The development of international and national legal frameworks that promote gender equality can play
an important role in preventing violence against women. Internationally, a number of human rights
agreements require states to take measures to eliminate gender-based violence against women (15).
These include the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women; the
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights; and the International Covenant on Economic, Social
and Cultural Rights. Significant changes are also underway worldwide to strengthen national laws and
policies. Among them are laws that criminalize violence against women (e.g. intimate-partner violence,
rape in marriage, trafficking for prostitution); laws and policies that support and protect those affected
(e.g. implementing protection orders, child and family protection units, specialized response teams,
women’s shelters and family courts); improving the response of police and other criminal justice officials
towards cases of violence against women; and improving women’s rights in marriage, divorce, property