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Making Rights a Reality:
Building your campaign
1. Introduction women (AI Index: ACT/77/001/2004), and the campaign
website at
This document is designed to help you campaign to stop http://web.amnesty.org/actforwomen both provide
violence against women and girls in your country, by important background information on the issue of
lobbying for national change in accordance with your violence against women.
state’s international legal obligations. It is designed
primarily for Amnesty International sections and
structures, but we hope it will also be useful for other 2. The Stop Violence Against Women
human rights and women’s organizations.
Campaign
This booklet includes a step-by-step guide to organizing Violence against women is endemic. It is one of the most
your campaign. This process will be more familiar to pervasive human rights abuses, as well as one of the most
some sections and structures than to others. And some hidden. It is almost universally under-reported.
ideas will be more practical and productive in some
countries than in others. You can adapt the ideas to suit Violence against women cuts across cultural, regional,
your organization and the particular cultural, legal and religious and economic boundaries affecting women of
social situation in your country. Use what suits you and every class, race, ethnicity, age, religion or belief,
leave the rest. The step-by-step guide includes real (dis)ability, nationality and sexual identity.
examples.
Values and beliefs in many societies that discriminate
This document should be read in conjunction with the against women mean that violence against women is too
other reports in Amnesty International’s Making Rights a often seen as “natural” or “normal” and so is not
Reality: An Activist Toolkit. One part, Making Rights a challenged.
Reality: The duty of states to address violence against
women (AI Index ACT 77/049/2004), outlines the legal Amnesty International’s Stop Violence Against Women
obligations of states under international law, and explains campaign was launched on 5 March 2004. The Stop
the concept of due diligence. Another part, Making Rights Violence against Women campaign focuses initially on
a Reality: Gender awareness workshops (AI Index ACT violence in the home and in conflict. The long-term
77/035/2004), explores the underlying gender issues campaign goals are to:
relevant to the Stop Violence Against Women campaign.
The Amnesty International Campaigning Manual (AI 1. Abolish laws that support impunity for violence
Index: ACT 10/002/2001) provides more detail on against women and laws that discriminate against
campaigning ideas and processes. The guidelines on women.
campaigning in your own country will also be helpful to
Amnesty International sections and structures, as will the 2. Enact and implement effective laws and practices
guidelines on the use of gender-sensitive language. And to protect women from violence in conflict and
finally the Stop Violence Against Women campaign post-conflict situations and ensure that impunity
launch report, It’s in our hands: Stop violence against is ended for combatants who commit violenceACT 77/051/2004 June 2004
against women, and their commanders. 20/002/2003, and the Stop Violence Against Women
Campaign: Work On Own Country: Criteria for Research
3. Hold states individually and collectively Projects, AI Index ACT 77/012/2003.
accountable to their obligations under
international law to prevent, investigate, punish The Work On Own Country (WOOC) revised criteria for
and redress all acts of violence against women pilot projects outline the steps that Amnesty International
whether in peacetime or armed conflict. sections and structures need to take to conduct research
for the Stop Violence Against Women campaign in their
4. Secure effective action to stop violence against own country. The document notes the different types of
women at the community level by local research projects that can be undertaken and which
governments and civil society, including religious projects need prior approval from the International
bodies, traditional and informal authorities. Executive Committee. Once your section or section board
has approved the idea, you will need to contact the
The Stop Violence Against Women campaign is a International Secretariat to liaise on issues including
different kind of campaign to those previously run by research methodology and aligning your projects with the
Amnesty International for four reasons: Stop Violence Against Women campaign strategy.
1. It focuses on the issue of violence against women
in the family and in conflict and the 3. Due diligence: a tool for change
discrimination that is the root cause behind that Human rights law offers women more protection against
violence, addressing the general pattern of violence than is usually recognized. Some states lack the
violations as well as taking action on behalf of political will and commitment to translate the
particular individuals. It calls upon state international human rights laws to which they are
responsibility as well as invoking individual and committed into effective domestic laws that protect
community commitment to stop violence against women from violence. Some fail to allocate adequate
women. resources to implement laws even where these exist. And
there is often no integrated approach between or among
2. It will run in partnership with women’s enforcing agencies. But laws to protect women from
organizations and other groups. violence do exist and they can be enforced. In fact
national legislation on violence against women is one of
3. Sections and structures are encouraged to conduct the key achievements over the past decades.
research and to campaign on this issue in their
own country. This reflects a growing trend for Countries have a wide range of responsibilities under
Amnesty International sections and structures to international human rights law. These responsibilities
be rooted in their national and local realities and include the obligation to “respect” women’s rights (for
to operate at that level. Bridging the gap between example by providing for gender equality in the
local and global research and campaigning, constitution); to “protect” women’s rights (for example by
sections and structures will also engage in ensuring that discrimination by private individuals and
campaigning at the international level and organizations, such as companies, does not erode those
campaigning on each other’s research projects. rights); and to “fulfil” women’s rights (for example by
ensuring that women can take advantage of their rights in
4. The campaign will incorporate a full range of practice through information about their rights, legal aid
campaign tools including strategically integrated assistance and so on).
lobbying, events, research, media and new media
as well as letter-writing action by members. Over the last decade, increasing attention has been given
During its first phase, the Stop Violence Against to states’ obligation to intervene when non-state actors –
Women campaign is a transition campaign, private individuals in their everyday lives and groups
moving Amnesty International towards a new
within the community – abuse human rights. Under
dynamic campaigning approach.
international law, the state has clear responsibilities for
human rights abuses committed by non-state actors.
