The Role of Women’s Movements in the Implementation of Gender-Based Violence Laws

Abstract

This article examines the role of women’s movements in the implementation of gender-based violence legislation, using Ghana’s Domestic Violence Coalition as a case study. The coalition played an important role in advocating for the passage of Ghana’s Domestic Violence Act in 2007, but securing the law was only one stage in the process of achieving meaningful change.

The study investigates the coalition’s subsequent efforts to influence implementation of the Act. It considers factors within the movement, including its strategies, organisational infrastructure and framing of issues, alongside external factors such as the political environment and support from allies.

The findings show that changes in the coalition’s organisational infrastructure significantly weakened its ability to maintain effective strategies and take advantage of political opportunities and supportive partnerships. The article demonstrates the difficulties women’s movements can face when attempting to translate successful advocacy and policy adoption into sustained implementation of women’s rights legislation.