This is an analysis of the main elements of the Campaign to Prevent Gender-Based Violence in El Salvador and the factors that lead to its success.

1. Policy Success in the Campaign for the Prevention
of Gender-Based Violence (CPVG):
The Contribution of Formal and Informal Learning Practice
Laura Roper, Ph.D.
AEA Meeting, Nov. 4-6, 2011
Anaheim, CA

2. This is a story about…
The Campaign for the Prevention of GBV (2005-2010,
With pre-campaign phase 2000-2005)
•A very successful advocacy campaign on gender based
violence in El Salvador  key policy victories, including a
GBV law.
•Carried out in an adverse policy context. Really adverse.
•Excellent learning practice – doing developmental evaluation
intuitively.
•Less strong on institutional/formal M&E – my query to you is
does this matter and, if it does, how might you handle it.

3. The key NGO actors were…
•Oxfam America
•Salvadoran Women’s Movement (SMS)
•Association for Salvadoran Women’s Self Determination
(AMS)
•Association of Women from Santa Tecla (AMT)
•Salvadoran Association of Small Livestock Producers
(AGROSAL)
•Foundation for Justice and Gender (FJG)
•Human Rights Institute, Univ. of CA (IDHUCA)
•FIECA
•Escenica

4. What made the context adverse?
Violence
•
1st or 2nd highest homicide rate in world (71 per 100,000
people);
• 400,000 illegal firearms; crime affects everyone
• Problem of the gangs – willingness to use violence primary
determinant of power in gang culture; sexual exploitation of
women as a business and in intimate relations – e.g. women
pawns in retaliatory strikes.
• GBV pervasive – from harassment on streets and public
transportation to femicide; but also invisibilized – no gender
disaggregated crime statistics except for murder; range of
negative incentives that prevented women from reporting
domestic and GB violence;
• Machista culture combined with culture of impunity

5. Polarized policy context
• Post civil war country (1992); still highly polarized between right
wing ARENA party and former rebel movement, FMLN.
•ARENA administrations from 1992-2009; last two very
conservative; sanctity of family/natural hierarchy in family
• Signatories to CEDAW and Belém do Pará, but no enforcement;
1996 Domestic Violence law, but no teeth.
•Women’s movement - Many activist women’s organizations, but
debates and disagreements within movement; much of the
movement dismissed by the right because of its FMLN ties.
•By 2000 complete stalemate on VAW and other progressive
legislation.

6. When to Use Developmental Evaluation
Developmental evaluation supports the process of innovation
within an organization and in its activities. Initiatives that are
innovative are often in a state of continuous development and
adaptation, and they frequently unfold in a changing and
unpredictable environment. This intentional effort to innovate
is a kind of organizational exploration. The destination is often
a notion rather than a crisp image, and the path forward may
be unclear. Much is in flux: the framing of the issue can
change, how the problem is conceptualized evolves and various
approaches are likely to be tested. Adaptations are largely
driven by new learning and by changes in participants, partners
and context.

7. Theory of Change
•Building more equitable and just relations entails responsibility on the
part of State institutions to prevent situations of gender-based violence.
•Coordination between key actors and public institutions contributes to
preventing,penalizing, and eradicating gender-based violence.
•Consciousness and understanding of the problem on the part of political
and legal actors ensures the passage of and efficient application of public
policies and laws focused on preventing gender-based violence.
•Critical thinking generated through information-sharing, communication
and education contributes to public awareness and generates concrete
actions to prevent GBV.

