Colombia enacted a new law in August of 2021 to better protect women from intimate partner violence, due in large part to the work of two researchers at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs—Associate Professor Greta Friedemann-Sánchez and alumna Margaret Grieve (MPA '16).
They began their research project in 2015 to explore why Colombia has such high rates of intimate partner violence, even though it has robust laws on the books criminalizing such violence and providing protection for victims.
Their research found that the implementation and enforcement of Colombia's laws addressing domestic violence are irregular throughout the country. Those conclusions led them to campaign for changes to the system—through international pressure and advocacy within Colombia. After six years, their efforts were successful; the new law incorporates many of the changes they recommended.