Introduction
While the world has seen considerable advancements in the status of women girls and related legislation, gaps in laws and effective response remain. This report presents research from WAGE initiatives on legal protections for gender-based violence (GBV) and challenges related to mandatory reporting. This is then explored through a case study on the WAGE Jordan initiative.
In recent decades, the world has seen considerable advancements in the status of women and girls, with the adoption of landmark women’s rights treaties and resolutions. Additionally, many countries have passed legislation that expands protections for women in the area of gender-based violence (GBV). While some of these laws are comprehensive, others make reporting of GBV and other forms of abuse mandatory, some contain notable gaps and can be described as a first step, while others fall between both of these spectrums. Regardless of how laws are categorized, the effectiveness of these legal protections is dependent on a range of factors including adequate training and skill set in survivor-centered and trauma-informed response. The requisite financial and human resources for law enforcement institutions, the legal profession, and the judiciary are also essential to an effective response. Institutional culture and prevailing socio-cultural norms are a major determinant both in the reporting of GBV and the response to GBV. Research produced by the Women and Girls empowered (WAGE) Global Consortium evidences this.