions). RESPECT applies evidence ratings derived from systematic reviews of evaluations of interventions the majority of which use experimental designs including randomized, cluster randomized and quasi-experimental methods. RESPECT classifies projects into five categories: Promising (more than one evaluation shows significant reductions in violence outcomes), More evidence needed (more than one evaluation shows improvements in intermediate outcomes related to violence), Conflicting (evaluations show conflicting results on violence outcomes), No evidence (intervention not yet rigorously evaluated), and Ineffective (more than one evaluation show no reduction in violence outcomes). 6 that systematic reviews of evidence conclude to have covered the topics of sexual and reproductive health, either conflicting or no evidence) and Less Promising pregnancy, family planning, child marriage, and violence (interventions that systematic reviews of evidence against women. Results of randomized controlled trials conclude to have no effect or be ineffective). It is followed demonstrate that these programs lead to a reduction by a more detailed discussion of “effective” program areas in girls’ reported cases of forced sex (Bandiera 2020). In with examples of projects and programs implemented by Tanzania, a cluster randomized controlled trial compared development partners around the world. Annex 1 provides women who received microfinance to those who received a more comprehensive list of the evidence base for the microfinance and 10-sessions of gender-transformative RESPECT framework. training. Results show that the women who received both financing and training were less likely to report physical IPV Economic empowerment programs combined and less likely to express attitudes accepting IPV (Kapiga et with social empowerment components al. 2019). Several randomized controlled trials of economic empowerment programs delivered alongside social There are a variety of ways to combine economic and empowerment interventions demonstrate good evidence social empowerment. In Uganda, the Empowerment and of violence reduction; however, there are knowledge gaps Livelihood for Adolescent (ELA) provided adolescent girls on how effective such interventions would be in conflict vocational training along with life skills training, which TABLE 1: WHAT WORKS (AND WHAT DOES NOT) IN RESPONDING TO AND PREVENTING GBV Effective Emerging Less Promising • Economic empowerment programs • One-stop centers • Standalone7 awareness raising combined with social empowerment campaigns or single component interventions for women • Cognitive behavior therapy-based communications campaigns interventions with pregnant women • Economic transfer programs, • Standalone brief counselling and especially combined with social • Infrastructure and transport safety planning for pregnant women components upgrading • Microfinance, savings, and • Parenting programs (i.e., sessions • Whole school interventions6 livelihood programs without any on improving parenting skills, additional components addressing • Legislative and justice sector gender norms around children and root-causes of GBV responses (i.e., better legislation, pregnancy) training of judges and police, • Standalone brief bystander • Couples’ interventions to promote provision of coordinated emergency intervention egalitarian attitudes and relationships services) • Interventions for perpetrators • Psychological support for • Self-defense interventions for (also known as batterer intervention children who experience violence women to prevent sexual violence programs) and witness IPV at college • School-based interventions • Economic and social empowerment (i.e., school curriculum, prevention programs targeting men training on dating/peer violence) Sources: The Lancet Journal on Prevention of violence against women and girls: what does the evidence say? (Ellsberg et al. 2015), A rigorous global evidence review of interventions to prevent violence against women and girls (Kerr-Wilson et al. 2020), RESPECT framework strategy summary (WHO/UNWOMEN 2020), and Gender Equality & Development – Interventions to prevent or reduce violence against women and girls: a systematic review of reviews (Arango et al. 2014). 6 ‘ Whole school’ interventions are usually referred to as those that go beyond the teacher/facilitator–student learning interactions to engage the wider school and/or others – such as parents or school governing bodies (Kerr-Wilson et al. 2020). 7 ‘Standalone’ means these interventions are not as part of multi-component approaches. 7 settings (Kerr-Wilson 2020). of cash transfers for reducing IPV and mitigating potential adverse impacts (Buller 2018). Economic transfer and social protection programs Parenting programs Economic transfer programs are designed to address Parenting programs typically aim to improve interactions economic insecurity and poverty-related stress factors. between parents and children, promote better parenting They have the potential to decrease violence by improving skills, and enhance relationships between parents psychological well-being, addressing key stressors, and and children (The Prevention Collaborative 2019). The increasing women’s bargaining power in relationships (Ibid Responsible, Engaged, and Loving (REAL) Fathers program 2020). Evaluations of food, cash and vouchers programs in in Uganda provided mentoring to young fathers raising Ecuador and Bangladesh show that even if reducing IPV was children ages 1–3 years to promote non-violent parenting not the primary objective, women who received transfers and intimate partner relationships. A program evaluation with nutrition trainings experienced less IPV (Hidrobo indicates significant reductions in men’s reported IPV at the 2016; Roy 2019; UN Women and Social Development end of the program and over the longer term, as well as Direct 2020). A randomized controlled trial of a conditional significant reductions in physical child punishment at long- cash transfer in South Africa shows that participants who term follow up (Ashburn 2017). In Rwanda, the Bandebereho received the cash transfer were significantly less likely to program involved group sessions for expecting fathers report experiencing partner physical violence in the past and their partners to reflect on inequitable gender norms 12 months (Pettifor et al. 2016). In contrast, two studies and behaviors. An evaluation of the program shows lower on the effects of conditional cash transfers on GBV in the reported physical and sexual IPV cases and higher level Philippines and Brazil find no