Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a major global public health issue according to the WHO. IPV is defined as any behavior by an intimate partner that causes physical, sexual, or psychological harm. The WHO's activities to combat IPV include supporting data collection, strengthening research on interventions, developing clinical guidelines, and disseminating information. The WHO guidelines emphasize the health sector's role in addressing IPV as sufferers first approach health services. Healthcare responses include advocacy, emergency care, long-term care, and rehabilitation. While the WHO has developed effective tools and guidelines, fully eliminating IPV remains challenging due to its societal and cultural roots.

1. Intimate Partner Violence against
Women and WHO’s role
Background Role of WHO Analysis of activities
Intimate Partner Violence (IPV)
It is defined as:
behaviour by an intimate partner [(ex) husband or (ex)
boyfriend] that causes physical, sexual or psychological
harm, including acts of physical aggression, sexual
coercion, psychological abuse and controlling behaviours
(WHO, 2013a, vi).
IPV as a global public health issue
According to World Health Organization (WHO), violence against
women (VAW), particularly IPV is a major public health problem
and violations of women’s human rights (WHO, 2015).
The recent analysis of data from over 80 countries shows 35% of
women experience IPV (WHO, 2015).
Globally, 38% of female murders were done by an intimate
partner (WHO, 2015).
Figure 2: Global map showing prevalence rates of IPV by WHO region in 2010 (WHO, 2013b p.18).
Impact of IPV
IPV results in fatal, short and long term impacts on women’s
physical, mental and reproductive health, leading to social and
economic costs and also children’s health. (WHO, 2015).
Physical: Injury, headache, body pain, abdominal pain.
Mental: Depression, Sleep problems, post-traumatic stress
disorder, eating disorders, suicidal attempts.
Reproductive: Abortions, HIV/AIDS, Pre-term delivery (WHO,
2013b).
Activities of WHO to combat IPV
As learnt in Geneva, the various activities done by the
department of Reproductive health and Research (RHR) in WHO
are (WHO, 2015)
1. Supporting member nations to collect and measure the
consequences of IPV so as to understand the magnitude of
the problem globally.
2. Strengthening researches to assess suitable interventions to
address and prevent IPV.
3. Developing evidence-based policy guidelines and clinical
tools to train health-care providers and strengthen health
sector to respond to IPV victims efficiently.
4. Disseminate information and collaborate with international
agencies to reduce/eliminate violence globally.
WHO’s guidelines for health-care responses in case of
IPV
The lecture in WHO emphasized the importance of health sector
to address IPV as sufferers first approach here and hence become
an important entry-point in the multisectoral responses against
violence.
Primary: Advocacy, raising awareness, data collection.
Secondary: Identify violence, provide emergency care, long-term
care including mental health, provide legal and support services.
Tertiary: Rehabilitation, support to acquire employment, shelter,
financial loans and legal actions.
Healthcare
response
Primary
Secondary
Tertiary
How the policies and clinical tools were developed?
The guidelines were developed following various steps;
identifying, collecting evidence, formulating
recommendations from stakeholders (clinicians, policymakers
etc.) and implementing it.
Progress of WHO’s activities against IPV
As told by the lecturer during Geneva visit, though WHO has
been successful in compiling efficient clinical tools and policy
guidelines to address intimate partner violence, it is far
behind in eliminating IPV globally. It is because gender-based
violence has got societal and cultural implications which
make it hard to eliminate.
Challenges
Scarcity of population-based data of IPV which makes it
difficult to analyse how IPV affects different groups of women
(WHO, 2005).
Research on IPV can put women on more risk (WHO, 2005).
Recommendations
To urge member states to give higher priority in health
policies against IPV and VAW. Also to allocate more funds for
women-oriented programmes in health budget. (Krug et al.,
2002).
To enact legislation in all countries that promote gender
equality (millennium development goal-3) and microfinance
support for women. Similarly, to adopt peaceful cultural
norms that stop discrimination against women. (WHO, 2015).
Future actions
As learnt in Geneva, WHO’s future action is to develop a
“Global plan of action” against IPV and VAW in collaboration
with member states and partners.
REFERENCES
World Health Organization. 2013a. Responding to intimate partner violence and sexual violence against women: WHO clinical and policy guidelines. Italy. WHO.
World Health Organization. 2015. Violence against women- Intimate partner and sexual violence against women. [Online]. [Accessed 1 May 2015]. Available from:
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs239/en/
Student No: 200905650. Targeted Audience: Professionals and university students in healthcare.