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Working collectively can help maximise the impact of influencing work. Engaging a diverse group of stakeholders with a mix of skills, knowledge and experiences can help identify levers where influencing can impact change. Depending on the scale of the VAWG influencing strategy, it could be helpful to establish a governance mechanism to ensure partnerships are grounded in agreed principles and ways of working. 

As outlined in Spotlight Initiative’s Pillar on Women’s Movements, engaging stakeholders on VAWG issues presents a key opportunity to shift balances of power to national, local and…

In the process of developing a VAWG influencing strategy, it’s important to consider different tactics to help influence change. Oxfam’s Influencing for Impact Guide provides the following examples of influencing tactics:

Research and policy development
Lobbying and direct advocacy
Convening and facilitating engagement and dialogue with key stakeholders and decision makers 
Supporting community engagement on issues 
Supporting women and men to become change-makers and influencers
Communications and media
Alliances and network building
Supporting civil society organisations
M…

A key element of developing an influencing strategy is mapping all potential people, groups and institutions to engage with. Think about which stakeholders hold power and influence. What are their roles, interests, and potential contributions to addressing VAWG? Are they potential champions, or could they block progress? Are there allies you could work with to create synergies? There are many tools available to accomplish this, including interviewing women’s rights organisations, or via a stakeholder mapping, social network analysis, power analysis, or political economy analysis. As an example…

Effective influencing strategies have a clear goal that sets out a transformational vision of change to motivate and engage people. To achieve this overarching goal, it’s helpful to identify a set of clear, measurable, and time bound objectives for the influencing work. This can be organised into an operational framework or action plan, to ensure all partners share these goals, and monitor progress and results of influencing activities. The following table is an example:

Goal:

Objective
Priority Target
Powerholder/ ally/opponent
Approach/ tactics to apply
Rationale for…

When developing an influencing strategy, it’s useful to begin by clearly identifying the issue which needs addressing, and then analysing its causes and possible solutions. For example, it might be gaps in the current laws or perhaps the need to address new forms of violence (e.g. online violence). Think about what needs to change, who needs to change, and the possible routes to effect change. There are many tools available to undertake a problem analysis, including a SWOT analysis, fishbone diagram, or problem tree analysis.

Understanding the local context, including cultural, social…

To ensure that laws remain relevant, effective and up to date with changing realities (e.g. developments in technology and social media), establish mechanisms to monitor implementation. This involves regular data collection on the prevalence of VAWG and the effectiveness of legal responses, as well as gathering feedback from various stakeholders. In addition to formal mechanisms, women’s rights organisations and other civil society groups can play a vital role in monitoring implementation, for example through shadow reporting mechanisms, observatories and diagnostic surveys to regularly…

Despite many countries introducing new laws or reforming existing laws, there continues to be a gap in the implementation and enforcement of laws. Key factors contributing to the effective implementation of laws and policies on ending VAWG include:

Political will and a comprehensive policy framework, which includes a national action plan and data collection to monitor the effectiveness of implementation. This data should be gathered at regular intervals and disaggregated by sex, race, age, ethnicity and other relevant characteristics.
Coordination mechanisms for different government…

When drafting legislation, it is important that legal reforms are evidence-based and compliant with global and regional frameworks. The UN Handbook for Legislation on Violence against Women advises that legislation be grounded in data and research on the scope, prevalence and incidence of all forms of violence against women, as well as the causes and consequences. Drawing on lessons learned and good practice from other countries can help enhance the quality and effectiveness of new laws. It is also important that laws are unambiguous, with clear definitions of what constitutes violence…

Engaging a wide range of stakeholders enriches the legislative process with diverse viewpoints, as well as encourages a sense of ownership and commitment to end VAWG. The key stakeholders vary between contexts, but are likely to include:

Survivors provide invaluable insights into their experiences of current laws, including any practical challenges faced in accessing justice and support services. See page on how to address barriers survivors face in accessing services.
Women’s organisations and civil society groups have extensive knowledge and can mobilise support for change. See page on…

Survivors should be centred within the process of legislative reform to ensure that laws are directly responsive to their needs, experiences and rights. A survivor-centred approach acknowledges the agency of survivors, prioritises their safety and well-being, and seeks to empower them throughout the legal process. Spotlight Initiative programmes – including those in Belize, Kyrgyzstan, Liberia, Papua New Guinea, and Timor-Leste – supported the engagement (and influence) of survivors in drafting legislation, making legal information accessible and ensuring training for legal and judicial…