The 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence (GBV) campaign is a commendable strategy that calls for the prevention and elimination of all forms of violence against women and girls. It is an international annual campaign that runs from 25 November to 10 December 2020 under the theme, “Orange the world: Fund, Respond, Prevent, Collect!”
There is global recognition that violence against women and girls is a human right violation, and it has an impact on life opportunities, livelihoods, health and well-being. According to the World Bank, violence against women and girls is a major obstacle to their development, as well as the development of communities at large. It is viewed as an expression of gender inequality. As such, it is considered a significant part of the ‘gender gap’ that needs to be addressed.
Although research and advocacy have centred on the emotional, physical and social costs of GBV, the question is, what are the economic costs? Generally, research has found GBV to bear a heavy and long-term economic burden on livelihoods and communities. Firstly, it is considered to contribute to the intergenerational transfer of poverty. Children of abused women have been found to be more likely to engage in violent or delinquent behaviour resulting in poorer health and educational outcomes.
Further, GBV poses a significant threat to households’ and the nations’ economic welfare. It impoverishes households and stifles economic development, directly and indirectly. At the household level, money is spent on medical treatment for physical injuries or other forms of health services. Households may also incur legal costs but evidence suggests that women in low and middle-income countries make limited use of the justice system. In cases where violence results in death, households incur funeral costs. These are some of the direct costs incurred by households because of GBV. Indirectly, households also experience loss of income and productivity, particularly in cases where the victim is working or has their own business. This is mainly because of their absence from work due to physical injuries or emotional distress.
At the national level, direct costs include increased expenditure on service provision and lost revenue for businesses and governments. In an effort to end violence, service providers are financed to provide welfare support, counselling and medical services, capacity building or training. All these have cost implications. Indirectly, employers, be it a business, civil organisation or government, may experience loss of productivity. The absence of the victim from the workplace or their small or micro-enterprise has huge costs in terms of lost productivity. This may threaten the organisation’s performance, victim’s job security or the existence of the victim’s small business.
According to the briefing note produced by Department of International Development (DFID) Violence against Women and Girls helpdesk in May 2019 for the Africa Directorate at the UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office, the economic impact of GBV in Botswana was estimated at US$ 384 million per year, using the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of US$17.4 billion (World Bank, 2017). This represented about 2.2% of GDP, which was quite substantial. With the current COVID-19 pandemic, the economic cost of GBV is likely to be even more significant. Violence against women and girls is therefore a barrier to sustainable development.
Ending GBV is therefore not only a human rights concern, but it is also a smart, long-term investment. Reduced or elimination of violence against women and girls can yield financial savings, at both household and national level. Such savings can therefore be dedicated to development purposes. Above all, a violent-free environment allows women and girls to achieve their true potential.
As we mark these 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, it is timely that activism goes beyond awareness – recognise and measure the full costs of GBV.
Disclaimer: Otisitswe K. Tawana-Madziba is the founder of Fin-Edu, a social enterprise that empowers young people with social and financial education. Email: [email protected] or visit: www.fin-edubw.com.
