A study sponsored by the UN Secretary General concluded that it has found “compelling evidence that violence against women (VAW) is severe and pervasive throughout the world” but there is no “knowledge base to inform police and strategy development.” It bemoaned that VAW has not gotten “the priority required” to bring about “significant change” and “there is also a need for considerable investment of resources and for consistent assistance.”

Stating that this problem is more acute in “the least developed countries emerging from conflict,” the report wanted a “more cohesive and strategic approach” that would include “all actors, including governments, the international community and civil society” to bring about necessary changes.

A major stumbling block to studying patterns of information is a “lack of reliable data and much of the existing information cannot be meaningfully compared” because very few countries “carry out regular data collection, which would allow changes over time to be measured.” Because of this lack of information, there is also a deficit in understanding of “how various forms of violence affect different groups of women” and based on “factors such as age and ethnicity.” More importantly, “Little information is available to assess the measures taken to combat violence against women and to evaluate their impact.”