To comply with the requirements of the CEDAW and contribute to combating gender-based violence, a more systematic approach to data collection needs to be developed. The collection of reliable data w'ould strengthen the knowledge base on the incidence and prevalence of different forms of violence against women, which is a condition for fulfilling this obligation through informed policy and strategy development. If collected regularly and over time, reliable data w'ould allow for better monitoring of progress towards meeting international standards and obligations in regard to violence against women. In view of the sensitivity of the topic, the World Health Organisation has developed ethical and safety guidelines to protect the interests and rights of interviewees and interviewers who participate in population-based surveys on violence against women (World Health Organisation, 2005).