8. Learning Strength (1)
Knowledge a key currency-triple purpose
Diagnostic, advocacy content, baseline
•
Baseline survey of public opinion/knowledge/attitudes
about GBV
•
Baseline compilation of gender disaggregated crime
statistics (campaign numbers way worse than official
domestic violence statistics)
•
Collaborated with the Human Rights Ombudsman on
gender survey in Health and Justice systems (existence of
policies, procedures, and their application)

9. Innovation and Risk- Taking
Learning Strengths (2)
Broke old partnership patterns
•
New mix of partners under a Dutch-funded program
(2000-2005)
•
Structured relationship as co-strategists
•
Decided to work within system, identify gender
champions within government (very controversial
within Salvadoran context)
•
Sophisticated power analysis (informal)

10. Identifying Multiple Points of Entry
PPVG
National
Legislature
AGROSAL
AMS
AMT
MSM
Court System
Public Prosecutors Office
Human Rights
Ombudsman
National Police
FJG
IDHUCA
ESCENICA
FIECA
Oxfam
America
Ministry of Education
Public Awareness
7 Municipalities
(3 ARENA; 4
FMLN)
Mayor’s Offices
Intersectorial
committees
Gov. Entities
Schools

11. Strategic Elements
•Policy Research – reframing the debate, defining the dimensions of the
problem, opening up dialogue (public perceptions on GBV, baseline
studies of GBV in municipalities).
•Popular Campaigning – 2005 launch with 16 public figures
(celebrities, ARENA and FMLN politicians, religious leaders, etc); street
theater; music videos. (The vehicle of the education system)
•Lobbying political figures at the national and municipal level (not
considered targets but allies) – Ministry of Education (2006/7), PDDH
(2006) – early champions/collaborators
•Organizing at the community level; engagement with mayors’ offices

12. Strategic Element and Learning Strength (3)
Use of Action Learning
Training
• Action-oriented learning on GBV; training customized and built around
a collaboration; resulting in a product (policy, guidelines, diagnostic, etc.)
• Strategic-selection of participants: specific ministries; both appointed
officials and mid-level staff; mixing CS and government officials together;
mix political parties together; national level and municipal level actors –
building to a critical mass.
•In depth + Continuing education – multiple exposures so that people
deepen their knowledge; really assume responsibility for GBV (both
internal and external policy and practice change)

13. Training to Build Critical Mass
National
Legislature
(developed draft bill on GBV
Law)
Diplomados
Supreme Court of Justice
(developed protocol for
application of domestic
violence law)
Online
Classes
Public Prosecutors Office
(legal framework related to
GBV; sensitizing)
Ministry of Education
(part of pilot introducing
GBV curriculum)
Workshops
2007-2010
500 gov
500 CS
2500 Educ
6 Municipalities
Mayor’s Offices
Intersectorial
committees
(doing diagnostic;
developing gender and
GBV policy based on
rights and obligations;
observatorios de
violencia)
Women’s orgs & VCs
(rights and duties;
municipal monitoring)

14. Reflective Practice - Learning Strength (4)
•Big, annual participatory review and planning session
•Open discussions on what was working and what wasn’t
•On going strategizing
•Try, assess, change; try, assess, change (e.g. mayor of
Ahuachapán) – hard-nosed decision-making
•Respect for each other’s space

15. How the Pieces Came Together
Popular Campaigning Gets GBV on the Agenda
CPVG engaging with policy makers in a number of
key institutions; identifying champions
CSJ training DV Protocol; MINED curriculum; Municipal Activity
Diplomado for
legislators, aides,
activists
Draft Law on
PVG
Long legislative/consultative
process to integrate
Draft Law
Criminal
Aspects
Red Feminista
offers alternative
law
Integrated Law for a Life Free
from Violence for Women

16. Learning Challenges with Advocates
• Advocates tend to be extremely focused; only interested in MEL to
extent it helps them with their immediate agenda;
• Many really good advocates tend to be quite intuitive; for them
traditional M&E a CWOT (complete waste of time); it doesn’t tell them
things they don’t already know; cumbersome and time consuming.
•When they do try to conform, lack necessary skills for thinking through
evaluation over time; rookie mistakes/lack of support from HQ.
•Many foundations and program organizations new or newish to advocacy
don’t get that a developmental approach to programming and evaluation
more appropriate than the logic model. M&E as done actually not helpful.
•In a high-risk context, may be resistant to documenting strategy (danger
of giving too much away);

17. Contacts
Laura Roper, LYV consulting – l.roper@rcn.com
Mélida Guevara, Coordinator GBV program –
mguevara@oxfamamerica.org
Campaign website – www.unavidadiferente.org.sv