Amnesty International sections and structures who plan to
research the issue in their own country should first read
the Work On Own Country (WOOC) revised application
of the criteria for WOOC pilot projects AI Index ORG
2ACT 77/051/2004 June 2004
General Recommendation 19 of the United Nations (UN) example, it means that states can be held responsible for
Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of violence within the family – the most commonly reported
Discrimination against Women (paragraph 9) states: type of violence against women.
These responsibilities are enshrined within the established
“Under general international law and specific human
requirement to exercise due diligence to respect, protect
rights covenants, States may also be responsible for
and fulfil human rights. Due diligence has developed
private acts if they fail to act with due diligence to prevent
through the comments of inter-governmental bodies of the
violations of rights or to investigate and punish acts of
UN and human right courts. It is used by the various
violence, and for providing compensation.”
organs of the UN and regional human rights bodies to
The Inter-American Court of Human Rights, in the case monitor countries’ implementation of human rights
of Velásquez Rodríguez in 1989, acknowledged that the treaties and is a way to measure whether a state has done
state, Honduras, was not involved directly in the killing enough to fulfil its human rights obligations.
and abduction of political activists by “death squads” of
armed men, not apparently connected to the state’s armed Exercising due diligence includes taking effective steps to
forces. However, the Court ruled that the state was still prevent abuses, to investigate them when they occur, to
responsible under international law, as it had failed to prosecute the alleged perpetrators and bring them to
stop these private citizens from abusing the rights of other justice in fair proceedings, and to ensure adequate
private citizens. This principle is the basis of the legal reparation for the victims, including rehabilitation and
concept of due diligence. redress. It also means ensuring that justice is secured
The legal concept of due diligence has led to the without discrimination of any kind.
development of the theory of state responsibility to make
rights a reality in cases where the perpetrator as well as The step-by-step guide below is designed to help you use
the victim is not an agent of the state. This includes the concept of due diligence as a campaigning tool to stop
domestic violence. The general principle of state violence against women.
responsibility requires that when states know, or ought to
know, about abuses of human rights, and fail to take In practical terms invoking the standard of due diligence:
appropriate steps to prevent the violations, then they bear
responsibility for the action. The obligation of states to Gives campaigners a way of using the human rights
bring to justice state agents who commit violations of framework to stop violence against women by
human rights is not negotiable and is not included within invoking state responsibility for violations by state
the standard of due diligence. and non-state actors.
Provides a concrete framework for demanding a
National governments are responsible for taking action to range of reforms, from bringing non-state perpetrators
prevent the abuse of women’s human rights - including to justice to preventative measures.
violence against women - in the first place, as well as for Can be invoked at the local level, and sets the basis
bringing perpetrators to justice after the event. This means for dialogues with local authorities, politicians and
that governments are responsible for educational, legal other leaders.
and practical measures to reduce the incidence of violence:
for example, by improving street lighting in an area where
women have been raped. 4. Step-by-step guide to using due
diligence as a campaign tool
Secondly, some countries wrongly interpret international
Amnesty International has set clear global campaign goals,
human rights law as meaning that their responsibility is
which should provide a useful context when you plan how
limited to making sure that people acting on their behalf
to run the Stop Violence Against Women campaign in
(state actors) comply with human rights law. In fact, they
your country. For more detail about how the goals were set,
are required to prevent, investigate and punish abuses by
global objectives and campaigning projects, see the Stop
both state and non-state actors.
Violence Against Women Campaign 2004-2006 Updated
Strategy and Action Plan, (AI Index: ACT77/014/2003)
This means that states are responsible for preventing and
and Stop Violence Against Women campaign,
prosecuting human rights abuses committed by
Campaigning Projects For 2004-2006 (AI Index: ACT
individuals. This is key to combating violence against
77/057/2004).
women, which is often perpetrated by husbands and
partners, employers, family members, neighbours,
corporations and other individuals or non-state actors. For
3ACT 77/051/2004 June 2004
This step-by-step guide aims to help you to set clear “Gender blindness” means that violence against women is
objectives and devise tactics that will deliver the sometimes accepted by society as inevitable and is not
campaign goals effectively at a national level. Amnesty recognized as a crime. (For example, military and civil
International resources such as the Amnesty International leaders repeatedly ignored the allegations of a woman in
Campaigning Manual (AI Index: ACT 10/002/2001) and the Democratic Republic of Congo that soldiers had raped
the reference materials listed in Appendix 1 will offer her.)
more detailed help in working through this process.
Amnesty International’s International Secretariat has
For your national campaign, you’ll need to: produced a document outlining the international legal
Identify the problem. standards about women and violence that apply to
Map the context. individual countries. See Making Rights a Reality: The
Set objectives. duty of states to address violence against women (AI
Identify target audiences and approaches. Index ACT 77/049/2004). You can use this report to
Identify the critical pathway. identify the problem in your own country and to assess
Plan campaign activities. your government’s record on this issue. You can then
Monitor and report back. publicize any failings and lobby for change in national
legislation and practice to reflect your country’s
obligations under international human rights treaties.
Step One: Identify the problem in your Analyse your national legislation
country You need to analyse the legal situation in your country
Amnesty International has identified the problems in and to identify, for example:
global terms: violence against women is one of the most
pervasive human rights abuses, as well as one of the most 1. Which of the main human rights treaties has your
hidden. It is almost universally under-reported. It cuts country still to ratify?
across all boundaries and is often not challenged.
