VAWIP conference opening address

Abstract

VAWIP is a sub-program of the National Women's Justice Strategy, whose aim is to improve women's access to justice through initiatives that focus on addressing barriers faced by women, especially women with special needs. There is often a gulf between researchers and policymakers. Researchers can provide policymakers with theories about people and society, they can provide data, and they can propose solutions to problems. Policymakers are under no obligation to accept any of this, and whether they do depends on their values, their theories about cause and effect, and the facts available to them, and how they want to interpret them. Researchers and decision makers have different resources. While researchers have a certain range of expertise and methodological skills, decision makers have a political knowledge of daily events, a time frame, political orientation and constituency, and an ability to turn the funding tap on or off.