RESPECT women outlines steps for a public health and human rights approach to scaling up prevention of violence against women programming. It builds on the evidence compiled in the UN Prevention of Violence Against Women Framework (2015) and in additional systematic reviews. Globally 1 in 3 women or over 800 million worldwide experience physical and/or sexual violence by an intimate partner or sexual violence by any perpetrator. Many more also experience psychological abuse. Eleven UN, bilateral and multilateral agencies joined forces to launch RESPECT, a framework to facilitate scaling up of evidence-informed strategies to prevent violence against women.
Eliminating violence against women and girls is key to achieving gender equality and women’s empowerment, Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5, and other SDGs.
Successful prevention requires political commitment and leadership; implementing laws and policies that promote gender equality; investing in women’s organizations; and allocating resources to prevention. It also requires addressing the multiple forms of discrimination faced by women.