Violence is both rooted in discrimination and serves to 2. What laws are in place that perpetuate gender
reinforce discrimination, preventing women from inequity or allow gendered discrimination or
exercising their rights and freedoms on a basis of equality violence to take place with impunity? For
with men. There is too often impunity for those example, customary laws 1 often discriminate
committing violence against women, and governments do against women. Discriminatory laws that limit a
not provide an environment that is free from violence. woman’s right to divorce, inheritance or owning
property restrict women’s rights and their ability
As outlined above, states have a responsibility to protect to leave violent relationships.
people within their country from violence: both in the
public sphere and in private, for example within their 3. What laws are required to allow the authorities in
family unit. This holds true whether the violence is your country to prosecute those who commit
committed by agents of the state (such as police, officials violence against women? Examples include laws
or soldiers) or by private individuals and groups. This making rape in marriage a crime, and the
responsibility is enshrined in international law, which introduction or strengthening of laws on equality.
prescribes a range of responsibilities by states to ensure (For example in the Philippines, after successful
respect for human rights. lobbying by women’s groups, a new criminal law
on rape was introduced in 1997 which defined
However not all states fulfil this responsibility. Culturally rape as violence against a person and included
accepted assumptions about the roles of men and women oral sex and acts of sexual torture.)
in society mean that many countries simply do not have
the laws in place to protect women adequately. For 4. What is the incidence of violence against women
example, some countries have no law prohibiting the rape in conflict situations and how often are the
of a woman by her husband.
1
Customary law comprises international rules derived from state
And where countries do reflect in domestic laws their practice and regarded as law. States create this body of law themselves
international legal obligations to protect women from through their actions and their reactions to the actions of other states.
See Making Rights a Reality: The duty of states to address violence
violence, those laws are not always invoked or enforced. against women (AI Index ACT 77/049/2004), chapter one.
4ACT 77/051/2004 June 2004
perpetrators brought to justice? of the High Commissioner for Human Rights at:
http://www.unhchr.ch or
5. What is the protection for women asylum-seekers http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/cedaw
fleeing violence? (For example, in 1993 the
Canadian government adopted new guidelines to All states are required to pay particular attention to the
recognize gender-based persecution as a ground issue of violence against women, and to take active steps
for asylum following public pressure on a number to eradicate it, through prevention, investigation and
of cases, including a Saudi Arabian woman who punishment. This has been spelt out by international
had initially been refused asylum. She had been political bodies such as the UN General Assembly in its
harassed and threatened for not wearing a veil.) Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of
Discrimination against Women and its Resolution 52/86
6. What access do survivors have to appropriate on crime prevention and criminal justice measures to
medical treatment, protection and redress? Is this eliminate violence against women; the UN Commission
treatment available regardless of the survivor’s on Human Rights in its resolutions, particularly on
status? violence against women; and the UN Security Council in
its Resolution 1325 on the rights of women and children
7. What measures are being taken to protect women in armed conflict. This requirement has been reiterated by
from violence? (For example, do women fleeing human rights treaty bodies such as the UN Committee on
violent situations have access to safe housing? the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against
Are refuges available for them and their children?) Women, in its General Recommendation 19, and the UN
Human Rights Committee in its General Comment 28.
You could do this legal analysis in conjunction with other See Making Rights a Reality: The duty of states to
women’s or human rights organizations. Sections and address violence against women (AI Index ACT
structures should contact women’s organizations, support 77/049/2004), chapter two.
groups, advice centres and others working on violence
Several international and regional laws and treaties are
against women to find out what kind of research has
directly relevant to defending women’s human rights.
already been carried out. If there are gaps in the available
Treaties are legally binding agreements, which must
information, you could work in collaboration with such
direct the behaviour of states. The key areas of laws are:
groups to obtain it. See Working with others to Stop
Violence Against Women (AI Index: ACT 77/058/2004).
Make sure that you do the research within the framework International law and international human
of the international standards as set out in Making Rights rights law
a Reality: The duty of states to address violence against The detailed mandate to secure equality between
women (AI Index ACT 77/049/2004). You may also like women and men and to prohibit discrimination
to refer to Freedom from terror, safety from harm: against women is set out in the UN Convention on the
challenge your government to stamp out the torture and Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against
ill-treatment of women (AI Index: ACT77/005/2001) and Women (CEDAW). This mandate finds its source in
“There is no excuse”; Gender-based violence in the home core human rights documents – the Universal
and protection of the human rights of women in Spain (AI Declaration of Human Rights, the International
Spain, November 2003). Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
and the International Covenant on Civil and Political
You should be able to get a copy of the relevant Rights. The principles in these three documents,
legislation in your country from your national justice collectively known as the “International Bill of
department, department of constitutional affairs or Human Rights”, proclaim the rights to equality,
equivalent government department. It may be available liberty and security and the rights to be free from
online directly from the department’s website, or through discrimination, torture, and degrading and inhuman
a library. treatment. Although the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights is not a treaty, and therefore not legally
You can check which human rights treaties your binding in itself, many of its provisions, for example,
government has ratified, what reservations it has made to the commitment to non-discrimination and the rule
limit the application of the treaty, and when it is due to against the use of torture, are part of general
report on the implementation of those treaties. This international law.
information is available on the website of the UN Office
5ACT 77/051/2004 June 2004
The UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms International humanitarian law and
of Discrimination against Women specifies rights to international criminal law
equality in the family, as well as in terms of work, International humanitarian law (including the Geneva
education, political participation and security of Conventions and their Additional Protocols) applies
person. The International Covenant on Civil and to the conduct of all parties to armed conflicts,
Political Rights specifies the equal enjoyment of men whether international or internal. The international
and women to all civil and political rights outlined in human rights framework can also apply to the actions
the treaty without discrimination, as does the of the state and its security forces during periods of
International Covenant on Economic, Social and armed conflict. In all cases, the state is accountable
Cultural Rights to the rights it outlines. for the actions of armed groups that work in
association with it or are tolerated by it (such as
There are also a number of consensus documents that paramilitary forces, militias, “death squads” or
set out the mandate for addressing violence against vigilantes). Members of armed groups, whether allied
women as a human rights issue. These include the UN to the state or not, are required, as a minimum, to
Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against respect the provisions of common Article 3 of all four
Women, the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Geneva Conventions. This requires them to refrain
Action, and the Outcome document of the UN from violence to civilians, including murder, torture
General Assembly Special Session in 2000 (Beijing + and inhuman treatment of all kinds, including rape
5). and other forms of sexual violence. They are also
liable under international criminal law for war crimes,
International customary is also relevant, as violence (including breaches of common Article 3) and crimes
against women breaches it. This is set out in the against humanity.
