A one-stop resource on the measures governments are taking to build a world free from violence against women and girls

Global database on Violence against Women

What's new?

The global database is getting an upgrade and will be relaunched in early 2024.

Looking for data? You can download the complete set of official measures.

Want to stay informed? If you would like to be updated when the database goes live, subscribe below.

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About the Database

In December 2006, the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted a comprehensive resolution calling for the intensification of efforts to eliminate all forms of violence against women and requesting the Secretary-General to establish a coordinated database on the extent, nature and consequences of all forms of violence against women, and on the impact and effectiveness of policies and programmes for eliminating such violence. In response, the database was developed and launched in 2009, originally called the “UN Secretary-General’s database on violence against women.”

In 2016, in accordance with the adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, UN Women relaunched the database as the “Global Database on Violence against Women”. Now, at the midpoint of the 2030 Agenda, the database is being redesigned to allow users to more easily navigate through its growing content. UN Women serves as the secretariat for the database.

What does the database do?

The database aims to:

  • Provide easy access to comprehensive and up-to-date information on measures undertaken by Governments to address different forms of violence against women;
  • Increase opportunities for exchange of experiences in addressing violence against women;
  • Strengthen the knowledge-base for effective policy responses to prevent and address violence against women; and
  • Encourage the further collection, availability, use and dissemination of data on violence against women, as well as analysis of such data.

What are the information sources?

The primary sources of information for the database are official reports submitted by United Nations Member States in their efforts to monitor the implementation of global instruments on violence against women. The sources of official information include:

  • Government reports to human rights bodies, including the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and the Universal Periodic Review (UPR).
  • Information provided by Governments in follow-up to the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing (1995), including: the outcomes of the twenty-third special session of the UN General Assembly (2000); the national review of implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action in the context of the 20th and 25thanniversaries of the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (2015 and 2020).
  • Information provided in response to questionnaires sent to all Member States on violence against women, including as part of the preparations of the UN Secretary-General's reports to the General Assembly.
  • Information available through official reports of other relevant United Nations entities.
  • Government statements made at the United Nations.

What's in the database?

The global database is a unique “one-stop site” for information on the following types of measures undertaken by Governments to address violence against women:

  • institutional mechanisms
  • research and statistical data
  • laws
  • policies
  • budgets
  • services
  • prevention
  • perpetrators programmes
  • regional/international initiatives
  • monitoring and evaluation
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