Producing the Evidence that Human Rights Advocacy Works: First Steps towards Systematized Evaluation at Human Rights Watch1. Ian Gorvin+Author Affiliations1. Human Rights WatchProgram Office2-12 Pentonville RoadLondon N1 9HFUK1. gorvini@hrw.orgwww.hrw.orgAbstractIn the community of human rights activists and professionals, we share a conviction that we make a difference. But attributing positive change to our own work is often uncertain. At the same time, as our presence in the media and in discussions with policy-makers grows, and is seen to grow, we face a hostile audience as never before. There are manyour direct targets and otherswho would like to discredit and dismiss human rights organizations, or are skeptical of the value of condemning human rights abuse in the absence of an appetite among influential governments to apply meaningful leverage. Both the hostility and the skepticism raise the stakes for us to explain our purpose and our tactics, including in terms of how we assess that we are effective.Yet even major, established human rights organizations are still getting to grips with more systematically evaluating whether and how we achieve the outcomes we seek from our advocacy efforts. How do we locate the reliable evidence that our approaches to human rights problems actually work? And if we do, how do we make that exercise truly worthwhile by establishing an organizational culture of evaluating and learning? This paper aims to present Human Rights Watch's work-in-progress as we think through and pilot a systematized evaluation process.Key words impact institutional learning monitoring nongovernmental organizations theory of change

Survey highlights China's gender-based violenceBy Zhang Tingting5Comment(s)PrintE-mailChina.org.cn, December 17, 2013Adjust font size:

Survey shows that half of interviewed Chinese men have used physical or sexual violence against a female partner during their lifetime. [photo / legaldaily.com.cn]

According a survey published by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) on Dec. 16, 2013, half of interviewed Chinese men have used physical or sexual violence against a female partner during their lifetime.The study looked at gender-based violence in the Asia Pacific region, and was carried out jointly by UNFPA China and the Partners for Prevention program, the UN joint program on gender-based violence in Asia Pacific, the Institute of Sexuality and Gender Studies of Beijing Forestry University and Anti-domestic Violence Network/Beijing Fan Bao. It interviewed 1,017 men and 1,103 women aged 18-49 in a county in central China.Among the female respondents who were ever-partnered, 39 percent reported experiencing physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence (IPV). About 52 percent of men reported physical and/or sexual IPV perpetration. Thirty eight percent of ever-partnered women reported experiencing emotional violence and 43 percent of men reported having committed emotional violence against a female partner.The study showed that unequal power relations between men and women are still deeply embedded in gender norms, which are the root causes of gender-based violence. The research showed that key elements of socially accepted masculinity of "real men" are toughness, sexual prowess, control of decision making and use of force in some occasions. Of all the men interviewed, 73 percent believe that men should be tough, 52 percent would use violence to defend their honor and 72 percent think that men have decision power over major issues within the family."The studies confirm that gender-based violence is preventable and the majority of factors associated with men's use of violence can be changed," said Mr. Arie Hoekman, UNFPA Representative to China."We need to transform the ways in which boys and men socialize and relate to girls and women. That is why adolescence is a unique opportunity to foster respectful relationships and endorse cultural norms supportive of gender equality."The study recommended that the government, communities and individuals take steps to increase empowerment for women and girls and eliminate gender discrimination, promote non-violent, caring ways to be a man, and support women who have been the victims of rape and violence.