International Law Commission’s draft Articles on
State Responsibility. See Making Rights a Reality: Acts of violence against women in conflict are
The duty of states to address violence against women prohibited under both international human rights and
(AI Index ACT 77/049/2004), chapter two. humanitarian law. Under customary international law
(law which is binding on all states, whether or not
When a country ratifies a treaty, it becomes a state they are bound by treaty law), many acts of violence
party and undertakes to ensure that domestic against women committed by parties to a conflict
legislation is in line with provisions of the treaty. If constitute torture. In addition, the following acts are
you establish that there are domestic laws that are war crimes: rape, sexual slavery, enforced prostitution,
contrary to the provisions of the treaty, then you forced pregnancy, enforced sterilization and certain
should bring this to the attention of the relevant treaty other forms of sexual violence of comparable severity.
monitoring body, for example through a shadow If these acts are knowingly committed as part of a
report at the time of the review of the country’s widespread or systematic attack on a civilian
periodic report. You should also bring it to the population, they constitute crimes against humanity.
attention of the government and other relevant
authorities in your campaign to end violence against Torture of women in an international armed conflict
women. is a war crime under the Geneva Conventions, and, in
certain circumstances, may constitute an element of
International human rights law provides that all states genocide. Acts of violence against women amounting
must ensure that those within their jurisdiction enjoy their to torture, war crimes, crimes against humanity and
human rights. This includes the responsibility of states to genocide are subject to universal jurisdiction. This
intervene when individuals act in a way that affects other means that under international law, the authorities in
peoples’ rights. See Article 12, International Law any country where people suspected of such crimes
Commission’s draft Articles on State Responsibility and are found can – and should – investigate, regardless
Article 1, European Convention on Human Rights. The of where the crime was committed. If there is
state has a duty to intervene when women are being sufficient admissible evidence, that state should
subjected to violence by armed groups in conflict prosecute the suspects, extradite them to a state able
situations and also in the context of violence in the family. and willing to do so in a fair trial without the death
See Making Rights a Reality: The duty of states to penalty, or surrender the suspects to an international
address violence against women (AI Index ACT criminal court.
77/049/2004), chapter two.
6ACT 77/051/2004 June 2004
Regional human rights treaties is a strong, well-established international network of
Regional human rights treaties also require states to women’s organizations with many years’ experience of
implement rights equally between men and women. campaigning for women’s rights, including on the issue of
These are: the European Convention for the violence.
Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental
Freedoms; the African Charter on Human and It is important that Amnesty International supports and
Peoples’ Rights and its Protocol on the Rights of complements work that is being done in the field already,
Women in Africa; and the American Convention on and acknowledges that other organizations may have
Human Rights. The Inter-American Convention on greater expertise. Amnesty International sections and
the Prevention, Punishment and Eradication of structures and other human rights activists can learn from
Violence against Women (“Convention of Belem do the groundbreaking work that these groups have done.
Para”) is the one regional treaty, that specifically
addresses violence against women in detail. See The next step in your campaign planning is therefore to
Making Rights a Reality: The duty of states to address contact the women’s organizations in your country, ask
violence against women (AI Index ACT 77/049/2004), what they are working on and how they see Amnesty
chapter two. International could help. Amnesty International can
probably best make a contribution to the broader
movement working to stop violence against women in
terms of its legal expertise and research, and in analysing
Step Two: Map the external and internal violence against women through the lens of human rights
legislation.
context
The next step is to analyse the context in which your Be aware that in many countries violence against women
campaign will be operating. What are the key factors that is seen as a women’s issue, so human rights organizations
will affect the way you choose your objectives and may find it difficult at first to initiate a dialogue with
position your campaign? You should consider how women’s organizations. An approach that acknowledges
economic, social, political and legal trends in your the greater experience of the women’s movement should
country are impacting on the reality and perception of help facilitate this dialogue. For example, Amnesty
women, human rights and violence. International UK consulted the women’s movements in
the UK, recognizing their depth of experience in research
These factors will influence what campaign objective you and action on this issue, before developing its own project
think will most improve the situation in your country at in the UK to combat violence against women.
present; what change you can realistically hope to make;
which opinion formers and decision-makers you target; The outline of the campaign strategy, consultation
and the “mood” of your campaign. strategy and questions for consultation Amnesty
International UK sent to women’s organizations as their
Alongside analysing the external context you should also, initial approach is a good model to follow: it is included
as with any campaign, conduct a brief analysis of the in Appendix II for your reference.
strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of your
section or structure or organization to ensure that your Ensure the involvement of men
plans match your resources and organizational plans. You should also consider how you are going to involve
(This is known as a SWOT analysis.) You should focus men in your campaign. Men are both an internal and
first on your what you are good at and where your external audience. As a mainstream organization of
strengths are in relation to the campaign, before moving women and men, Amnesty International is well placed to
on to new areas. engage men in the movement on the issue and to build
partnerships with men to become advocates to stop
It will also be timely at this stage to approach women’s violence against women. Some men have been actively
organizations in your country, before you move to setting engaged in challenging violence against women, but for
objectives and individual activities. many men the issue is remote. They have limited
awareness of violence against women and little idea of
Women’s organizations play a key role how to engage with it or impact on it. You need to take
this into account in your planning and activities.