significant impacts on the of men’s participation in childcare and household tasks rates of IPV and femicide, respectively (Dervisevic 2022; (Doyle 2018). Combined IPV prevention and parenting Litwin 2019). A mixed-method review of cash transfer initiatives hold potential for improving the overall well- programs in low and middle-income countries suggests being of families. that, in general, economic transfers do not increase rates of IPV. Program framing and complementary activities, such Promoting egalitarian attitudes as interventions aimed at shifting intra-household power and relationships relations, are likely to be important design features for Inequitable gender norms and beliefs are underlying drivers understanding how to maximize and leverage the impact 8 of GBV. Promoting positive attitudes and relationships around men and women is critical. In Rwanda, the Indashyikirwa program sought to reduce levels of IPV and improve the response to survivors (Stern and Carlson 2019). An evaluation of the program’s gender transformative curriculum for couples reveals it reduced both women’s reported experiences and men’s reported perpetration of violence. It also reduced the acceptability of wife beating, conflict between partners, depression, and corporal punishment against children, among other aspects of GBV (Dunkle et al. 2020). School-based interventions Educational institutions provide space to engage students, teachers and parents on gender relations. Curriculum, policies, and peer interactions can help transform views and interactions. The Good School Toolkit aims to reduce violence perpetrated by school staff against children by building a positive school environment and positive relationships among students and authority figures. A randomized controlled trial of the program in Uganda shows that it reduced children’s risk of experiencing physical violence by school staff by 42 percent over 18 months of implementation as well as it reduced emotional and physical peer violence (Devries et al. 2015; Devries et al. 2018). Using sport and play, Right to Play is another school-based program designed to reduce peer violence and corporal punishment, improve mental health, and change social norms in support of gender equality and non-violence (Kerr-Wilson 2018). A cluster-randomized controlled trial of the program implemented in Pakistan shows significant reductions in several types of violence, among other positive results (Karmaliani et al. 2020). 9 3. LESSONS FROM WORLD BANK OPERATIONAL EXPERIENCE The World Bank’s 2012 World Development Report (WDR Since the WDR 2012, the World Bank has embarked on 2012), Gender Equality and Development, established a journey to bring GBV prevention and response to the gender equality as a core development objective. It forefront of the institution’s agenda (see Figure 3). Each cited domestic violence as a clear manifestation of lack of replenishment cycle of the International Development agency for women and girls. It also stressed the need to Association (IDA) has continued to increase ambition since put laws in place, shift norms and behaviors around IPV, IDA17, when addressing GBV was discussed in the context of and provide timely and quality assistance to survivors fragile, conflict and violent (FCV) settings. IDA18 prompted (World Bank 2012). In the same year, the World Bank’s more operations in FCV countries and areas to engage private sector arm, International Finance Corporation (IFC), GBV prevention and response through access to essential updated its Sustainability Framework (first launched in services and livelihood support activities. IDA19 promoted April 2006) that strengthened its mechanisms to mitigate system-wide approaches in health and education sectors. gender-related risks and unintended impacts from IDA20 looks to strengthen national policy frameworks to business activities across all stakeholders, with the goal of address GBV, while continuing to enhance health response sustainable development impact. It also further developed services and implementing GBV prevention and response the original (2006) GBV-related performance standards protocols as part of safe and inclusive educational focusing on non-discrimination, equal opportunities, institutions. These policy commitments have helped spur community health, safety, and security issues (IFC 2012). activities to prevent and respond to violence as part of This work helped pave a way forward for an increasing IDA lending operations and in line with the World Bank’s focus on GBV in the private sector. The IFC Performance Gender Strategy, which was first launched in 2015. Standards have been widely adopted by over 140 Equator Principles financial institutions in 39 countries, providing a broad global platform for addressing GBV as core business. 10 In parallel, as part of the Environmental and Social The World Bank has also made investments in its own Framework and its Vision for Sustainable Development, technical expertise. It added dedicated GBV Specialists the World Bank has systematized practices and in relevant units of the organization, developed capacity procedures for mitigating sexual exploitation and abuse building for staff, and published the Violence Against and sexual harassment (SEA/SH) risks, prompted by the Women and Girls Resource Guide Series. This guidance Inspection Panel cases in Uganda and the Democratic helps World Bank staff identify entry points to address GBV Republic of Congo. All investment project financing at policy, institutional, and community levels across sectors operations with major civil works and/or human and operations. development projects conduct SEA/SH risk screenings and put in place appropriate risk-mitigation measures This focus on GBV prevention and response as a central proportional to the assessed level of risk (World Bank development issue has resulted in a tenfold increase in 2020-a; World Bank 2022-b) while IFC applies systematic World Bank operations that address GBV, extending to GBV risk assessment and appropriate measures to all every sector and region. In 2013, a strategic review of World investments since 2019.8 Additionally, the World Bank has Bank lending operations identified 38 active operations established a disqualification mechanism for contractors with an explicit focus on GBV prevention or response who do not comply with SEA/SH contractual provisions (Willman 2013). Since then, the portfolio has expanded to circumvent project-induced SEA/SH risks (World Bank significantly to reach 390 operations in the past ten years. 