Indicators for Programs to Address Violence Against Women and Girls

At the request of the USAID East Africa Regional Mission in collaboration with the Inter-agency Gender Working Group (USAID), MEASURE Evaluation developed Violence Against Women and Girls: A Compendium of Monitoring and Evaluation Indicators with a technical advisory group (TAG) of experts. Initially, a steering committee of experts met over a period of several months to select TAG members, develop a framework for the compendium and generate an initial list of indicators for wider input from the TAG. An extensive literature review was conducted to document any indicators that were already being used. The TAG was comprised of specialists from around the world who work in the various programmatic areas of Violence Against Women and Girls (VAW/G) covered by this guide. The TAG included individuals from USAID, OGAC, CDC, WHO, UNFPA and UNHCR, NGOs, prominent researchers and programmatic experts in the field. At a TAG meeting in September 2007, members came to consensus on VAW/G-related definitions to be used, the framework and content areas to be covered, and drafted the majority of indicators to be included. TAG members were consulted during all stages of the development process that took place after the meeting to resolve issues pertaining to the indicators and other content areas of the guide. A meeting of available TAG members was held in July 2008 to finalize the document.

The guide was developed for managers, organizations, and policy makers working in the field of VAW/G program implementation and evaluation in developing countries, as well as for people who provide technical assistance to these individuals and organizations. Indicators were developed to measure the following areas within VAW/G:   

1. Magnitude and characteristics of different forms of VAW/G (skewed sex rations, intimate partner violence, violence from someone other than an intimate partner, female genital cutting/mutilation and child marriage)
2. Programs addressing VAW/G by sector (health, education, justice/security, social welfare)
3. Under-documented forms of VAW/G and emerging areas (humanitarian emergencies, trafficking in persons, femicide), and preventing VAW/G (youth, community mobilization, working with men and boys)

The indicators can also be used by programs that may not specifically focus on VAW/G, but include reducing levels of VAW/G as part of their aims. The indicators have been designed to address information needs that can be assessed with quantitative methods to measure program performance and achievement at the community, regional and national levels. While many of the indicators have been used in the field, they have not necessarily been tested in multiple settings.

Download Violence Against Women and Girls Compendium of Indicators. Order a copy of the compendium by visiting the MEASURE Evaluation publications page.