While working on women’s rights issues may be new to
some Amnesty International sections and structures, there
7ACT 77/051/2004 June 2004
more help with this process. The “problem and solution
Other allies tree” can help to analyse a situation and identify the core
Amnesty International colleagues may prove a valuable problem you want to focus on. By placing the problem in
source of support and information, in particular those in the centre and brainstorming the causes and effects of the
other sections and structures who have worked on issues problem to create the problem and tree and then
relating to your country. transforming it into a solution tree by reversing the core
problem to create a goal, transforming the causes to
Potential allies include medical professionals, lawyers, objectives and effects to benefits. A “problem and
teachers, housing authorities, police, trade unions, and solution tree” can be used in a group or with other
journalists. organizations.
In addition to identifying allies, you should identify those An example of one is given below:
groups who will oppose any campaign to stop violence
against women. You will need to think through what
arguments and tactics they may use against you and how
best to counter them, as part of your campaign plan. The
Questions and Answers published during the launch of
the Stop Violence Against Women campaign should help
you respond to arguments and issues that might be put
forward by those opposing the campaign. See Questions
and Answers Parts I, II and III (AI Index: ACT
77/019/2004; ACT 77/025/2004 and ACT 77/033/2004).
Step Three: Set objectives
Each objective you set should take you one step nearer to
reaching the overall Stop Violence Against Women
campaign goals as outlined on page three.
The objectives will use the concept of due diligence to
reach these goals. In other words they will reflect the
responsibility of your country’s government to reduce
violence against women.
The objectives should be SMART:
Specific.
Measurable.
Achievable.
Relevant.
Time bound.
This will help clarify what you are trying to achieve, help
you plan activities so that they bring the result you want,
and make evaluation easier.
There are a number of tools you can use to develop your
campaign strategy. These include the “strategic
campaigning cycle” and the “problem and solution tree”.
Details of how to develop a “strategic campaigning cycle”
can be found on p 24 -25 of the Amnesty International
Campaigning Manual (AI Index: ACT 10/002/2001),
page 13 and pages 24-28 of the manual will also provide
8ACT 77/051/2004 June 2004
Problem Tree
Secondary Secondary Secondary
effect effect effect
Primary effect Primary effect
Core
Problem
Primary cause Primary cause Primary cause
Secondary Secondary Secondary
cause cause cause
You could identify, for example, your problem to be the lack of laws in your country to protect women. You might
decide that one primary cause is level of public debate about women’s human rights and violence against women and a
secondary cause (that contributes both to the problem and the primary cause) is the tolerance of violence in the family.
Solution Tree
Secondary Secondary Secondary
benefit benefit benefit
Primary benefit Primary benefit
Goal
Objective Objective Objective
Sub -objective Sub -objective Sub -objective
9ACT 77/051/2004 June 2004
You might identify your ultimate goal to be the progress in preventing violence against women (see
ratification and implementation of CEDAW into national Making Rights a Reality: The duty of states to address
law, but you choose to begin with awareness raising violence against women, (AI Index ACT
objectives to change prejudices and put violence against 77/049/2004), chapter 2).
women on the public agenda. This will assist in getting Your government to implement the recommendations
more support for the need for the ratification of CEDAW. by the treaty monitoring body following its review of
your country’s periodic report.
Below are some examples of the objectives you could Your country to ratify the Rome Statute of the
choose, based on your analysis of the legal situation in International Criminal Court, if it has not already
your country and the broader context. Many of these are done so.
real objectives that have been set by regional programs in Your government to use the definitions of crimes and
the International Secretariat or by Amnesty International rules of procedure of the International Criminal Court
sections and structures. as a model for domestic criminal law relating to
violence against women. These definitions are
sensitive to the needs and safety of victims and
Type A: Legislative change witnesses. (See Making Rights a Reality: The duty of
Your analysis of the legal situation in your country will states to address violence against women, (AI Index
show you which international standards your government ACT 77/049/2004), chapter one.)
has not ratified and where its legislation is failing to Media coverage of the need for the government to
provide protection from violence for women. You can pass new laws to protect women from violence. For
develop campaign objectives that aim to fill those gaps. example, at least 78 other countries need new laws to
make domestic violence a crime. There are still some
The objectives may be broad in focus – to ratify the countries, which need laws to make rape within
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of marriage a crime.
Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) – or narrow – Public campaigns to abolish laws that grant impunity
to modify an existing customary law. This will depend on to those using violence against women or that actively
where your research, including your conversations with discriminate against women (applies to 54 countries).
women’s organizations, shows the greatest need and the Remove discriminatory provisions in laws relating to
greatest chance of success. forced marriage, wife inheritance, marital rape,
consensual sex between adults and Female Genital
The objectives could challenge discriminatory laws that Mutilation.
impede women’s rights and access to justice and allow for Analyse the impact of domestic violence legislation
gender-based violence. They could also hold your country
and a develop plan of action.
accountable to the standards it has agreed to through the
UN or regional intergovernmental bodies.