2020-b). These practices present windows to engage clients They all contribute to GBV prevention and response on conversations relating to GBV prevention and response. efforts by attacking the problem from multiple angles (see Table 2).9 FIGURE 3. EVOLUTION OF THE WORLD BANK’S GBV AGENDA Source: Updated table taken from the Gender-Based Violence Prevention and Response in World Bank Operations: Taking Stock After a Decade of Engagement (2012-2022) report (World Bank 2023-a) 8 Higher risk projects potentially trigger a deeper GBV risk assessment and GBV action plan. 11 Supporting systems strengthening and Promoting women’s economic empowerment creating safe spaces Social protection and jobs operations that foster women’s Operations help provide quality services to those who economic empowerment address GBV as a project risk have experienced violence. For instance, health operations and a barrier to maximizing women’s full potential. Such support skills training of health service providers so they operations typically support women’s participation in public can better identify, treat, and refer GBV survivors to quality works and livelihood programs that are accompanied by services and ensure necessary equipment, drugs, supplies skills training (Ibid, 2023-a). and facilities are available. Governance operations support activities to promote survivors’ access to legal, psycho- Strengthening legal and policy frameworks social and hotline services. Infrastructure improvement for addressing GBV programs, such as transport, urban, water, agriculture, and Development policy operations (DPOs) support education projects, make conscious effort to create safe comprehensive reforms of national systems and policies public spaces for women and girls. Infrastructure projects by engaging finance or equivalent ministries. For instance, are also designed to support policy and protocol settings, to promote the abolishment of child marriage, a series of such as defining sexual harassment in the workplace DPOs in Niger established Child Protection Committees and schools and adopting policies to hold perpetrators within municipalities. In Uzbekistan, policy engagements accountable (World Bank, 2023-a). helped the country to establish referral pathways for GBV survivors, and in Egypt, the Ministry of Transport adopted a Challenging social norms that condone national code of conduct to promote safe transport in the violence and harmful behavior railway sector. A series of DPOs in Bangladesh supported These types of activities are often added on to a primary the Ministry of Labor and Employment in setting up a engagement. For instance, social protection programs mechanism to report sexual harassment in the workplace. combine cash transfers and income generating activities While many countries worldwide have laws combatting with gender-transformative interventions aimed at GBV (see Figure 5), notable gaps remain between the addressing negative social norms. Some education existence and implementation of legislation. Further operations build safer schools while promoting gender- evidence is needed to fully understand effective modalities sensitive behaviors for teachers, students, and, in for implementing legislative and policy reforms. some cases, parents and guardians to address gender stereotypes. Project can also introduce behavior change communication interventions and comprehensive sexual education to students (Ibid, 2023-a). 9 T  hese 390 operations apply various World Bank financing instruments, including investment project financing (IPF), development policy operation (DPO) financing, and program-for-results (P for R) financing. Borrowers choose the instrument that best meets their needs to address their challenge. The majority of operations addressing GBV use IPF, but DPO financing, which supports policy and institutional reforms of countries to achieve poverty reduction and sustainable growth, is increasingly employed for work to address GBV. 12 FIGURE 5. COUNTRIES WITH LEGISLATIONS ON SEXUAL HARASSMENT AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IN 2023 (BY REGION) Source: Data from the Women, Business and the Law (World Bank, 2023) 13 TABLE 2: EXAMPLES OF ACTIVITIES TO COMBAT GBV IN WORLD BANK OPERATIONS Intervention type World Bank contributing Country example sectors Systems strengthening Health, Nutrition In Bangladesh, the Health and Gender Support Project for Cox’s and Population Bazar district supports the establishment and operationalization of a safe space (a friendly space for women and adolescent girls) and provides some immediate GBV response services. It also adapted the program SASA!, an initiative to shift community attitudes, norms, and behaviors around gender and violence, to promote community centered GBV prevention and engage men and boys. Safe public spaces Transport The Chennai City Partnership: Sustainable Urban Services Program in India supported the government to enhance women’s Urban safety in public spaces and commissioned a safety audit using Resilience and Land the Safetipin mobile application to map and assess perception Agriculture of safety. Education Economic empowerment Social Protection In Nigeria, the Nigeria For Women Project supports livelihoods and Jobs and economic empowerment activities (e.g., financial literacy, leadership and negotiation skills, coping strategies, healthy Social Sustainability relationship strategies) through women’s groups. and Inclusion Legal and policy reform Macroeconomics, Trade The Supporting a Transparent and Inclusive Market Transition and Investment DPO in Uzbekistan supported the approval of legislation protecting GBV survivors as part of reforms to create more inclusive labor markets and incentivize female labor force participation. Source: Gender-Based Violence Prevention and Response in World Bank Operations: Taking Stock After a Decade of Engagement (2012-2022) report (World Bank 2023-a) Private sector businesses and investors increasingly see GBV prevention and response as a critical strategy for sustainability. IFC engages industry partners to build the business case to tackle GBV and harassment connected to work (see Table 3). For instance, integrating service providers and organizations working on GBV in company- level responses has been identified as an effective approach to address GBV and harassment in Papua New Guinea and Sri Lanka (IFC 2021; IFC 2022). In Papua New Guinea, both employees and employers recognized workplace support for staff affected by GBV as crucial for building resilient workplaces. Moreover, private sector-led programs and initiatives to promote women’s safety and empowerment can lead to positive outcomes beyond the workplace (IFC 2019-a; IFC 2019-b). Through its social safeguarding work including the Respectful Workplaces Program, IFC also supports businesses in emerging markets to develop safeguarding policies and proceedings to address GBV and harassment in the workplace (i.e., the implementation of grievance mechanisms, investigations, and resolution procedures). 