15 Years of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women, its Causes and Consequences (1994-2009) - A Critical Review

This review takes stock of the achievements of 15 years of work on the VAW mandate, which has produced an impressive collection of 14 annual reports, 32 country mission reports, 11 communication reports comprising many communications to and from governments, and several other pieces of research. Given the quantum of work and its significance, a review provides an opportunity to consolidate the main achievements, and the space to reflect upon the gains and the potential for future progress and directions of the mandate. The expansive coverage by the mandate and the complexity and interconnections among the concerns and categories of violence make it difficult to undertake a comprehensive reviewóand this exercise does not aim to be one. Rather, it is selective in terms of its focus on the substantive achievements of the mandate and the challenges before it.