Using critical reviews of evidence and semi-structured field interviews, this report on women’s and feminist movements and norm change explores the interplay between gender norms and GBV in Senegal and Sierra Leone. [...] Progressive legal and policy change Through consistent advocacy against everyday violence and intensified activism against extreme violence, women’s and feminist movements in both countries have contributed to the creation and revision of legal and policy frameworks on GBV. [...] Broader attitudinal and behavioural change By combining awareness raising, civic disobedience and norm questioning in public and private spaces, feminist activism has helped to drive gradual and normative shifts in state, societal and personal attitudes and behaviours towards the gender norms that enable GBV and towards women’s political leadership. [...] Levels of gender-based violence There are variations in the quality and reliability of and access to GBV data, and participants in this research had differing opinions about trends in GBV in recent years and whether and how it has been affected by feminist activism. [...] Factors that contribute to changes in norms that enable GBV Strong (women’s and) feminist movements The centrality of women’s and feminist movements in driving changes in gender norms is enabled by a dedicated and intergenerational core of activists, shared networks and relationships of trust and common values.
- Pages
- 8
- Published in
- United Kingdom
Table of Contents
- Gender-based violence in West Africa how womens and feminist movements are driving norm change 1
- About the author 2
- Acknowledgements 2
- Introduction 3
- The interplay between gender norms and GBV 3
- Gender norms 3
- Tools of social control 3
- The impact of womens and feminist activism on the gender norms that enable GBV 4
- Progressive legal and policy change 4
- Broader attitudinal and behavioural change 4
- Levels of gender-based violence 4
- Anti-gender backlash 5
- Silencing of victims of gender-based violence 5
- Downplaying everyday forms of gender-based violence 5
- Factors that contribute to changes in norms that enable GBV 5
- Strong womens and feminist movements 5
- High-level political support 6
- Male engagement 6
- Challenges and barriers to norm change on GBV 6
- Tensions between global and traditional norms 6
- Unseen linkages between cultural practices and GBV 6
- Intergenerational dynamics in feminist movements 6
- Resourcing feminist activism 7
- Conclusion 7
- References 7
