Legal Frameworks: A Critical Step in Ending Gender-Based Violence
Gender-based violence remains one of the most pervasive and devastating human rights violations worldwide. While progress has been made, millions of women and girls still face physical, psychological, and economic harm, often without access to justice or support. Among these forms of violence, burn-related attacks are particularly brutal and understudied, targeting women disproportionately and leaving survivors with lasting physical and emotional scars. Legal frameworks play a pivotal role in addressing these injustices, yet gaps in legislation and enforcement continue to hinder global efforts.
Violence against women is not inevitable. In fact, we have more evidence than ever on how to prevent and end it. States now need to take action with a comprehensive approach that is informed and monitored by data and which can be adapted to rapidly changing contexts.
– Sima Sami Bahous, UN Women Executive Director
The adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action in 1995 marked a turning point in the global effort to end violence against women. More than 95% of mechanisms addressing domestic and intimate partner violence were established after this landmark agreement, with 1,583 legislative measures now in place across 193 countries, as shown by the Global Database on Violence against Women. Countries that have implemented domestic violence legislation report lower rates of intimate partner violence—9.5% compared to 16.1% in countries without such protections. Yet, glaring gaps remain. As of 2022, only 14% of women and girls lived in countries with robust legal protections. Many nations still lack essential legislation to address critical issues like cyber harassment, child marriage, and rape laws based on consent.
Burn violence, often fueled by acid attacks or dowry disputes, is a harrowing manifestation of gender-based violence. While it is not explicitly addressed in most international frameworks, documents such as the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, the Beijing Declaration, and Sustainable Development Goal 5 provide a foundation for tackling this issue. These frameworks emphasize the need to eliminate violence against women in both public and private spheres. The Istanbul Convention offers one of the most comprehensive frameworks, criminalizing physical, sexual, psychological, and economic violence. Articles 36 and 38 are particularly relevant, calling for effective prosecution of violence and the criminalization of harmful practices like dowry-related burnings. While these provisions do not explicitly mention burn violence, they offer a starting point for more targeted regulations.
India and Bangladesh have taken significant strides to address burn violence. In India, amendments to the Penal Code in 2013 imposed harsher penalties for acid attacks, including longer prison sentences and fines to cover medical expenses. Bangladesh’s Acid Control Act of 2002 restricted acid sales, leading to a notable decline in attacks. Despite these successes, inconsistent enforcement continues to limit their effectiveness, reflecting the broader global challenge of turning laws into meaningful action.
The world has made undeniable progress in addressing violence against women, but much work remains. Comprehensive legislation, robust enforcement, and international cooperation are critical to closing gaps in legal protections. Burn violence, as a particularly severe form of gender-based violence, must be explicitly addressed in both global and national frameworks. By building on successes like those in Bangladesh and India and expanding international frameworks like the Istanbul Convention, we can move closer to a future where no woman or girl lives in fear of violence.
Approaching the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action in 2025, healthcare workers, policymakers, and communities can collectively work toward a world where women and girls are empowered, protected, and free from harm.
