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'Do No Harm': Women's economic empowerment & violence against women in Melanesia

The 'Do No Harm' research will address the relationship between economic inclusion and empowerment programs and violence against women in three countries (Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea) in the cultural region of Melanesia. It seeks to answer the question of how to empower women economically and improve their livelihood security without compromising their safety. Donors and governments are focusing on women's economic empowerment as a core strategy for addressing deep gender inequality in Melanesia. But this is also a region where the prevalence of violence against women is the highest in the world. Initiatives focused on improving women's circumstances are often formally blind to the fact that violence is widespread and pervasive, and there is little or no research evidence in the region about the nature and direction of the relationship between the two. For this project, we are partnering with a research institution with globally-significant depth and breadth of experience in Melanesia, the State, Society and Governance in Melanesia program (SSGM) at the Australian National University (ANU). The ultimate aim of 'Do No Harm' is to enhance the knowledge and evidence base that informs policy and practice, particularly in the area of addressing women's economic disadvantage and facilitating greater economic inclusion in contexts where violence against women is high.