Breakthrough India Pan-Asia Summit 'Reframe' Recommends Feminist Action Plans to End Gender-based Violence

Shanthi Dairiam, Founding Director, International Women's Rights Action Watch, Asia Pacific, Malaysia, initiated the discussion by saying, "There must be clarity on the concept of Gender-based Violence underpinning a policy and a plan to end GBV. Often, GBV is neutralized by saying that such violence takes place against men. The policy and strategy must establish that the inequality of women is the root cause of Gender-based Violence. Additionally, we should create a comprehensive programme to end it. This must look at several interrelated interventions from law enforcement, organizations for women, relief services, etc. and must be coordinated in all sectors through an effective institutional mechanism that coordinates, uses a common database, allocates budgets, and monitors enforcement and impact."

While national level advocacy is important to move national level commitments aligned to SDG goal 5, regional coalitions and partnerships play a central role to align efforts and resources at a regional level. Further, it enables strengthening the roll-out and implementation of a multi-sectoral response to urgently address gender-based violence with a particular focus on women and girls across this diverse region.

Another challenge faced by women's rights organizations is resourcing. As per Association for Women's Rights Development (AWID), despite new funding commitments made, women's rights organizations receive only 0.13% of the total Official Development Assistance and 0.4% of all gender-related aid.

Breakthrough has been working on violence against women and girls for over two decades by focusing on prevention by transforming norms and narratives. The summit shed more light on learnings, best practices, strategies and tools to address, prevent, and respond GBV across spaces including domestic, private, public, workspaces in both the online and on-ground spaces.