This manual provides tools and guidelines that health care managers can use to improve the health care responses to gender-based violence in developing countries. It includes practical tools to determine provider attitudes to gender-based violence, legal definitions, the responsibilities of health care providers, and the quality of care. The manual utilizes IPPF/WHR's experience of integrating services for women experiencing violence into sexual and reproductive health services.

Given the serious consequences of violence against women, the United Nations has called on governments, international organizations and civil society to prevent and respond to violence against women through multi-sectoral efforts, based on a human rights framework. The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has a long history of working to address violence against women, as documented in publications such as Violence against women: the health sector responds.  It is only fitting, therefore, that PAHO now joins efforts with the International Planned Parenthood Federation / Western Hemisphere Region to print the second edition of the publication Improving the Health Sector Response to Gender Based Violence: A Resource Manual for Health Care Professionals in Developing Countries.  By reprinting this second edition, PAHO and IPPF/WHR hope to expand access to this important resource and thereby improve the health and well-being of women throughout the region.

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 This publication is available in CD-Rom format in both English and Spanish.