Sadly that’s all the time we have for this broad and important discussion today. Thank you to Baroness Verma for taking the time, and to all those who have asked questions and left comments.
We’ll be exploring more on this topic in our Women and girls series. Join the conversation on the #SheMatters hashtag and sign up to become a GDPN member to get our stories and exclusive events direct to your inbox. You can also stay in touch via Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.
In response to Restored’s question about involving faith groups in ending violence against women and girls, Verma says:
I completely agree this is an important issue and DfID is engaging with multiple faith leaders to support wider poverty issues in communities across our programmes as they are often at the heart of their communities and key in changing social norms on violence against women and girls too. DfID is engaging with faith leaders to focus on preventing sexual and gender-based violence against women and girls in 20 conflict-affected communities. For example, a DfID DRC project will focus on engaging faith leaders, to use their position of influence in affected communities to break the silence and support attitude change around gender inequality, gender roles, and violence against women and girls.
Interested to hear your view on what more we can do?
Some more questions posted via Twitter using the #AskVerma hashtag:
How are DFID ensuring that disabled women - who experience high rates of violence - are included in their VAWG work? @GuardianGDP #AskVerma
— Hannah Loryman (@hannahloryman) March 8, 2016
155 countries still have laws that discriminate against women - what can the UK do to tackle this? #PovertyisSexist #AskVerma
— ONE Campaign UK (@ONEcampaignUK) March 8, 2016
@GuardianGDP #AskVerma 62 mill girls denied education. Half billion women can’t read. How can equal access to education help end violence?
— Room to Read EU & AF (@RoomtoRead_EUAF) March 8, 2016
#AskVerma @Baroness_Verma - How can DIFD ensure women’s full participation+equal opps within decision-making at all levels? @VSOCampaigns
— Adam Bailey (@agbailey1) March 8, 2016
Girls account for 74% of all new HIV infections among adolescents in Africa - what will UK & @GlobalFund do to tackle this? #AskVerma
— ONE Campaign UK (@ONEcampaignUK) March 8, 2016
On engaging men and boys, Verma says:
Too often men are positioned only as barriers or obstacles to gender equality when we need to facilitate behaviour change and tackle damaging social norms including the way in which men’s roles are perceived. One of our key priorities is to ensure we are working with men and boys and this is central to my priority of tackling domestic violence too.
A couple of examples DfID is supporting: two Unicef-UNFPA global programmes to end FGM and CEFM [child, early and forced marriage]. Both programmes focus on understanding the social drivers of these harmful traditional practices and the discriminatory norms that hold them in place. Through targeted community level programming working with men, women, girls and boys, traditional and religious leaders these programmes engage whole communities in dialogue and awareness-raising about the harmful health consequences of FGM and CEFM and the rights of girls and women. Sambura Warriors in Kenya, also known as the “protectors” of the tribe are now taking on the fight against FGM.
DfID also funds a three year programme “Premier Skills” in Kenya using football coaches who are trained to address questions on gender, violence and conflict during the football sessions. This is a great opportunity to use sports to tackle these issues.
In answer to the question on engaging men and boys in the campaign to end violence against women, Gabriela Alvarez Minte, gender equaity adviser at Plan UK submitted this comment via email:
Working to engage men and boys to eradicate violence and improve gender equality should also imply addressing the negative consequences of violent behaviours and practices have in boys and men. Positive masculinities also benefit the life of men and boys.
Updated
Question from Mirna Guha:
#AskVerma When women challenge patriarchy, backlash is inevitable. Have you experienced any backlash from family/community for your work?
— Mirna Guha (@MirnaGuha) March 8, 2016
In response to Age International’s question, Verma says:
Women and girls are affected by gender-based violence at all ages. Do you think enough is being done across the life-cycle? The impact on older women and widows is often forgotten or ignored. What do you think are the barriers that stop older women from speaking out about violence they experience? What do you think we can all do to better support them – including government, civil society, the media and others?
Full response in the comments section.
Girls not Brides response to Verma’s question about why girls don’t speak out against violence:
@GuardianGDP Girls don’t speak out against violence bc they're taught it is normal & how men behave. Need to challenge these norms #AskVerma
— Girls Not Brides (@GirlsNotBrides) March 8, 2016
Verma’s response to Wonder Foundation’s question is:
Among my priorities in my role as ministerial champion, I believe that tackling domestic violence relies on really understanding the drivers and social norms that perpetuate this violence. We need to understand what works to stop violence before it starts and we are investing £25m in a flagship programme to test interventions that can support families and communities tackle the fundamental social drivers.
See full answer below the line.
Great question from Mirna Guha:
#AskVerma @GuardianGDP What role can DFID play to ensure girls around the world have access to non-judgemental, factual sex education?
