Report of the Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women, Its Causes and Consequences, The Next Step: Developing Transnational Indicators on Violence Against Women (Delivered at the 7th Session of the Human Rights Council)

This report, submitted to the Human Rights Council, proposes indicators to measure VAW and State response towards ending such violence. In addition to adherence to the due diligence standard to prevent VAW, States are asked to support research, collect data and compile statistics regarding VAW and encourage research on its causes and consequences. States are also urged to establish and use VAW indicators so that interventions designed to combat violence are based on accurate data. The report identifies some key attributes of good indicators: specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time- framed. This report proposes indicators for measuring grave VAW, femicide and tolerance. Indicators for measuring state-responses can include institutional indicators, process indicators and tracking promising practices. This report offers ways in which these indicators can be implemented and concludes by reiterating the necessity of an evidence- based approach to eliminate VAW.