Complete Options to Gender-Based mostly Violence

Author(s): Scott Douglas Jacobsen

Publication (Outlet/Website): PB Consulting Online

Publication Date (yyyy/mm/dd): 2025/04/25

Dr. Manuel Contreras-Urbina discusses the complexities of gender-based violence (GBV), drawing on over 25 years of expertise. He emphasizes a complete method that addresses root causes like patriarchal norms, financial inequality, and institutional gaps. Contreras-Urbina critiques short-term or superficial interventions and advocates for integrating GBV prevention into training, social safety, and peacebuilding, amongst others. He highlights information assortment challenges in battle zones and the moral duties concerned. Notable nation examples embody Australia, Brazil, and Mozambique. The dialog explores what really works to cut back GBV and stresses multi-sectoral, community-driven, and long-term methods for lasting affect.

Scott Douglas Jacobsen: Dr. Manuel Contreras-Urbina is a Senior Social Growth Specialist specializing in gender-based violence (GBV) within the World Financial institution. Contreras-Urbina is a gender specialist with over 25 years of expertise in gender and GBV analysis and programming. Earlier than becoming a member of the World Financial institution, he served because the Director of Analysis on the International Ladies’s Institute at George Washington College, as a Programme Officer at UN Ladies in Mexico and Central America, and as Coordinator of the Gender, Violence, and Rights portfolio on the Worldwide Middle for Analysis on Ladies.

He earned a Ph.D. in Inhabitants and Gender Research from the London College of Hygiene and Tropical Medication, a Grasp’s in Demography from El Colegio de México, and a Bachelor’s in Arithmetic and Actuarial Science from the Nationwide Autonomous College of Mexico. His work focuses on violence in opposition to ladies and women, social norms, males and masculinities, and sexual and reproductive well being. He has contributed to evidence-based methods and analysis on GBV prevention and response worldwide. He’s been in all places.

So, my first query could be this: From an official standpoint, when individuals consider gender-based violence, they may solely be fascinated with bodily violence. Nonetheless, worldwide establishments are likely to take a broader view, which incorporates psychological or emotional violence as properly. How do you outline gender-based violence?

Manuel Contreras-Urbina: We normally comply with the United Nations’ definitions, which outcome from a few years of professional dialogue. We outline gender-based violence as encompassing varied varieties of violence rooted primarily in gender inequality—the place there’s a energy imbalance between women and men.

Usually, the vast majority of these affected are ladies and women. That doesn’t imply different populations are unaffected, however the prevalence amongst ladies and women is especially excessive. There are various kinds of GBV. The most typical is intimate companion violence. Others embody early marriage, feminine genital mutilation, and sexual violence perpetrated by a non-partner.

Inside intimate companion violence, there are a number of kinds: bodily, sexual, psychological, and financial violence. So, there are numerous dimensions to GBV.

And sure, you’re proper. Probably the most acknowledged or seen type of GBV tends to be bodily violence. Persons are extra conscious of that. However the different kinds—psychological, financial, sexual—exist and are deeply impactful.

Generally, the types of violence are usually not even acknowledged by the perpetrators themselves, however they exist—and there are clear definitions for all of them. They’re additionally fairly frequent. For instance, sexual violence continues to be not legally acknowledged in some nations. Nonetheless, we at the moment are seeing increasingly more progressive authorized frameworks that acknowledge all these sorts and types of violence that I discussed.

Jacobsen: What are the important thing classes from world information on gender-based violence and, notably, from funding establishments which have labored to cut back its prevalence? There have to be findings displaying what sorts of packages and investments are efficient—and, alternatively, interventions which may sound good on paper however don’t yield real-world outcomes. So the query is: what works, and what do you assume is usually believed to work however doesn’t?

Contreras-Urbina: Sure, that’s a essential query. There are totally different fashions for what works, and we do have proof about efficient efforts.

