EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Gender-based violence (GBV) in Africa, as elsewhere in the world, is a complex issue that results from and is perpetuated by various facets of life, community, and society. As such, the ways to respond to and prevent gender-based violence must be just as multi-faceted, involving all sectors and members of the community and society'. In seeking ways to reduce and prevent gender-based violence, one cannot help but ask, "What are the causes of violence against women and girls?" Leading researchers in the region argue that the two essentioal factors underlying violence against women and girls are their subordinate status to men and the general acceptance of interpersonal violence in society, relegating the other factors as associated or mitigating factors(Jewkens,Levin and PennKekanana, 2002).

Full PDF Version