Monitoring and evaluation for crime prevention: the 16 days of no violence against women and children campaign

Abstract

South Africa has the highest levels of violent crime in the world and is home to high levels of violence against women and children. In response to the challenge imposed by the high level of crime and violence, the South African Government initiated the development of the National Crime Prevention Strategy(NCPS). One of the goals of the NCPS is to identify and implement programmes to prevent crime and to support, protect and empower victims of crime and violence, with special focus on women and children. Responding to the international call to prevent and act against women and child abuse and within the ambit of the NCPS, the 16 Days of No Violence against Women and Children Campaign (referred to as the 16 Days Campaign in this research) was established in1999. The main aim of the 16 Days Campaign is to generate an increased awareness of the negative impact of crime and violence on women and children thus contributing to the prevention of crime and violence against women and children. The first impact assessment of the 16 Days Campaign was undertaken by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in 2009. The CSIR report states that the 16 Days Campaign has not yet showed a positive impact due to the lack of proper planning, implementation and monitoring and evaluation (M&E) system tofacilitate the assessment of its impact. The majority of Government departments and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) that participated in this research (99%) do not know the tools used to monitor and evaluate the 16 Days Campaign. Each department or participating NGO works in silos and does not share good practice on M&E of the 16 Days Campaign, rendering planning, implementation inadequate and subsequently M&E inconsistent. This research demonstrates that the GCIS Tracker Survey and Exit Reports are not effective M&E Tools for the 16 Days Campaign. It proposes a iii comprehensive M&E Framework based on the insight from the literature review, good practice and inputs from participants. The M&E Framework facilitates the planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation and impact assessment of the 16 Days Campaign.