14 TABLE 3: EXAMPLES OF IFC’S PARTNERSHIP WITH THE PRIVATE SECTOR ON GBV PREVENTION AND RESPONSE Private sector strategy Country Business case Promoting women’s safety Egypt Companies have implemented concrete measures to prevent in and on the way to and GBV in commuting to and from remote work locations by from the workplace providing company transportation with specific bus supervisors that must observe and report any safety issues, accompanied by the code of conduct and grievance mechanism. Workplace support for Mexico Companies have implemented measures to ensure the safety of staff affected by GBV staff by including codes of ethics and grievance mechanisms, and complemented them with on-site GBV support services, social workers, GBV training and awareness raising activities. Engagement with Sri Lanka Companies have enhanced GBV responses by partnering with service providers service providers and networks to establish a comprehensive referral pathway to professional services for employees that experience any form of GBV. Workplace support for Papua New Guinea IFC identified mainstream support services, such as counselling, staff affected by GBV and innovative arrangements, such as flexible work arrangements and paid time-off for employees who experience some form of GBV, crucial to build resilient workplaces. Building impact beyond Myanmar Safe transport initiatives have been identified as a key entry the workplace point for companies to address GBV in public spaces that may affect employees when traveling to work. Coordination measures with public transportation bodies and public space safety civil society organizations were considered crucial steps to provide comprehensive responses to GBV. Promoting women’s agency Fiji Companies’ initiatives to build women’s financial literacy, such as training and awareness-raising campaigns, have had positive impacts in preventing financial abuse and improving women agency. 15 Along with operational support, the World Bank is contributing to the evidence base through impact evaluations of programs and inferential studies. The World Bank’s Gender Innovation Lab (GIL) Federation, the Development Impact Evaluation (DIME) Group, and the Development Economics Research Group (DEC) are working to fill knowledge gaps on the effectiveness of Bank-supported interventions and generating more nuanced evidence relevant to countries and areas where the World Bank operate. For example, a GIL Federation evidence series on Policy Lessons on Reducing Gender- Based Violence highlights key findings based on GILs’ impact evaluations (Halim et al. 2023). Annex 2 provides a summary of the World Bank’s efforts to build the evidence base on GBV prevention and response. Further efforts to monitor Bank-supported activities to prevent and respond to GBV are needed. Monitoring implementation and progress toward indicators related to GBV should be done throughout the lifecycle of a project. In addition, other evaluation tools should be considered for M&E such as, through rapid assessments, process evaluations or other qualitative tools to inform implementation, would be critical (World Bank 2023). 16 4. LOOKING AHEAD: KEY RECOMMENDATIONS TO ADDRESS GBV This note presents a suite of data points and evidence to • Continue investing in staffing and capacity strengthening stress that eliminating GBV is a ethical and development training. A pool of internal GBV specialists (including at the country level) is critical for translating global evidence into imperative and smart economics. As GBV reflects power client dialogue, determining strategic entry points, and leading inequalities between men and women, preventing, technically sound operational design. Additionally, GBV experts reducing and responding to such violence has direct impact can ensure that engagements to prevent and respond to GBV to building and protecting human capital, promoting uphold the principles of safety, ethics, and do no harm. economic empowerment and enhancing women’s • Ramp up prevention efforts linked to the sexual exploitation leadership, voice and agency. Social and economic and abuse and sexual harassment (SEA/SH) mitigation work. disadvantages may also exacerbate the risk of being Both the World Bank’s Environmental and Social Framework exposed to GBV. This note attempts to show prevention and IFC’s Sustainability Framework recommend operations and response measures that can be adopted by countries address project-induced SEA/SH risks by putting in place and the private sector companies. The following takeaways mitigation measures. This corporate mandate helps put GBV prevention and response on the table when structuring and emerge for policymakers, practitioners, and researchers designing a project. seeking to eliminate GBV: • Support capacity strengthening of coordinating bodies to STRATEGIC RECOMMENDATIONS ensure effective GBV response across multiple sectors. As • Foster a shared understanding of GBV prevention and the ministry mandated to coordinate line ministries for GBV response as an essential path for reaching development response, supporting a country’s Gender Ministry or Women’s goals. Addressing GBV is a key aspect of advancing gender Ministry to enhance their coordination mechanisms can equality, and an ethical and development imperative in contribute to the overall GBV prevention and response effort. and of itself. Every project can play a role in preventing and • When supporting governments in fragile, conflict, and responding to GBV through its investments aligned with violent contexts, different modalities may be more effective. sectoral entry points, and in some cases, can be a central and For example, efforts to strengthen coordination and national core component of project activities. In some cases, framing systems may be complemented with parallel services discussions around female labor force participation, safe delivered through UN agencies and non-government partners public spaces, and enhanced service delivery can help navigate to ensure the availability of survivor-centered care. dialogue on GBV with governments and other stakeholders such as private sector industry groups and market regulators. 