Together for Prevention: Handbook on Multisectoral National Action Plans to Prevent Violence Against Women and Girls

"The development of a whole-of-government NAP [national action plan] provides an opportunity for various sectors and stakeholders to work together in a coordinated manner to create change."

This handbook is designed to strengthen national, multi-sectoral efforts for violence against women and girls (VAWG) prevention and to inspire governments and stakeholders to prioritise, fund, and commit to preventing and ending VAWG. Its objectives include supporting countries in developing specialised national action plans (NAPs) for VAWG prevention and enhancing existing national approaches. The handbook is intended for policymakers responsible for developing multi-sectoral NAPs, civil society and development partners advocating for holistic prevention approaches, development partners supporting whole-of-government NAPs, and practitioners and stakeholders engaged in NAP implementation.

As explained in the handbook, VAWG "has significant and lasting physical, economic, and psychological consequences on women and girls, which hinder their full participation in society. Despite alarming statistics, global evidence suggests that VAWG is preventable. In recent decades, numerous countries, guided by regional and international human rights frameworks, have implemented national action plans (NAPs) to address VAWG and promote gender equality. However, many NAPs primarily focus on responding to violence after it occurs, rather than addressing its root causes. Our global aspiration to eradicate VAWG hinges on preventing violence in the first place through a comprehensive, inclusive approach, with gender equality at its core."

According to the handbook, actions to prevent VAWG are those that focus on changing the gender unequal norms, practices, and structures underpinning and causing the violence. A prevention focus also seeks to address other factors that interact with gender inequality to increase the severity and likelihood of VAWG occurring. Actions need to happen at the societal, community, interpersonal, and individual levels in order to effectively and sustainably prevent VAWG.

The handbook draws on evidence-informed prevention practice and includes examples of promising approaches. Lessons learned are included based on a series of key informant interviews and focus group discussions from NAP development processes in Australia, Peru, Fiji, Cambodia, and South Africa. 

It consists of three parts that feature promising practices and lessons learned and highlight useful resources and checklists:

Part 1. Introduction - This section looks at the purpose of the handbook, how it was developed, and how to use it.  

Part 2. Making the case: A coordinated national approach to preventing VAWG - This section looks at the rationale for countries to develop, implement, and fund multi-sectoral national approaches to prevent VAWG, highlighting the need to make VAWG a national priority, the need to for a comprehensive approach to VAWG prevention, and the current prevention landscape. 

Part 3. Developing your NAP - This part of the handbook takes readers through all the key steps to prepare and develop a NAP, including planning, content, and considerations for monitoring progress and capturing learnings. It consists of the following sub-sections:
 

• Preparation: How to prepare for NAP development
• Development: How to develop the NAP
• Content: What should be included in the NAP
• Monitoring: How to monitor and report on progress
• Learning: How to document and share learnings

The annex includes examples of actions various government departments and/or sectors can take to support prevention of VAWG. These sectors include education, health, transport and urban planning, communication and media, justice, treasury, labour and employment, sport, environmental protection, and social protection.