Poverty reduction, norms and vulnerability to gender-based violence

Gender-based violence (GBV) is an enormous problem across the world, but poorer countries are more affected. Intimate partner violence (IPV), the most common form of GBV, affects 20 % of women in Western Europe but almost the double  (37%) in Africa. Research estimating the global cost of IPV finds that it amounts to more than 5 % of World GDP. In Sub-Saharan Africa, the cost is 15 % of the regional GDP. Other types of GBV, such as female genital cutting (FGM), are also widespread: At least 200 million girls and women, mostly in low-income countries, have been subjected to FGM. Despite the severity of the problem, we know very little about causes of GBV and what can be done to eliminate it. In this project, we use excellent research to identify the underlying causes of such violence and discuss how governments and other relevant stakeholders can do to eliminate it.