This study's focus is aimed at determining the effectiveness of a protection order (PO) in South Africa obtained against gender-based violence (GBV). This legal instrument's function is to protect victims against further violation from the perpetrator. The Domestic Violence Act 116 of 1998 (DVA), grants victims the right to a PO. However, the enormous number of GBV cases in South Africa continues to increase. This alludes to South Africa's lack of adequate implementation and enforcement, in contradiction of its constitutional obligation to protect. The continued prevalence of GBV requires an investigation of whether preventative legal instruments, such as the PO, are fulfilling their purpose and the judicial implications of failure to provide protection. This study examined the international human rights law obligation South Africa has to promote and fulfil the right to protection against GBV. Extensive existing research confirms that victims of GBV, statistically, are likely to be female. It was vital to examine obligations that South Africa has assumed through regional legal mechanisms, as they similarly guide implementing protective measures against GBV. The national legal framework was revisited and the provisions in the DVA were reassessed to give a clear indication of the PO processes. The outcome of the study revealed that South Africa's PO process provisions in the DVA, have enabled South Africa to comply with its international, regional and domestic obligation to safeguard victims against GBV. However, there are glaring shortcomings in the implementation of the PO machinery. Law enforcement and prosecuting authority were found to be major contributors to these shortcomings. The research found that several of these essential service providers are challenged with full adherence to the provisions regarding the granting of the PO. These shortcomings have the effect that, in practice, South Africa has failed to comply with its obligations to international and regional human rights treaties and the South African Constitution. This study recommends ways in which POs can be applied more successfully in South Africa. The study suggests revised and strengthened legal processes, and more effectively informed intervention strategies.

Magister Artium (Development Studies) - MA(DVS) / Democratic South Africa was based on a constitution that is meant to have democratic values that promote human dignity and non-discrimination. Such democratic values were put in place to ensure that the human rights violations that took place in apartheid South Africa would not take place again and that everyone, especially those previously oppressed are treated with respect and dignity. Despite the guaranteed human rights that are supposed to apply to everyone, lesbians and other members of the LGBT community still face discrimination because of their sexual orientation. Nell and Shaprito (2011, p12) point out that “in stark contrast with constitutional guarantees of freedom and human rights for all, research indicates that homophobic victimization is an endemic part of the South African landscape”.

This study identifies factors that fosters and hinders coordination among key agencies operating in One-Stop Centers in Zambia such as the police, health and social welfare that provide coordinated medical, social and legal services to the victims of gender-based violence. This is a primary qualitative study in which data was collected using interviews from participants selected from the key agencies operating from five One-Stop Centers in Lusaka province of the Republic of Zambia. Thematic content analysis was used to generate categories of data with similar meaning based on frequently recurring themes. Findings showed that although there is positive coordination among One-Stop Center agency players, there are a host of coordination challenges among them. The study gathered that information sharing, communication, clearly defined goals and agreed outcome, increased knowledge of inter-disciplinary roles and inter-agency philosophy foster effective inter-agency coordination among key players in One- Stop centers . On the other hand, hindering factors such as lack of adequate resources, high attrition of staff, loss of membership interest and commitment, and lack of motivation and heavy reliance on unmotivated volunteers were identified as major setbacks to effective operation of One-Stop Centers in Zambia. The study further found that adequate allocation of resources, joint capacity building trainings and permanent attachment of staff to One-Stop Centers as panacea to the various challenges that encumber effective operation in One-Stop centers in Zambia. Implications and future research direction are discussed.

South Africa has one of the highest rates of rape in the world. Experiencing rape frequently proposes substantial consequences on survivors’ physical, psychological and social wellbeing, which accentuates the importance of providing survivors with help, support, and protection. However, the scarce studies examining survivors’ experiences with the support system indicate many flaws within the system, sometimes even resulting in further harm. This failure of governmental support systems stimulated an increasing manifestation of NGOs as providers of survivor support. It is consequently crucial to understand and evaluate the success of these services to fully understand the quality of available support. The objective of this study was to investigate women rape survivors’ post rape experiences and their journey and subsequent experiences with the counselling provided to them by the Cape Town based NGO Rape Crisis. Fifteen adult rape survivors were recruited via opportunity sampling and asked to participate in one hour long unstructured interviews. In line with the research topic and the research questions, an intersectional feminist paradigm was chosen for the theoretical framework and thematic narrative analysis was applied as the analytic approach. The analysis showed four themes relating to rape survivors’ narratives on post-rape challenges, namely; the silence and stigma that victimises survivors, the psychological effects of rape, help seeking as a last resort, and demystifying counselling. Additionally, five themes around survivors’ experiences of Rape Crisis counselling were established, namely; the value of a professional safe space, building a counsellor relationship, talking and listening, a collaborative effort to finding oneself, and sharing collective stories of pain. The findings highlight the need for more outreach and education efforts around rape, as well the importance for professional yet not too clinical psychological support which incorporates empowerment principles and focuses on help to self-help.

