Evidence-Based Systemic Approach to Addressing Intimate Partner Violence

Evidence-Based Systemic Approach to Addressing Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) in India: Creating a New Vision, a project funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, aims to generate evidence and synthesize learnings around three community-level platforms that have the potential for sustained efforts to address the systemic challenges tied to IPV. The three platforms include: (1) women’s collectives, (2) Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs, which is a three-tier system of governance: the village level Gram Panchayat, the block level Panchayat Samithi and the district level Zila Parishad) and (3) health systems, including Frontline Health Workers (FLHW).

The project seeks to collect, synthesize and advance learnings emerging from reviews, evaluations, model documentations, stakeholder workshops and expert interviews. And the ultimate goald is to deepen the body of knowledge on strategies and approaches within each platform – to identify what has worked, and what could be strengthened to address IPV.

IPV – or the sexual, physical, economic, emotional, psychological violence or harm committed by a partner or ex-partner – is one of the most common forms of violence experienced by women. One in three women globally, according to the World Health Organization, has experienced IPV at least once in their lifetime.

In the context of this study in India, IPV is seen within the larger legal framework of domestic violence. While IPV includes all forms of relationship, irrespective of marriage, this project has focused primarily on how the three platforms address spousal violence.