17 • Support and work with local women’s rights organizations. • Invest in monitoring and evaluation to measure progress, It is equally important to work with local women’s rights improve tracking of GBV prevention and response including organizations, as they are often on the front lines of providing the mitigation of SEA/SH activities, and ensure results, care for survivors of violence and have been working on while continuing to build the evidence base to address addressing violence for decades. knowledge gaps. Setting aside resources for qualitative monitoring through rapid assessment and process evaluations • Continue to collaborate with development partners and are particularly relevant for ensuring the overall quality of industry groups at the global and country level for inclusive the project implementation. Investing to close the remaining and deeper engagements. Alignment with the Shared evidence gaps on how to scale and replicate successful Research Agenda on violence against women at the global interventions is equally critical. The GBV sector will benefit level for building and translating evidence helps ensure from further studies on the impacts of economic interventions investments contribute to closing evidence gaps. Involving on GBV; of GBV on economic empowerment dimensions, such national GBV coordination mechanisms is a good way to as female labor force participation and income gaps, and of prioritize strategic national engagements for GBV prevention interventions with specific sub-groups, such as refugees or the and response and helps avoid duplication of efforts and LGBTQI community. More evidence is needed to assess the wasting of limited resources. Connecting and working with civil effectiveness of SEA/SH mitigation activities in the survivors society partners and UN agencies that often possess deeper and their impact on longer-term GBV prevention outcomes. expertise and local presence are a critical element for success, Greater understanding is also needed on the intersection of especially in fragile, conflict and violent settings. In emerging violence against women and violence against children, and the markets, private sector industry groups and market regulators effectiveness of GBV prevention and response activities within are potential partners. sectoral operations. • Continue to engage the private sector as vital partner • Carefully consider interventions intended to transform in preventing GBV and shifting community-based social social norms. Transforming attitudes, beliefs, and norms norms related to gender equality. The private sector plays an around harmful practices requires investments of time and important role to combat GBV, including sexual harassment in resources, along with technical rigor. Community mobilization labor, sexual exploitation and abuse. For example, the private approaches, such as SASA! and Indashyikirwa, need GBV sector can take action to create safe workplace cultures where experts to support the design/adaptation and implementation harassment is not tolerated, survivors can disclose violence for success. The World Bank will benefit from further research and survivor-centered remedial actions are taken. It is critical to understand the most effective engagement model when to follow global standards, such as the ILO Convention No. working on social norms. 190 (2019) that sets out the fundamental principles and recognizes the complementary roles of key stakeholders (e.g. • Consolidate SEA/SH risk mitigation agenda to enhance its governments, employers, workers, and their representative sustainability. Developing mechanisms and standardizing organizations) to address GBV in the world of work. processes that facilitate a more effective and sustainable implementation of SEA/SH risk mitigation measures. This OPERATIONAL AND PROGRAMMATIC includes strengthening national level system solutions RECOMMENDATIONS rather than project-by-project approaches. For example, exploring national-level service mapping, sector-level code • Promote evidence-based interventions based on replicable of conduct and behavior standards, and standardization sector entry points that fit the nature of a project. Operations of tools can ensure consistency and effectiveness of the can amplify impacts by first addressing gaps aligned to the mitigation measures, and support the development of national sectoral priority. This includes strengthening systems for health accountability frameworks to respond to SEA/SH issues. and education, making the public space safe for infrastructure sectors, and promoting economic and social empowerment for several sectors. 18 RESOURCES Guidance for designing and implementing interventions • Tip Sheet Series How to: Develop a Community-Based to address GBV: Grievance Mechanism for Sexual Exploitation and Abuse, Establish and Manage a Worker Grievance Mechanism for • Development Marketplace: Innovations to address Sexual Harassment, Write and Implement a Workplace Policy gender-based violence for Prevention of Sexual Harassment, Guidance for Boards of Directors on Overseeing Gender-based Violence and • RESPECT Women: Preventing violence against women – Harassment Implementation package • Counting the Cost: The Price Society Pays for Violence • Violence against women and girls resource guide and Against Women sectoral briefs • The Costs of Violence – Understanding the Costs of Violence • A rigorous global evidence review of interventions to prevent Against Women and Girls and its Response: Selected Findings violence against women and girls, What Works to prevent and Lessons Learned from Asia and the Pacific violence against women and girls global programme, Pretoria, South Africa Ethical guidance for GBV research: • Interventions to Prevent or Reduce Violence Against Women • WHO (2016) Ethical and safety recommendations for and Girls: A Systematic Review of Reviews intervention research on violence against women • Community based approaches to Intimate Partner Violence • WHO (2007) Ethical and safety recommendations for (IPV): A Review of Evidence and Essential Steps to Adaptation researching, documenting and monitoring sexual violence in emergencies • Compendia of International and National Legal Frameworks • WHO (2005) Researching Violence Against Women: A Practical • INSPIRE – Seven Strategies for Ending Violence Against Guide for Researchers and Activists Children Guidance for GBV-related data collection: • Collective Action to Reduce Gender-Based Violence (CARE- GBV) Resources • UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs Statistics Division’s Guidelines for