This paper deals with the following topics: 1) a brief overview of a classification and types of indicators on violence against women (VAW); 2) the indicators developed by the Friends of the Chair on Statistical Indicators on Violence against Women (FoC); 3) instruments currently available to collect data to compute the UN statistical indicators on VAW; 4) challenges around cross-national collection and use of data, including for prevention of VAW; and 5) recommendations for collection and use of data and suggestions for further methodological work around data collection for VAW, including for VAW prevention.[from the Introduction].

Background to this paper: In accordance with its multi-year programme of work for 2010-2014, the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) will consider ‘Elimination and prevention of all forms of violence against women and girls” as its priority theme during its fifty-seventh session in 2013.

In order to contribute to a full understanding of the issue and to assist the Commission in its deliberations, United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women), in collaboration with the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and World Health Organization (WHO), convened an Expert Group Meeting on prevention of violence against women and girls, at Bangkok, Thailand, from 17 to 20 September 2012. Use the website link to access other papers prepared for this meeting.