Type B: Changes to policies and practices
Examples of objectives that you could adopt or adapt: You may also set campaign objectives that call for a
Your country to ratify CEDAW if it has not yet done change in official policies and practices, which do not
so. require changes in the law. These may target the justice
Your country to withdraw any reservations it has system, the police, the military and other national
placed on CEDAW (for example, refusing to be institutions.
bound by articles which conflict with customary
laws). Example objectives that you could adopt or adapt:
Your government to bring laws into line with Identify and bring to justice at least two perpetrators
CEDAW if they have ratified it. That is, it should of violence against women in conflicts – for example
incorporate the human rights principles in CEDAW in Israel/Occupied Territories, Iraq, Colombia or
into domestic law. Algeria.
Your country to submit periodic reports to the treaty Establish at least two supportive practices in law
monitoring bodies on time. enforcement.
Your Section or Structure (or a coalition of Specialized medical treatment to be provided to every
organizations) to produce a shadow report to the rape survivor in your country.
Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of
Discrimination against Women on your country’s
10ACT 77/051/2004 June 2004
Gender-sensitive training to be provided to all police Challenge cultural and social impunity for violence
and security officials in your country. against women through media, education, and
All survivors to have access to effective treatment and coalition building.
redress, regardless of their identity. (Although
violence against women is universal, many women
are targeted for specific forms of violence because of Type D: Strengthen Amnesty International’s capacity to
particular aspects of their identity. Women are work on violence against women
discriminated on the basis of their race, ethnicity, You may also need to set objectives to strengthen your
culture, language, sexual identity, poverty and health. section’s or structure’s capacity to work on violence
Amnesty International has identified patterns of racial against women. Building this capacity is identified as one
and ethnic discrimination in gender-based violence in of the overall and ongoing goals of the Stop Violence
a variety of situations. These include police ill- Against Women campaign.
treatment of immigrant and ethnic minority women in
Spain. See “There is no excuse”; Gender-based Societal conditioning affects everyone. Male human
violence in the home and protection of the human rights activists may not be aware of how much societal
rights of women in Spain (AI Spain, November 2003). constructions of gender have affected their approach to
women’s human rights. Female human rights activists
may not be aware of how their class, race or sexuality
Type C: Stimulate public debate affects the way they view other women. The human rights
Different countries will vary greatly in both their education (HRE) workshop material included in this
tolerance of violence against women and the level of toolkit will be helpful in addressing these complex issues.
public debate about women’s human rights and violence
against women. All countries and cultures without Your section or structure may also need to strengthen ties
exception could benefit from greater public debate and a with organizations already working in the field,
higher level of awareness about gender-based particularly women’s organizations but also other human
discrimination and violence. rights organizations, religious leaders, social movements,
development and humanitarian agencies.
Stimulating this debate will create a positive environment
in which to campaign for concrete legislative or policy Make sure that any internal objectives you set are aligned
change. In some countries, however, awareness raising with your section or structure’s organizational strategy
may be an essential prerequisite to starting campaigns for and also with the gender action plan developed by the
legislative or social change. You may need first to International Secretariat as part of this campaign. For
challenge a tradition of cultural and social impunity for further information on the internal strategy for the Stop
violence against women. Violence Against Women campaign see Gender Action
Plan (AI Index: POL 38/001/2003) and A Guide to
It may be realistic in your country to begin by setting Gender Action Planning (AI Index: ACT 77/039/2004).
objectives that aim to put violence against women on the
public agenda and to raise awareness and change Example objectives that you could adopt or adapt:
prejudices. You could then plan to campaign for concrete Key activists to develop have skills to run HRE
legislative change in the second phase of the campaign workshops with your own staff, volunteers and
and use that as a means to continue your awareness members to challenge their perception of gender.
raising. You should be sure to align this with your growth Section and structure staff to develop skills to deliver
strategies, and to identify exactly when you plan to gender mainstreaming as an integral part of your
combine raising awareness activities with campaigning section or structure’s work on human rights. For
for concrete change. example, collect statistics on the percentage of cases
in your country that involve women; and check that
Example objectives that you could adopt or adapt: gender-based crime is included in the cases you raise
Influence decision-makers in your country – for with the International Secretariat.
example, the judiciary, police, military, teachers – Develop guidelines in the first year of the campaign
through running human rights education workshops on gender-sensitive and culture-sensitive conduct of
that show how gender discrimination is used to deny Amnesty International personnel in representational
women their human rights. activities, and the use of language and images in
Amnesty International research, fundraising,
communication and campaign materials. For more
11ACT 77/051/2004 June 2004
detail on increasing gender equity within the section violence against women, such as sports people or business
or structure, see Gender Action Plan (AI Index: POL people.
38/001/2003), and A Guide to Gender Action You will need to consider what channels to use to reach
Planning (AI Index: ACT 77/039/2004). these targets and vary the products you produce to your
Identify, build alliances with, share joint platforms audience.
and issue joint statements with at least three other
organizations working on violence against women in When you know who your target audiences are and what
the first phase of the campaign. motivates them, you can plan how to inspire them to
make the changes you want. Remember that they will
view the issue very differently from you. You must put
yourself in their shoes and imagine what arguments or
Step Four: Identify target audiences and pressure will motivate them to make change. Is public
approaches pressure from the voters via the media and letter-writing
Once you have set objectives that are realistic and campaigns going to force them to put the issue on the
achievable for your country within a set timeframe, you agenda? Will you need to show civil servants the benefits
need to identify your target audiences: of enshrining international legal obligations in domestic
law?
Who has the power to make the changes that your
objectives call for? The influence map, chains of influence diagram and
Can you reach them directly? If not, who can? channels of influence, may be useful tools to help you
What is their current understanding of the legal identify your target audiences. An example of one is
situation and of the cultural construction of violence given below:
against women?
What barriers or misconceptions do you need to
address?
What messages do you need to get across to inspire
them to take the action you want?
