• 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  

Summary

Engaging closely with the relevant provisions of international human rights law, this Module recognizes gender-based violence against women and girls as a violation of international human rights law on gender equality, the right not to be subjected to torture and ill-treatment, and the right to life. In discussing the mechanisms to end gender-based violence against women and girls, the Module clarifies that State and non-state actors alike can, and are legally obliged to, take a variety of actions to prevent and challenge violence against women and girls, investigate and prosecute the perpetrators, and provide transformative reparation to women and girls who are affected. Structured in five topics, the Module examines the structures (legal, social, economic, and political) which contribute to the prevalence of gender-based violence against women and girls; and provides a range of readings and exercises that lecturers can use to encourage students to engage critically with the structural causes of gender-based violence against women and girls. The final topic of the Module turns to local, regional and global mechanisms to end gender-based violence against women and girls. This topic provides lecturers with materials to prompt students to identify the factors that need to be addressed - media and the use of communications technologies; substantive and procedural law; institutional culture and practice, including that of the police, judiciary, places of education, public spaces and formal and informal work sectors; and education for gender empowerment, (including rights-based and scientifically accurate comprehensive sexuality education).

Next: References

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