Combating violence against women

Context

Gender-specific violence against women is still widespread in Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru and Paraguay. It is estimated that in Peru alone, seven out of ten women are subjected to violence by their partners.

The Peruvian Government is committed to combating violence against women. To that end, it has ratified relevant international agreements and adopted national action plans and legislation on protection from violence. These include the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and the Inter-American Convention on the Prevention, Punishment and Eradication of Violence against Women. In addition, Peru has committed to implementing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which include achieving gender equality and eliminating all forms of violence against women and girls. In 2015, the Peruvian Government also passed a law on the prevention, punishment and elimination of violence against women and family members. A national action plan that entered into force in 2016 provides for greater collaboration with private businesses in the effort to combat violence.

However, a lack of exchange between the political, civil society and business sectors makes it difficult to implement existing laws and plans. The potential for mutual learning and increasing effectiveness has so far remained untapped.

Objective

Governmental, non-governmental and private sector representatives in the region are working together to combat violence against women.

Approach

The project works on improving cooperation and the exchange of experience among regional and national representatives. It also supports cooperation with the private sector.

Campaigns, studies and the dissemination of information are supporting a process of social change that rejects violence against women. Joint preventive measures are effective within the organisations themselves and beyond.

Results

From academic studies to certification for violence-free businesses

In Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru and Paraguay, studies carried out in conjunction with partners looked at the costs to businesses caused by violence against women by their partners. The alarming figures not only caught the attention of businesses; they also prompted cooperation between representatives of governmental and non-governmental organisations. As a result of this, a state accreditation scheme was introduced in Peru and Paraguay, under which businesses can be certified as being safe and free from violence and discrimination against women.

An app to help combat violence against women

More than 400 businesses in the region are running numerous campaigns and training programmes to combat violence against women. A particularly successful cooperation arrangement between Ecuador’s largest telecommunications company and the project produced an app named Junt@s (‘together’), with which women can alert the emergency services or a trusted person by just pressing a button.

Online training for employees

The Safe Business online accreditation scheme has proven to be an efficient way of training as many employees as possible from all areas of businesses. So far, more than 8,000 people in over 37 businesses and organisations and at GIZ have been accredited in Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay and Peru.

Letters from women – unleashing the power of words instead of violence

The Cartas de Mujeres (‘Letters from Women’) campaign against violence has been running in the region since 2011. Women, men and children affected by violence have voiced their pain in a collection of more than 44,000 letters. This has given them a public platform and brought the issue to the attention of the public and the politicians responsible.

Programme for children: Finding courage through joining in

ComVoMujer has developed a programme for girls and boys aged between six and nine that deals with preventing violence. It has attracted great interest not only in the partner countries, but also in Germany. The play-centred programme has so far introduced around 17,000 children to the issue of violence against women, while some 1,800 learning facilitators have been trained.

Breaking silence – Femicide in Latin America

Killing women just because they are women has a name: femicide. Femicide is particularly prevalent in Latin America. To combat this, a documentary entitled Breaking Silence was made in cooperation with Deutsche Welle. It has been broadcast every year since 2014 in Spanish, German, English and Arabic throughout the region and internationally.