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Ensure that the Goal of the Legislation Is Well-Defined

Last edited: October 26, 2010

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The goal of legislation on violence against women and girls should be “…to prevent violence against women, to ensure investigation, prosecution and punishment of perpetrators, and to provide protection and support for complainants/survivors of violence.” (UN Handbook, p. 65). A clearly drafted goal enables all who draft legislation and who work for its passage to review potential language in light of this goal, and to reject language which does not support it. Legislation drafted with this goal in mind will also establish a standard of intolerable behavior, deter misconduct, and provide remedies to survivors. (UN Secretary-General’s in-depth study on violence against women, p. 83).