You will need to identify the individual decision-makers
themselves, such as:
The Minister of Justice and other government
Ministers.
Army leaders responsible for the conduct and
disciplining of soldiers.
Professional groups, for example police officers,
soldiers and other military personnel; lawyers and
judges; teachers and educators; health workers and
social workers.
You will also need to identify the people who influence
the decision makers, such as:
Civil servants.
Journalists.
International donors.
Religious and community leaders.
Amnesty International members and other individual
activists.
Consider targeting non-traditional audiences for Amnesty
International who are likely to be influential in ending
12ACT 77/051/2004 June 2004
A simple influence map:
Issue: access to appropriate medical treatment for survivors of family violence
Health workers National media
Women’s Minister of Women’s Equality Commission
Ministry Health
Survivors of violence Organizations working with
Survivors of family violence
2. Chains of Influence:
Amnesty Audience Target
Amnesty Audience 1 Audience 2 Target
Amnesty Audience 1 Audience 2 Audience 3 Target
3. Channels of Influence
Health
workers
Resources:
- Funds National
media Minister
- People AI Issue or
of Health
- Other beneficiaries
Survivors
Women’s Ministry
Organizations working with
survivors
A simple grid like the one shown below can also be effective:
Audience Action you want them to How you will get them to do
take it
National government Make rape in marriage a crime Pressure from voters, public
debate, lobbying meetings
Corporations Run human rights education Direct approach jointly with
programs on gender for staff unions with argument about
corporate responsibility
13ACT 77/051/2004 June 2004
The Stop Violence Against Women campaign Example
Communications Strategic Framework (AI Index ACT You may start by identifying that your country has failed
77/027/2003), identifies generic target audiences for the to ratify the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms
campaign, many of which are likely to be appropriate in of Discrimination against Women and has two key pieces
your country. It also discusses the campaign messages of legislation that serve to perpetuate gender inequity or
and tone, which your campaign could adopt or adapt. allow gendered violence to take place with impunity. In
addition there is considerable violence against women in
a local conflict but no perpetrators have been brought to
Step Five: Identify the critical pathway justice.
Your campaign should follow a logical pathway from one
campaign activity to the next until you reach your Your objectives may be to:
objectives. A campaign is a trail, a series of steps. While Persuade your government that your country should
some activities will coincide, you should plan to achieve ratify the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms
one step before you start the next one, wherever possible. of Discrimination against Women.
Remove or at least rework the legislation that
When you have identified what change you need to see perpetuates gender inequity.
(the objectives), who can make it happen (your target Obtain the commitment of military leaders to reduce
audience) and what will influence them, you are ready to violence against women in the conflict zone.
map out the campaign’s critical path. You will need to Identify and bring to justice some of the perpetrators
think about which activities should take place first to of violence in the conflict zone.
increase the chances of success of the later activities. You
need to think creatively about opportunities to engage The critical pathway might look something like this:
your members and activists in the campaign. The critical
pathway will show a natural flow from raising awareness 1. Run awareness raising workshops for the relevant
and laying seeds of ideas to increasing pressure on decision makers and those who influence them
decision-makers from different directions all leading to a (civil servants, army officers, members of the
final push for change. judiciary).
Remember that both Amnesty International and other 2. Produce authoritative research on the national
NGOs can be catalysts for change but cannot themselves legislative situation, where it fails to meet
directly deliver either legislative change or substantive international standards and the impact on
educational or other support measures on the ground that people’s lives and human rights.
reach whole populations.
3. Submit this research as a shadow report to a
The critical pathway is a tool to help you identify how human rights treaty body to coincide with their
that change will happen and who will make it happen. It review of your country’s periodic report.
is important to set up milestones to help you monitor the
effectiveness of your actions and to evaluate your success. 4. Mobilize the Amnesty International membership
and other activists to write to the decision-makers
Where the government is strong, you can lobby calling for change.
government ministers and officials for the legislative and
policy change needed to ensure that they meet their 5. Release the full research report at a media event
responsibilities as measured by the concept of due held jointly with women’s organizations and
diligence. Where the government itself is weak, you may other allies.
need to think laterally to find other ways to bring about
change. For example, international corporations can be 6. Publish your report on your section or structure’s
influential in countries where governments are weak. You website with an online petition and other actions.
may be able to achieve some changes through them, such
as support for community-based advocacy projects, 7. Lobby decision-makers at face-to-face meetings,
gender-sensitive conditions of work for the people they asking for a clear list of achievable demands,
employ, or ongoing human rights education for large which they can grant directly.
groups of people or opinion formers.
8. Monitor and evaluate the impact of activities
undertaken.
14ACT 77/051/2004 June 2004
Campaigning is a dialogue with society; it needs to be An outline of the situation in Sweden, which was
systematic, but also flexible to respond to audiences and presented at a media seminar with experts, members of
react to unexpected events. The critical pathway is a way Parliament, including the Secretary of State in the
of identifying the first steps in the ‘journey’. It is Ministry of Justice and NGOs. The launch of the report
important to keep analysing the impact of your work to was covered by more than 80 newspapers and by national
check if the critical pathway needs to change. radio and television. On the same day, a campaigning
activity was held in at least five cities. In Stockholm and
Uppsala, there were “human installations” with women
Step Six: Design campaign activities wearing white wedding dresses. Every fourth woman had
Every separate campaign activity should have a place in black roses for her wedding bouquet and a black bridal
the grid (see Step Four above), which shows how you will veil representing violence in marriage. In Gothenburg and
get your targets to act as you want them to. Posters, Lund, women’s rights groups and members collected
reports and other products are only meaningful and hundreds of handprints on a huge white cloth.
