• E4J University Module Series: Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice

• Module 10: Violence against Women and Girls

• Introduction and learning outcomes

• Key issues

  • Key terms
  • Topic 1 - Ending violence against women
  • Topic 2 - Human rights approaches to violence against women
  • Topic 3 - Who has rights in this situation? Prosecuting domestic violence and sexual violence - a human rights approach
  • Topic 4 - What about the men? Transforming stereotypes and acting in solidarity to end discrimination and violence for everyone
  • Topic 5 - Local, regional and global solutions to violence against women and girls
  • Summary
  • References

• Exercises

• Case studies

• Possible class structure

• Core reading

• Advanced reading

• Student assessment

• Additional teaching tools

• Guidelines to develop a stand-alone course

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• First published in July 2019; revised in December 2020
  

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  This module is a resource for lecturers  

Advanced reading

The following readings are recommended for students interested in exploring the topics of this Module in more detail, and for lecturers teaching the Module:

• Higgins, Charlott (2018). The age of patriarchy: how an unfashionable idea became a rallying cry for feminism today: A term that was derided and abandoned a decade ago has come roaring back to life. London: The Guardian.  » This is a very accessible introduction to the many feminist thinkers in places around the world have made contributions to the development of contemporary ideas about women's and girls' right to equality with men and boys.

The below three UN reports contain accessible, clear and in-depth analysis, including references to academic literature which is relevant to the subject:

• United Nations Secretary General (2006). In-depth study on violence against women, A/61/122/Add.1. New York: United Nations.  » This report contains an overview of State obligations to address violence against women, information about the various types of violence, and very interesting chapters on data-gathering and costs of violence against women.
• UN Women (2015). Preventing Conflict, Transforming Justice, Securing the Peace: A Global Study on the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 . New York: UN Women.  » This report contains information about how States are implementing their obligations to women in conflict and post-conflict situations - particularly to ensure prevention, investigation and prosecution of violence against women and girls, and to ensure that women can participate in peace-making and peace-building. There is a very interesting chapter on the effect that women's participation has on peace-building, that peace is more durable when women take part in negotiations for peace.
• UN Women (2018). Turning Promises into Action: gender equality in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. New York: UN Women.  » The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is a programme for action relevant to all States in the world, including developed States as much as developing States. The Goals require action on poverty; hunger; health and education; access to water, sanitation and sources of energy; and effective action on climate change and sustainable living. The 2030 Agenda also includes goals on reducing inequality within and between countries, and ensuring peace, justice and rule of law. There is a specific Goal on gender equality, which includes a call on all States to eradicate violence against women and girls. However, gender equality is central to the achievement of all the Sustainable Development Goals. This document illustrates States need to ensure that women's and girls' equality is integrated into action to implement each of the Goals.

For those with access to a library, and an interest in further study, these books are recommended:

• Charlesworth, Hilary and Chinkin, Christine (2000). The Boundaries of International Law: A Feminist Analysis. Manchester: Manchester University Press.
• Merry, Sally Engle (2006). Human Rights and Gender Violence: translating international law into local justice. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Next: Student assessment

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