Ending Violence Against Women in Asia: International Norm Diffusion and Global Opportunity Structures for Policy Change

Abstract

This paper examines the transnational political and economic opportunity structures that both enable and constrain state responses to VAW in Asia, highlighting India, China and Indonesia, the three largest states in the region, which also represent diverse political, economic and cultural norms. It highlights the increased visibility and reporting of VAW as a result of international norm diffusion particularly via the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and the pressure exerted by intergovernmental organizations on governments to address VAW.