— Mirna Guha (@MirnaGuha) March 8, 2016
In response to Girls Not Brides question, Verma says:
DfID has been a strong leader in raising the issues of child marriage and FGM internationally. The UK is proud to have championed SDG 5.3 amongst the international community. We have committed £36m to support the end of child and early forced marriage and £35m to bring an end to FGM within a generation following the UK co-hosted Girl Summit 2014, we have seen the African-led movement further champion governments to end FGM.
See full answer in comments section.
Question from Age International:
What steps should Govs & agencies take to tackle data gap on violence against older women? #AskVerma @GuardianGDP pic.twitter.com/luPE8FqNhR
— Age International (@Age_Int) March 8, 2016
And from campaigner Billy Hill:
#AskVerma @Baroness_Verma - Awareness creates change. How do we raise more awareness & empathy for gender equality? @ONECampaign #IWD2016
— Billy Hill (@campaignbill) March 8, 2016
Question from NGO Girls not Brides:
#AskVerma: #Childmarriage is a form of violence against girls. How will @DFID_UK implement #SDG target to #endchildmarriage? @GuardianGDP
— Girls Not Brides (@GirlsNotBrides) March 8, 2016
Good morning everyone and happy International Women’s Day. The UK’s department for international development’s Sandip Verma is here to answer your questions on eliminating violence against women and girls around the world.
She will answer your questions in the comments section below the line and I will be reposting the highlights here.
In the second half she would like to hear from global development professionals for your thoughts on directing DfID policy in this area. See questions below.
As well as answering your questions, Baroness Verma is keen to hear professionals’ views on international development policy in three main areas: domestic violence, adolescent girls and engaging men and boys (see questions below).
Mirna Guha, a PhD researcher at the school of international development at the University of East Anglia posted her answer to the second question in the comments. She says:
As a researcher, practitioner and activist who has worked on issues of abuse and violence with adolescent girls in south Asia, I strongly believe that our interventions need to offer options instead of being merely prescriptive. Too often, state and legislative interventions tell adolescent girls what to do, and this alienates young women from seeking help.
Full answer and examples below the line.
From 11am this morning Baroness Verma will be answering and asking questions live on this page. In the meantime, here are some questions for her posted on Twitter using the hashtag #AskVerma:
@GuardianGDP The UK signed the #IstanbulConvention 3 1/2 years ago - will you push for ratification? #AskVerma
— World Future Council (@Good_Policies) March 2, 2016
There can be a gap between speaking out about domestic violence & creating change to stop it. How can we bridge it? #AskVerma @GuardianGDP
— WONDER Foundation (@WONDERFDN) March 4, 2016
How are you including & resourcing faith in the response to ending violence against women and girls? @GuardianGDP #AskVerma #IWD2016 #VAWG
— Restored (@Rest0red) March 7, 2016
How will UK tackle #VAWG in #CentralAfricanRepublic - especially re: prevention & support for women? @GuardianGDP #AskVerma #CARcrisis #PSVI
— Robyn Boosey (@_RobynB) March 7, 2016
Congrats to #dfid on new Social Norms and #VAWG guidance note, will you take this important work to #CSW60? #askverma @GuardianGDP #IWD2016
— Fatima Bintou Haase (@FatimaHaase) March 7, 2016
Wil you lobby @ #CSW60 to ensure UK approach of abolishing practices tht discriminate against W+G is in outcome doc? #AskVerma @GuardianGDP
— Jenny Vaughan (@jennytree1990) March 7, 2016
how are you looking at sharing learning from this country overseas? @GuardianGDP #AskVerma #IWD2016 #VAWG
— Felicity Smith (@felicityjsmith) March 8, 2016
@GuardianGDP #askverma how can we engage vulnerable communities in the UK in sports participation as a tool to end FGM
— CWBafrica (@CWBafrica) March 8, 2016
What should the UK’s department for international development (DfID) do next to reduce violence against women and girls around the world? On this year’s International Women’s Day, DfID’s ministerial champion for tackling violence against women and girls overseas, Baroness Sandip Verma will be answering questions live on this page.
Verma also wants to ask global development professionals for their thoughts on international women and girls issues. She is currently consulting widely for expert opinions on how to tackle complex issues like FGM, child marriage and domestic violence. The three key questions she seeks answers to are:
1 | Domestic violence
What are the biggest gaps in how domestic violence is being addressed by governments, civil society, private sector organisations and multilateral organisations?
2 | Adolescent girls
What are the barriers that stop adolescent girls from speaking out about violence? How can governments, civil society, the media and others ensure their voices are heard and they get the support they need?
3 | Engaging men and boys
Men and boys are the majority of perpetrators of violence against women and girls, but they can also be powerful voices in bringing about change. What would help the international community to engage men and boys to stop violence?
To pose a question to Verma, or to offer answers to the questions above, post in the comments section below, tweet @GuardianGDP using #AskVerma or email globaldevpros@theguardian.com with “Baroness Verma” in the subject line.