Finally, we need to see a discount in violence, and that takes a complete method. That features motion on the coverage stage—similar to establishing authorized frameworks, nationwide motion plans, and protocols—which results in stronger techniques that may tackle GBV. That is particularly essential throughout sectors like well being, training, and justice, the place establishments want the capability to forestall and reply to numerous types of violence.

These frameworks ought to then translate into programmatic actions—providers and packages that present assist to survivors and work on prevention. Which may embody complete survivor providers in well being and training or authorized assist. Past providers, establishments—usually in collaboration with civil society—have to implement prevention interventions. So, what sorts of interventions stop violence?

They normally tackle the foundation causes, particularly, the transformation of patriarchal gender norms. These long-term efforts create a extra gender-equal setting on the neighborhood stage. They contain work on ladies’s financial empowerment, management growth, and the redistribution of unpaid care work. In addition they embody neighborhood consciousness and training on gender equality and rights. That works—however it takes time. These interventions are long-term by nature.

And what doesn’t work? Quick-term, remoted efforts typically don’t work. Working a marketing campaign with out linking it to broader systemic change is ineffective. Likewise, packages that contain transient or one-time classes—speaking to individuals two or thrice and anticipating long-term affect—don’t work.

Additionally, interventions that solely give attention to perpetrators with out addressing the broader social and structural context have restricted or no affect. Prevention must be holistic, sustained, and rooted in reworking energy dynamics and social norms.

So, it isn’t that these interventions are fully ineffective—it’s that remoted or superficial efforts have a tendency to not work. What does work is a complete method. On the programmatic stage, the main focus have to be on addressing the foundation causes of violence, notably dangerous gender norms. Equally essential is fostering a neighborhood tradition that doesn’t view violence as a suitable strategy to resolve battle.

One key space is violence in opposition to kids, particularly using violence as a technique of self-discipline. That normalizes violence and creates a tradition the place it turns into a suitable software for management or punishment. We have now seen that optimistic parenting packages—which discourage using violence in opposition to kids—can have a significant affect, together with reductions in intimate companion violence afterward.

We additionally acknowledge that in lots of contexts—although not completely—poverty can exacerbate violence. Whereas poverty doesn’t trigger GBV immediately, it will possibly intensify current stresses and danger elements, notably the place households face displacement, migration, overcrowded housing, or extended unemployment.

One other efficient technique is integrating gender-sensitive approaches into social safety packages. For instance, money transfers directed at ladies can empower them economically and assist create extra steady and equitable family environments.

Lastly, one of many most important approaches we at the moment are emphasizing is integrating all these efficient fashions into the training system. Colleges needs to be secure areas for kids and environments the place they study gender equality—the place academics, college students, and the broader faculty neighborhood obtain training about equality between women and men and about nonviolence.

We’re working towards embedding these values into curricula and training insurance policies, not as non-compulsory content material however as a core a part of delivering training. I consider this is without doubt one of the most promising long-term methods to cut back violence and form a unique, extra equal society.

Jacobsen: We’re additionally dwelling in a time of quite a few ongoing conflicts—Russia-Ukraine, Sudan, Ethiopia, Israel-Palestine, and others. How do you method the evaluation of GBV within the context of battle zones? And what are among the moral challenges that come up in that work?

Contreras-Urbina: That could be a crucial query. We already know from world proof that violence will increase considerably in battle and humanitarian settings—throughout all types of GBV.

Probably the most rapid instance that involves thoughts is sexual violence perpetrated by combatants or armed actors. However it isn’t restricted to that. All varieties of GBV have a tendency to extend in battle—intimate companion violence, for instance, usually worsens in periods of displacement or extended instability.

Amassing information in these contexts is extremely difficult. Conflicts are likely to unfold in phases, and every section presents totally different dangers and moral issues. Conducting analysis ethically means at all times guaranteeing confidentiality, knowledgeable consent, and do-no-harm rules. The security of respondents and researchers is paramount.

There may be additionally the problem of underreporting as a result of stigma, worry, and the collapse of formal assist techniques. So, even the place we do have information, we should interpret it cautiously and at all times prioritize survivors’ wants and company.

