From collective to interpersonal violence: Bridging the macro-micro divide in prevention research and practice

Although evidence increasingly shows that collective violence (e.g.. war, armed groups, gang violence) and interpersonal violence (e.g., intimate partner violence, child maltreatment) are intertwined, dominant prevention frameworks still treat collective violence as a “contextual” or “environmental” factor. For example, the RESPECT framework to prevent violence against women and the INSPIRE framework to prevent violence against children both include a strategy to “make environments safe,” but the emphasis remains on infrastructure and systems-level policy, rather than on addressing collective violence directly. This presentation contributes by: (1) synthesizing bi-directional evidence linking “macro” and “micro” violence; (2) proposing a guiding conceptual framework; (3) illustrating programmatic entry points with case studies; and (4) outlining priority strategies for interdisciplinary research. By bridging the divide between peacebuilding and conflict fields on one hand, and gender-based violence prevention agendas, progress can be accelerated towards both goals.

Amber Peterman

Multi-country Impact Evaluation Specialist at UNICEF