The effectiveness of economic empowerment programmes, poverty reduction programmes and others working to address inequality depend on the efforts to combat VAW, which is at the core of the economic and social challenges of our times, writes Dr. Nata Duvvury.  Dr. Duvvury has published an article in the Guardian Newspaper and is currently the Lead of Component Three on the What Works to Prevent Violence against Women and Girls Global Programme & Director for the Centre for Global Women's Studies, National University of Ireland, Galway. Click here to read the published article.