This qualitative research study used hermeneutical phenomenology to understand how female victims of the Darfur conflict perceived justice, as related to their lived experiences. Reports from the various international media and Human Rights Organizations and United Nations agencies have revealed a disproportional number of victims’ claims on the lack of effective legal ramifications for perpetrators and the high impunity rates that rob victims of achieving justice for the atrocities they have experienced. The purpose of this investigation was to discover how and if the challenges that the victims’ experienced shaped their interpretation of justice, and how they made meaning of these experiences, as related to their perceptions of justice. This study was important for building peace, since there could be no peace without justice

In my essay, I have considered whether the data in publications on sexual violence against children reflectreality. I suspect that there are cases of child sexual abuse that goes underreported, and I try to investigate why this happens and the key possible reasons that lower the statistics. My essay focuses on the community in Western Kenya, yet I think the presumptions I made can be generalised and applicable to other contexts. I analyse material from research in Kisumu County and national data, and I support myself with information about child abuse from UNICEF. I name four key reasons why the data may not reflect reality: the taboo of being a sexual victim, economic dependency, psychological manipulation, and how society defines rape and sexual abuse. I use critical feminism as a framework to tackle the issue of a marginalised group of people.

Intimate partner violence was one of the major social issues during the COVID-19 pandemic in Greece. During the pandemic, the cases of intimate partner violence seemed to increase in terms of women coming forward to report the abuse but also in media exposure. This study aims to explore the key factors for the rise in intimate partner violence numbers, as well as the effect it had on victims of intimate partner violence. PRISMA protocol was utilized to analyze the data collected. From the theoretical framework of feminist theory, three key factors for the increase of intimate partner violence in Greece were identified: lack of governmental incentives and action plans to prevent IPV and aid victims of IPV, the macho and impunity culture of Greek society, and police and legislation as patriarchal institutions.

The aim of the study was to examine how advocacy workers from different governmental and non-governmental organisations work with female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) and gender equality in The Gambia. We further examined their experienced difficulties and the provided support to women exposed to FGM/C. The study was based on field observations of events, meetings and educational events, as well as semi-structured and open-ended interviews with ten participants. Through a thematic analysis, findings show that counselling were the main form of support, and the most experienced difficulties was the male dominance, the cultural belief and the culture of silence. Education, traditional forums and advocacy where therefore used as informative tools regarding gender roles, power positions and the harmfulness of FGM/C. Thus, findings confirm the importance of the continuous work with the gender roles, the social exclusion of the unmutilated women and the gatekeeping roles hindering the abandonment of the harmful practice.

International non-governmental organisations (INGOs) play an important role in tackling gender based violence in many countries. Hundreds of reports have been written and thousands of recommendations made. Yet, rates of gender based violence are known to increase during conflict and post-conflict. Needing a vast multitude of needs addressed in attempt for INGOs to support survivors of gender based violence. This study sets out to understand the ways that INGOs support, empower and advocate for women concerning gender based violence in post-conflict countries such as Colombia. It further analysed how INGOs implemented preventions and interventions of gender based violence. Specifically, exploring aspects such as, empowerment, gender roles and overall service provision. The research takes an intersectional feminist perspective to consider what gender based violence interventions have been used by these INGOs and see how aligned these interventions are with intersectional feminist theory. Further, the research focuses on the involvement of INGOs in gender based violence and their view of women as displayed in that involvement. The study adopts a desk-based research design to explore the involvement of INGOs looking at gender based violence in Colombia. The material was analysed in relation to gender, intersectionality and feminist theory, specifically referencing back to values embedded in inclusivity and gender equality. A number of aggravating factors are identified that seem to critically evaluate the involvement of INGOs in regards gender based violence. Despite their best efforts to provide an inclusive approach, the study indicates that some INGOs perpetrate unequal power dynamics, depict survivors of gender based violence as victims and do not address other intersectional issues such as lack of inclusivity. Overall, the thesis is critical as to why gender based violence seems to be a lower priority for INGOs and local actors and recommends that more intersectional feminist values should be included within projects and programs.

Costa Rica is in many aspects a well-developed country, but as many other countries there is still a lot of inequality between the genders. Which can take its form in violence towards minorities such as women and children. The region is also influenced heavily by very conservative gender norms. The aim of this study is to conduct an in-depth investigation of the occurrence of gender-based violence (GBV). As well as to understand the societal and cultural factors that serve as institutional mechanisms and how they impact the country's development. The study will focus on institutions as structural features of public policy, and the norms set by these institutions that affect laws and civil society. By identifying these institutional mechanisms through the help of our respondents and relevant theories, the study will analyze the legislation, policies and cultural norms that exist within Costa Rican society and compare them with the insights provided by the respondents. This will be achieved through first-hand experiences and observations obtained from in-depth interviews with women and professionals who work and live in Costa Rica. The responses from the interviews will serve as the primary source of data for analysis. The result will be analyzed using Hirdman gender theories: Bandura A. social learning theory, and new institutional theory. The analysis will be presented in different themes, focusing on the legislation and the implementation of laws. The second theme will discuss in more detail the institutional mechanisms and how they impact the development of the country. The study findings indicate that Costa Rica has an underrepresentation of women in the political sphere and society overall, and there is no priority on women's issues. The patriarchal structure perpetuates a damaging worldview for women, machismo, and cultural traditions are some of the examples of informal mechanisms of influence present in the society. In conclusion, GBV is a significant problem in Costa Rica that leads to a high number of women being hurt or killed each year and makes it harder to move forward when it comes to sustainable development. The study finds that institutionalized norms influence the country's politics and contribute to the rise in cases of GBV. Costa Rica is in a unique position concerning sustainable development, and it is essential to study this issue, especially given the country`s previously positive development trajectory. There is also a lack of studies and work by Sweden and Sida in Central and Latin America.