VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN INDICATORS ON SCOPE, PREVALENCE AND INCIDENCE... REFLECTIONS ON VAW EGM REPORT 2007 Dr Henrica A.
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VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN INDICATORS ON SCOPE, PREVALENCE AND INCIDENCE... REFLECTIONS ON VAW EGM REPORT 2007 Dr Henrica A. F. M. Jansen UNECE Work Session on Gender Statistics Geneva, 8 October 2008 INTRODUCTION General considerations for indicators on VAW Overview proposed indicators on VAW Comments for reflection and discussion "Not everything that counts can be counted, and not everything that can be counted counts." (Sign hanging in Einstein's office at Princeton) INDICATORS.... Need to provide a simple summary of a complex picture Need to present features to support informed decision making, policy and programs Need to be sensitive enough to measure change (periodicity) Need to enable international comparisons (remember “SMART”???) ISSUES FOR SELECTION OF INDICATORS No indicator is perfect It is important to be aware of potential weaknesses The range of indicators to be used changes according to the purpose and context If you use of a group of indicators that reflect different aspects of VAW than you get a better idea of the bigger picture Disaggregation of indicators (sex, age, rural/urban, etc.) PRIORITIZE BASED ON Availability of data sources Feasibility and sustainability of data collection Not overburden States Indicators can be an incentive towards systematic and accelerated data collection (accompanied by capacity building and institutional development) TWO MAIN TYPES OF INDICATORS ON VAW Outcome indicators: To measure the extent of the phenomenon (included in EGM report) Process indicators for policy development and implementation to measure the States’ responses to the problem (indicators developed elsewhere) AVAILABLE DATA SOURCES FOR VAW INDICATORS Surveys done: VAW/IPV/DV/GBV (by type, time, perpetrators) Reported violence, through administrative and crime statistics Issues: comparability reliability... AVAILABLE DATA SOURCES: SURVEYS 2006: In region covered by Conference of European Statisticians: 25 national surveys in 17 countries Half conducted by/with NSOs National dedicated surveys Internationally comparative surveys Module added to other surveys (cheaper, limited, more under-reporting, safety issues) DATA COLLECTED ON VAW IN SURVEYS Almost all surveys give indicators of prevalence. Many also on frequency Almost all on perpetrators Surveys carried out by many national statistical offices and other institutions, however as ad hoc activity Attitudes sometimes collected -- Issues around usefulness MANY SURVEYS FOCUS ON IPV This may not be the most common form of VAW, depending on context Demand driven indicators are needed with a regional dimension REPORT OF EXPERT GROUP MEETING ON VAW INDICATORS, 2007 Limited to scope, prevalence and incidence of VAW Give a overview of existing initiatives for the development of indicators Proposing and international framework for indicators on VAW Recommending a course of action for different stakeholders at global, regional and national level and donors. ONE SINGLE VS SEPARATE INDICATORS One indicator on the prevalence of all forms of VAW justified in terms of possible misuse of disaggregated data to stigmatize communities.. However: Not simple Not easy to interpret, different contexts Not related to existing data sources Not clear how to assess over time Not comparable transnational etc etc PROPOSED INDICATORS DIMENSIONS Physical violence Sexual violence Intimate partner violence Harmful practices FGM Early marriage (<18y) severity Perpetrator Frequency Last year Lifetime X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X PROPOSED INDICATORS Data source Physical violence Sexual violence Intimate partner violence Harmful practices FGM Early marriage (<18y) Survey Survey Survey ??? Survey/records?? Contextual? Need to reconsider harmful practices PROPOSED INDICATORS Measurement issues Physical violence Acts/freq/sev Sexual violence Acts/freq/else? Intimate partner violence Phys and/or sex who is partner?? FUTURE WORK TO EXPAND THE SET OF INDICATORS Killing of women by intimate partners Female infanticide Threats of violence Economic and emotional violence as part of IPV “Honour” crimes Dowry related violence Issues: Sexual exploitation Different data sources!! Trafficking Different levels of feasibility Femicide Consider including Child Forced marriage Sexual Abuse Sexual harassment OPERALIZATION – HOW? Operationalization of the different types of violence in terms of acts/injuries (methodological work in ongoing) Severity, threshold (including frequency, injuries, impact?) Incidents/Frequency? STRENGTH: FOCUS ON SEVERITY AND INCIDENTS PREVALENCE POSSIBLY NOT BE THE BEST INDICATOR (WALBY) Advantages Uses concept of DV as a ‘course of conduct’ Conventional measure among DV experts Disadvantages Hard to translate into crime statistics, which are based on number of ‘incidents’ Does not contain measure of severity Specialised, not mainstream, indicator SEVERITY OF GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE AND CRIME STATISTICS (WALBY) Frequency/Incidents Crimes are counted as incidents If dv/gender based violence is to be mainstreamed into crime statistics there needs to be an incident count Injuries Violent crime categories are differentiated primarily by injury level, though also intent To mainstream, injuries need to be known for each incident STRENGTHS Moving towards “mainstreaming” vaw Moving towards more inclusive vaw (not only DV/IPV) OUTSTANDING ISSUES Special surveys vs. Modules Standardized/harmonised methodology – possible/desirable? Realistic expectations of indicators – provides baseline, but not likely to see dramatic changes in prevalence in the short term Women’s safety as priority It really counts, And it needs to be counted!!! THANK YOU!! [email protected]