effective if they play a clear role in moving your
objectives forward. The day after the launch of the report, a press release was
issued by the Ministry of Justice, stating that a working
Remember also that the issue here is due diligence. group with representatives from four different ministries
Campaign activities should focus on the responsibility of was being set up that very day. In the press release the
government to reduce violence against women, rather Minister for Gender Equality Affairs, Mona Sahlin, stated
than getting sidetracked onto other aspects of the issue. that: “Amnesty’s report on men’s violence against women
Violence against women is complex and has many causes shows that the tightened laws concerning men’s violence
and solutions. Keeping the focus on due diligence will against women are not implemented the way they should
strengthen your campaign and make it more likely to be. Many battered women are left with no support from
succeed. society. This is unacceptable and we are going to change
this.” Amnesty International was invited to meet the
Mobilizing the membership is traditionally a great working group.
strength of Amnesty International. You should plan your
activities to involve your members and other local Amnesty International Canada has produced an online set
activists. They can engage in public campaigning of campaign tools for local activists to use. It is available
activities as well as writing or e-mailing target groups, at: http://www.amnesty.ca/stoptheviolence. It includes
using for example, the individual action cases produced posters, brochures and action sheets for activists to
by the International Secretariat in the course of the Stop distribute and display in offices, schools, community
Violence Against Women campaign. You can also urge centres, shopping centres, libraries and police stations. It
them to write to decision-makers about the specific identifies action cases for activists to lobby decision-
legislative change you want to bring about in your makers. A catalogue of ideas encourages activists to
country. contact local media to raise the issue of violence against
women; to organize candlelit vigils, silent marches, or
There is a wide range of other activities open to you. A parties to celebrate women’s human rights defenders; to
campaign activity can be a demonstration, a letter or e- create “violence-free” spaces; and to use street theatre and
mail, a leaflet, an item of research, a web page, a media film to create public debate and display art works on the
interview, a sponsored walk, a meeting with a politician, issue.
non-violent legal direct action, a petition, a vigil, and
action appeal cases. All these have helped win campaigns. Amnesty International Nepal organized a talk program on
“Women and Domestic Violence” for 100 students at
Your campaign activities could include: Dhulabari Campus in the far eastern region of the country,
near Bhutanese refugee camps.
Face-to-face activity: meetings, events, vigils and
networking. Amnesty International UK has produced an activists’
Indirect communications: media interviews, briefing pack that includes details of action appeal cases, postcards,
advocates, phone trees. posters, a summary report on violence against women in
the UK and sample letters and press releases for activists
Examples of campaign activities to send to their local news media. Amnesty International
UK ran an extensive consultation exercise with women’s
In April 2004, Amnesty International Sweden published a groups working on domestic violence before planning
report on Men's violence against women in close relations:
15ACT 77/051/2004 June 2004
their national campaign strategy. It also worked with If working with spokespeople and celebrities, make
these women’s groups in producing a shadow report to sure they follow these guidelines themselves.
CEDAW.
Key messages for the Stop Violence Against Women
Amnesty International Belgium has an online quiz to play campaign are:
that explores the issue of violence against women and
some possible solutions. Violence against women is a human rights scandal.
It is a hidden atrocity.
A Turkish football team wore t-shirts showing the Stop Living in safety is a universal right, not a privilege.
Violence Against Women campaign logo for Amnesty Human rights bring not only universality, but also
International Turkey at a major football match. This is a justice, accountability and redress.
good example of targeting a wider audience, particularly
men, when campaigning. The authorities must take responsibility.
The authorities must guarantee women’s safety.
In Mexico, a giant mural was painted honouring the
missing and murdered women from Ciudad Juárez and It’s in our hands – together we can end it
Chihuahua. Stopping violence against women is about changing
attitudes as well as laws.
Communicating the issue
Ending violence against women is a personal as well
The steps outlined above should help you to map out how as institutional responsibility.
the campaign will be communicated to external and
internal audiences and how to break down messages The global logo for the campaign, reflecting the key
according to target audiences. message and slogans, is a handprint, which a number of
sections and structures are using. It would be valuable if
Next you need to choose the best medium for spreading the communications aspect of your national campaign
your message, for example local papers, public meetings strategy reflected these global messages, providing
and the Internet. Base this decision on how the group that mutual reinforcement for the work of sections and
you are targeting accesses and absorbs information. Also structures around the world.
bear in mind your resources and skills and what is the
most cost-effective way to reach the target audience. You You may also find it helpful to refer to Stop Violence
can try and develop partnerships with key media to obtain Against Women: Glossary of Language and Guidelines
for example, regular slots on the radio and newspaper on the use of Images (AI Index: ACT 77/056/2004). This
coverage of you actions. document provides:
The Stop Violence Against Women campaign
Terminology with brief clarification of what is meant
Communications Strategic Framework (AI Index: ACT
by some terms.
77/027/2003) suggests that all your campaign
Guidelines on the use of images.
communication activities should follow these guidelines:
There should be a gender balance and cultural and Products
regional balance in communications to reflect that Identifying the appropriate products to use in your
violence against women is an important issue to campaign comes last, as these must be related to your
everyone regardless of background. objectives, audience, influence, action, actors and so on.
The tone of campaign materials should be positive Products could include:
about the possibility for change, respectful of
survivors, and focus on the infrastructure that allows A website.
violence to occur rather than on shaming perpetrators. Leaflets.
Language: be sensitive when choosing what words to Posters.
use. Refer to women who have experienced violence Postcards.
as survivors not as victims. Letters.
Images: choose empowering images that respect A video.
survivors’ dignity and show women as active. Radio spots.
Regular newspaper articles.
A play.
16You can also read
