A Theory of Change for Tackling Violence Against ... - ActionAid

72.3Holistic and multi-sectoral approachesare more likely to have impactThis principleis especiallyrelevant at theinterventionsstage of theTheory of Change.Figure 1: A Holistic and multi-sectoral approachMultiple levelsAcross sectorsIndividualEconomic lifeRelationshipEducationCommunityHealthSocietyJusticeSecuritySocial welfareMultiple time-framesShort-term(2-5 years)Medium-term(5-8 years)Long-term(8-10+ years)The Theory of Change assumes that a holisticapproach is more likely to have greaterimpact: coordinated interventions operatingat multiple levels, across sectors and overmultiple time-frames are more likely toaddress the various aspects of, and thereforehave greater impact on, tackling violenceagainst women and girls (see Figure 1 above).Violence against women and girls manifests atevery level of society, from interpersonal andfamilial relationships, through communitiesand right up throughout society, including viathe state. This is known as the ‘ecologicalmodel’. 27 Interventions that address only onelevel of the ecological model or use only oneintervention method can achieve results, butthese will be limited. Legal reform is a goodexample. Despite laws that criminalise maritalrape at the level of ‘society’, marital rape is stillwidely practised at the ‘relationship’ level in anumber of countries because social norms atthe level of ‘relationship’ have not sufficientlychanged. It is therefore necessary to pursuechange at all levels – from the family andhousehold, through to national andinternational structures and institutions.Single-sector responses can similarly achieveonly limited results. Integrated multi-sectoralapproaches that use a variety of methods tocreate change are better able to tackleviolence against women and girls, 28 especiallyin terms of ‘primary prevention’ efforts –stopping violence before it occurs andproviding protection for women at risk ofviolence. 29 In particular, there is a need torecognise the links between prevention andresponse interventions, where responses toviolence can integrate services that helpprotect women and girls from furtherviolence. For example, strengthening justicesystems without improving health andpsycho-social welfare systems could leavesurvivors unable to pursue justice orprotection from the police, because they arestruggling to cope with the physical andemotional trauma of the violence they haveexperienced.Different sorts of changes take different timeperiods to be achieved, with social changeand changes to social norms (includingbehaviours and practices) taking longer. It istherefore helpful to plan interventions overmultiple time-frames. You can read moreabout this in the Guidance on Monitoring andEvaluating for Programming on Violenceagainst Women and Girls (section 2b on p.5).