There may be usually an acute section of battle, adopted by a medium section after which a peacebuilding or state-building section. Within the first two phases, information assortment may be very tough as a result of safety dangers and instability.

Nonetheless, organizations like UNHCR and others are sometimes current within the subject and accumulate info via incident reporting mechanisms. These are based mostly on circumstances reported by people to service suppliers or subject groups, and whereas they don’t present prevalence information, they assist us perceive the varieties of violence occurring and the place assist is most wanted.

Extra correct and ethically collected information is usually potential in refugee or displacement camps, the place situations are extra steady. Standardized methodologies will be utilized to collect info responsibly in these settings.

There may be now a well-developed subject of methodology targeted on gathering GBV information in battle and humanitarian settings. Pointers like these from the World Well being Group and UNFPA present moral frameworks emphasizing confidentiality, knowledgeable consent, and survivor security. When these protocols are adopted, significant information will be gathered, even in very difficult contexts.

Then, within the post-conflict or peacebuilding section, researchers usually conduct retrospective surveys with communities in additional steady areas. These surveys ask people to replicate on their experiences in the course of the battle, its rapid aftermath, and the restoration interval. From this, we will hint trajectories and developments—how violence modified over time and the way interventions may need affected outcomes.

What we all know for sure is that GBV will increase throughout battle. And simply as critically, failing to handle GBV throughout peacebuilding and state-building creates a cycle that enables violence—not simply gender-based violence however broader types of violence—to persist. So, it’s important to handle GBV as an integral a part of peace processes if we’re severe about ending cycles of violence.

Jacobsen: Talking from the UN context, Which member states have been really outstanding of their capability to fight gender-based violence comprehensively? Particularly, which have utilized the packages and techniques you advocate—realistically, at scale—and proven progress over the medium to long run?

Contreras-Urbina: A number of nations have made robust efforts. After all, it is a complicated situation, and progress will be difficult and uneven.

If we start with high-income nations, the Nordic nations—like Sweden, Norway, and Denmark—have been leaders in advancing this agenda. Canada has additionally been proactive in integrating GBV into its nationwide insurance policies. However I might say Australia is a very good instance. Australia has taken a complete method, with robust authorities consciousness, funding, and efforts to contain a variety of actors—throughout sectors and communities. It stands out as a mannequin on this regard.

After we take a look at center—and low-income nations, many have made essential efforts. These could not at all times lead to a direct discount in violence, however that doesn’t imply they’re ineffective. Many of those nations have developed stable authorized frameworks and nationwide motion plans and have made substantial investments in prevention and response infrastructure.

Brazil is an efficient instance in Latin America. It has taken main steps via laws and programming to handle GBV.

In Africa, one instance—based mostly on work we’ve supported via the World Financial institution and in coordination with different organizations—is Mozambique. The nation has invested considerably in GBV response techniques.

India has taken essential steps in Asia, although the nation’s scale and complexity could make nationwide coordination a problem. Civil society can also be driving a lot of the progress there.

In Jap Europe, Uzbekistan stands out for having developed strong insurance policies to fight gender-based violence lately.

That mentioned, it isn’t that different nations are doing nothing. Most nations are taking motion in some type. The fact is that this requires a multi-stakeholder effort. It isn’t solely the federal government—it should contain civil society, native leaders, establishments, and communities working collectively.

Jacobsen: Any last ideas based mostly on at the moment’s dialog?

Contreras-Urbina: No, simply to say thanks. These had been wonderful questions.

Jacobsen: Manuel, thanks very a lot on your time at the moment and for sharing your experience. I really admire it.

Contreras-Urbina: Thanks. Superb questions—that’s what we’re right here for.

License & Copyright

In-Sight Publishing by Scott Douglas Jacobsen is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. ©Scott Douglas Jacobsen and In-Sight Publishing 2012-Present. Unauthorized use or duplication of material without express permission from Scott Douglas Jacobsen strictly prohibited, excerpts and links must use full credit to Scott Douglas Jacobsen and In-Sight Publishing with direction to the original content.