Producing Statistics on Violence • Safety First: How to Leverage Social Safety Nets to Prevent against Women – Statistical Surveys Gender Based Violence • Improving the Collection and Use of Administrative Data on • E-learning course: How to leverage safety nets to prevent Violence Against Women gender-based violence Guidance note related to SEA/SH mitigation: • Violence Against Women and Girls: A Compendium of Monitoring and Evaluation Indicators • World Bank Good Practice Note on Addressing Sexual Exploitation and Abuse and Sexual Harassment (SEA/SH) in • Analysis of Gender-Based Violence Prevention Opportunities Investment Project Financing involving Major Civil Works by Sector • World Bank Good Practice Note on Addressing Sexual • Addressing Gender-Based Violence and Harassment Emerging Exploitation and Abuse and Sexual Harassment (SEA/SH) in Good Practice for the Private Sector Human Development Operations • Gender-Based Violence Quality Assurance Tool: Facilitation Guide 19 REFERENCES Abel, Simon Martin, Emcet Oktay Tas, Najaf Zahra, Tanya Lynn Center for Global Development. 2021. 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Strengthening Prevention of Gender-Based United Nations. 2014. Guidelines for Producing Statistics Violence (GBV): Contractor Accountability and Disqualification. on Violence against Women. Department of Economic and Social Affairs. 22 World Bank. 2021. World Development Report 2021: Data for Better Lives. Washington, D.C.: World Bank. doi:10.1596/978-1- 4648-1600-0. License: Creative Commons. Attribution CC BY 3.0 IGO World Bank. 2022-a. “Escaping gender-based violence,” Gender Data Portal Data Stories. World Bank. 2022-b. Environmental & Social Framework for IPF Operations. Good Practice Note. Addressing Sexual Exploitation and Abuse and Sexual Harassment in Human Development Operations. World Bank. 2023-a. Gender-Based Violence Prevention and Response in World Bank Operations: Taking Stock After a Decade of Engagement (2012-2022). Washington, D.C.: World Bank. License: CC BY-NC 3.0 IGO. World Bank. 2023-b. Women, Business and the Law Data for 1971-2023. 23 ANNEX 1. RESPECT FRAMEWORK AND ITS EVIDENCE-BASE RESPECT Women: Preventing violence against women The following table assesses each approach in low developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) and and middle-income countries (LMIC) and high-income UN Women, in collaboration with ten other UN, bilateral, countries (HIC) using the following categories: 1. Promising and multilateral agencies, outlines seven inter-related (one or more evaluations show significant reductions in intervention strategies to prevent violence against women: violence outcomes), 2. More evidence needed (more than one evaluation shows improvements in intermediate • Relationships skills strengthened outcomes related to violence), 3. Conflicting (evaluations • Empowerment of women show conflicting results on violence outcomes, being some • Services ensured positive and some negative), 4. No evidence (intervention • Poverty reduced not yet rigorously evaluated) and 5. Ineffective (more than • Environments made safe one evaluation show no reductions in violence outcomes). • Child and adolescent abuse prevented • Transformed attitudes, beliefs and norms RESPECT Interventions LMIC HIC Example category recommended Relationship Group-based workshops Promising More In the two-year period following skills with women and men to evidence the implementation of Stepping strengthened promote egalitarian attitudes needed Stones in South Africa with female and relationships and male participants ages 15–26 years, men were less likely Couples counselling More Promising to perpetrate intimate partner and therapy evidence violence, rape and transactional needed sex in the intervention group compared to the baseline. Empowerment Empowerment training for Promising More The IMAGE project (Intervention of women women and girls including life evidence with Microfinance for Aids and skills, safe spaces, mentoring needed Gender Equity) in South Africa empowers women through Inheritance and asset Promising No evidence microfinance together with ownership policies training on gender and power and interventions and community mobilization activities. Studies show it reduced Micro-finance or Promising No evidence domestic violence by 50% in the savings and loans plus intervention group over a period gender and empowerment of two years. At $244 per incident training components case of partner violence averted during a 2-year scale up phase, the intervention is highly cost-effective 24 Services Empowerment counselling More Promising The Community Advocacy ensured interventions or psychological evidence Project in Michigan and Illinois, support to support access to needed United States, is an evidence- services (i.e., advocacy) based program designed to help women survivors of intimate Alcohol misuse More More partner abuse re-gain control prevention interventions evidence evidence of their lives. Trained advocates needed needed provide advocacy and individually tailored assistance to survivors so Shelters More More that they can access community evidence evidence resources and social support. needed needed The intervention was found to lower recurrence of violence and depression and improve quality of Hotlines More More life and social support. Two years evidence evidence after the intervention ended, the needed needed positive change continued. One-stop crisis centers More No evidence evidence needed Perpetrator interventions More Conflicting evidence needed Women’s police More No evidence stations/units evidence needed Screening in No evidence Ineffective health services Sensitization and training Ineffective Ineffective of institutional personnel without changing the institutional environment Poverty reduced Economic transfers, including Promising More In Northern Ecuador, a cash, conditional/unconditional evidence vouchers, and food transfer cash transfers plus vouchers, needed program implemented by the and in-kind transfers World Food Program (WFP) was targeted to women in poor urban Labor force interventions, More Promising areas, intending to reduce poverty. including employment evidence Participating households received policies, livelihood and needed monthly transfers equivalent employment training to $40 per month for a period of 6 months. The transfer was Microfinance or savings Ineffective No evidence conditional on attendance of interventions without any monthly nutrition training. The additional components evaluation showed reductions in women’s experience of controlling