National Strategy to Prevent and Combat Men's Violence Against Women 2016-2026

Brief Description

The Government has taken a holistic approach to improve the likelihood of attaining the sub-goal of gender equality policy of ending men’s violence against women. This includes a ten-year National Strategy to Prevent and Combat Men’s Violence Against Women for the years 2016–2026. The strategy includes the issues of honour-related violence and oppression as well as prostitution and trafficking in human beings for sexual purposes. 

The strategy particularly emphasises initiatives to prevent violence. On the basis of the strategy, since 2018 the Government has also been pursuing a dedicated, multi-year initiative to prevent honour-related violence and oppression. The initiative includes stronger mandates to the county administrative boards and other agencies, and supporting local action and preventive action. The Spring Amending Budget for 2019 earmarked additional funding for this purpose. One of the Government’s aims behind the national strategy is to work for a reorientation from a reactive to a proactive approach; encouraging the development of effective measures to prevent violence being exercised or repeated.

The National Strategy has the following objectives: 1) increased and effective preventive work to combat violence, 2) improved detection of violence and stronger protection for and support to women and children subjected to violence, 3) more effective crime fighting, and 4) improved knowledge and methodological development.