GENDER BASED VIOLENCE ADVOCACY

Gender-based violence (GBV) is violence that is directed against a person on the basis of gender. It constitutes a breach of the fundamental right to life, liberty, security, dignity, equality between women and men, non-discrimination and physical and mental integrity.

Gender-based violence reflects and reinforces inequalities between men and women.


Gender-based violence and violence against women are often used interchangeably as most gender-based violence is inflicted by men on women and girls. Violence Against Women can be defined as 'all acts of gender-based violence that result in, or are likely to result in, physical, sexual, psychological or economic harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life.' Although it is difficult to distinguish between different types of violence since they are not mutually exclusive, gender-based violence includes:

  • domestic violence, sexual harassment, rape, sexual violence during conflict and harmful customary or traditional practices such as female genital mutilation, forced marriages and honour crimes;
  • trafficking in women, forced prostitution and violations of human rights in armed conflict (in particular murder, systematic rape, sexual slavery and forced pregnancy);
  • forced sterilisation, forced abortion, coercive use of contraceptives, female infanticide and prenatal sex selection

New Light provides extensive behavior modification counseling to women. Women victims of violence and those in distress are provided counseling and legal aid. New Light works with the members of the community, particularly women, to prevent gender based violence and discrimination against women and girl children. New Light actively engages the community to prevent trafficking in persons and underage marriages; to identify and rescue those who have been trafficked or forced into sex the trade; and to protect those girls who are likely to be married before the legal age for marriage.