behaviors, physical and/or sexual violence by intimate partners by 19 to 30%. A plausible mechanism for this was reduced conflict within couples related to poverty related stresses 25 Environments Infrastructure and transport More More In Hyderabad (Sindh Province), made safe evidence evidence Pakistan, a right to play needed needed intervention reached children in 40 public schools. Boys and girls were Bystander interventions No evidence Conflicting engaged in play-based learning providing them opportunity to develop life skills such as confidence, communication, Whole School interventions More No evidence empathy, coping with negative evidence emotions, resilience, cooperation, needed leadership, critical thinking and conflict resolution that help Child and Home visitation and health Promising More combat conflict, intolerance, adolescent worker outreach evidence gender discrimination and peer abuse needed violence. An evaluation showed prevented decreases in peer victimization by 33% among boys and 59% Parenting interventions Promising More among girls at 24 months evidence post intervention; in corporal needed punishment by 45% in boys and 66% in girls; and in witnessing of Psychological support Promising More domestic violence by 65% among interventions for children evidence boys and by 70% in girls. who experience violence needed and who witness intimate partner violence Life skills / school-based Promising Conflicting curriculum, rape and dating violence prevention training Transformed Community mobilization No evidence Promising SASA! is a community intervention attitudes, in Uganda that prevents violence beliefs, and against women by shifting the norms Group-based workshops with Promising More power balance between men and women and men to promote evidence women in relationships. Studies changes in attitudes and needed show that in SASA! communities norms 76% of women and men believe physical violence against a partner is not acceptable while only 26% Social marketing More More of women and men in control or edutainment and evidence evidence communities believe the same. At group education needed needed the cost of US$ 460 per incident case of partner violence averted Group education with men ineffective More in trial phase, intervention is cost- and boys to change attitudes evidence effective and further economies and norms needed of scale can be achieved during scale-up Stand-alone awareness Ineffective Ineffective campaigns/single component communications campaigns Source: Taken from the Gender-Based Violence Prevention and Response in World Bank Operations: Taking Stock After a Decade of Engagement (2012-2022) report and consolidated based on the RESPECT women: Preventing violence against women (WHO 2019). 26 ANNEX 2. SELECTED EVIDENCE ON GBV-RELATED INTERVENTIONS BY THE WORLD BANK Impact Evaluation Region Country Description or Research Project Changes in attitudes, behavior, and/or social norms Using Social Media to Change SAR India A paper studying the effectiveness of two short Gender Norms: An Experimental edutainment campaigns delivered through Facebook Evaluation Within Facebook Messenger, aiming to reshape gender norms and reduce Messenger in Urban India social acceptability of violence against women. It found that edutainment delivered through social media can be an effective tool for reshaping gender norms and attitudes on violence against women. Girl Empower – A gender AFR Liberia A study examining the impact of Girl Empower program transformative mentoring and found that the program did not decline the incidence of cash transfer intervention to sexual violence experienced by program beneficiaries, but promote adolescent wellbeing: did have some positive effects on gender attitudes, life Impact findings from a cluster- skills, and sexual and reproductive health outcomes. randomized controlled trial in Liberia Tanzanian Couples’ Perspectives AFR Tanzania An evaluation of the data from the RESPECT study (a on Gender Equity, Relationship randomized controlled trial that evaluated an intervention Power, and Intimate Partner to prevent sexually transmitted infections amongst young Violence: Findings from the Tanzanian men and women) to understand couples’ RESPECT Study attitudes about IPV, relationship power, etc. suggested that inequitable attitudes and couple discordance were associated with higher risk of IPV. Rwanda: Preventing and AFE Rwanda This evaluation of a couples discussion program Addressing SGBV (P153911) contributes to the evidence on male engagement approaches. The findings show reduced physical and sexual IPV in women that participated in the discussions, and greater attendance and male accompaniment at antenatal care, among other results (Subcomponent of the Great Lakes Emergency Sexual and Gender Based Violence and Women’s Health Project (P147489)). DRC: Prevention and Mitigation AFE DRC This study shows the program significantly improved the of SGBV in North and South Kivu quality of the couples’ relationships and led to changes Project (P150651) in men’s behaviors that are often associated with IPV, like reduced alcohol consumption. Further, the study found positive effects in men’s gender equitable attitudes. But, women reported no change in the levels of IPV that they experienced. Entertainment, Education, AFR Nigeria This study finds that the TV series MTV Shuga induced and Attitudes Toward an improvement in men’s attitudes toward women eight Domestic Violence months later. It also finds that attitudes toward GBV significantly improve for men and women who report occasionally thinking about the characters and who remember specific facts about them. 27 Hard Skills or Soft Talk: AFR Malawi This paper analyses to what extent a hard skill (vocational Unintended consequences of training) and a soft skill (inspirational talk) intervention a vocational training and an affected childbearing decisions, HIV testing, and inspiration talk on childbearing transactional sex in young people. It finds that receiving and sexual behavior in an offer to attend a vocational training program decreased vulnerable youth the chances of becoming a mother and increased the chances of being HIV-tested for both women and men. The chances of being demanded for transactional sex decreased for those women receiving the offer to attend the vocational training. Livelihoods and poverty reduction Public Works and Welfare: A AFR Comoros An impact evaluation measuring the effectiveness of the Randomized Control Trial of Comoros Social Safety Net Project (SSNP) found that the the Comoros Social Safety Net project had increased the probability of women having Project – Endline Report an income generating activity but no evidence on the program’s impact on women’s bargaining power and the perception and exposure to GBV. Lao PDR IE of public workfare EAP Lao PDR This evaluation of the impacts of a public workfare programs (P168884) program (PWP) does not find evidence that women’s participation in PWPs may increase their exposure to GBV, but PWPs does not lower IPV either. This study was supported by the Poverty Reduction Fund III Additional Financing (P168620) on women’s experience of GBV. The Philippines IE of a EAP The This evaluation does not find a significant change in IPV CCT (P168885) Philippines or violence outside of home, but it finds a measurable decline in non-partner domestic violence. Additionally, it finds evidence of the potential of CCTs programs to mitigate GBV through four channels (Philippines Social Welfare Development and Reform Project II (P153744); SWDRP II Project Additional Financing (P169637)). GBV Phone Surveys EAP Indonesia, The results of this phone survey in Indonesia show Lao PDR, that: 83% of respondents report increase in IPV in their Philippines communities due to COVID-19. Household food insecurity is among the strongest predictors of exposure to GBV, and women’s access to jobs protects them from increase in exposure to GBV due to COVID-19. Uganda IE on empowering AFE Uganda The evaluation results for this BRAC program show that adolescent girls teen pregnancy, early entry into marriage/cohabitation, and the share of girls reporting sex against their will fall considerably. Exploring if gender wage ratio LCR Brazil The evaluation shows that reducing the gender wage influences IPV using evidence gap leads to a reduction of women’s homicides while the from administrative health data impact on less severe forms of violence depends on the context. A conditional cash transfer and LCR Brazil Study exploring how conditional cash transfer may Women’s empowerment: Does influence IPV. The results of this CCT program show that Bolsa Familia Influence intimate the program impacts women's agency within the family, partner violence? but not to the extent that it reduces the most extreme form of IPV. 28 How Well do Economic SAR The Word Bank’s South Asia Region Gender Innovation Empowerment Efforts Prevent Lab has conducted an evidence review of findings from Intimate Partner Violence in women’s economic empowerment (WEE) interventions South Asia? with direct measures of IPV. The aim of the review was to identify WEE programs that measure IPV and have been evaluated in the South Asia Region and to synthesize this evidence in relation to global evidence. A subsidiary aim is to focus on implementation to understand what strategies improve feasibility, sustainability, and minimize unintended harm from WEE interventions in SAR. Safe Spaces Safety First: Perceived Risk SAR India A study examining the consequences of unsafe public of Street Harassment and spaces of women found that women choose lower quality Educational Choices of Women colleges relative to men due to the fear of harassment. Demand for 'Safe Spaces': LCR Brazil A study investigating the economic cost of harassment in Avoiding Harassment and Stigma public transport found that harassment is widely common in public spaces. Riding in a reserved space reduces the incidents of physical harassment by 50% but the paper argues that such measures might implicitly pose the responsibility on women to ensure safety. Understanding and Addressing AFR Tanzania A new mobile application was developed to measure Gender-Based Violence in Public the incidents of violence and harassment during daily Transport for Highly Vulnerable commute in the city. A forthcoming study will use the data Groups in Dar es Salaam collected through the app and female ridership data to assess the impact on GBV in public spaces on women’s physical mobility. A survey of Dar es Salaam female commuters shows that 59% of women interviewed experienced some form of GBV while traveling at least once in the past 6 months. Women’s police stations and LCR Brazil The study does not find strong effects of women's police intimate partner violence: stations on female homicides on average in Brazil, but Evidence from Brazil stations appear to be highly effective among young women living in metropolitan areas (female homicide rates decrease significantly when a women's police station is established in a metropolitan municipality). Underreporting of Gender- SAR India Study analyzing the incidence and extent to which Based Violence in Kerala, India domestic violence and physical harassment on public/ An Application of the List private buses is underreported in Kerala. Randomization Method Other categories Terror as a Bargaining SAR India A study examining how domestic violence may be used Instrument: A Case Study of as a bargaining instrument to extract larger dowries from Dowry Violence in Rural India a spouse's family found that women whose families pay smaller dowries suffer from increased risk of marital violence. 29 Nutrition, Religion, and AFR Nigeria A study reviewing Muslim and Christian women in Nigeria Widowhood in Nigeria. Economic found that Muslim women have lower nutritional status Development and Cultural than Christian women and more Christian widows were Change subjected to a higher incidence of cruelty and violence at the hands of in-laws and inferior inheritance outcomes than Muslim widows. For the sake of family and SAR India, Study unraveling the understudied and under-reported tradition: honor killings in India Pakistan form of violence against women and girls with a content and Pakistan analysis of media literature. Women’s empowerment and SAR Bangladesh Study investigating the relationship between safety perceptions: evidence safety perception and women’s labor market outcome from low-income neighborhoods in Bangladesh. of Dhaka, Bangladesh Learning How to Choose SAR Bangladesh A study implementing field experiments designed to or Learning How to Lead? understand the importance of the selection of and Experiments on Selecting and training for new female supervisors in Bangladesh’s Training Female Managers in garment factories found that formal diagnostic tests Bangladesh’s Garment Industry lead factories to select better candidates. Diagnostics measuring attitudes and soft skills are particularly relevant for factories and predictive of later outcomes. Supervisory training for the selected candidates leads to higher rates of promotions, but has only marginal effects on performance. 30