Abstract
<title>Abstract</title> <p>This study aims to analyze the effectiveness of policies to reduce violence against women and children in supporting the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5 on gender equality in West Java Province for the 2023–2025 period. The study employs a qualitative descriptive approach, with data collected through in-depth interviews, observations, and documentation. Data analysis was conducted using the Miles and Huberman interactive model, with a policy effectiveness framework based on Nugroho’s five-accuracy model. The results indicate that although various protection policies and programs have been implemented, policy effectiveness remains suboptimal due to ongoing challenges in the areas of policy appropriateness, implementers, targets, environment, and process. The main obstacles include limited human resource capacity, suboptimal cross-sectoral coordination, the complexity of service procedures, a patriarchal culture, social stigma, and victims’ reluctance to report incidents. This study also identified two new factors that influence policy effectiveness: Implementation Capacity and Victim Psychological Factors. These findings led to the development of a policy effectiveness model demonstrating that the successful implementation of policies protecting women and children is determined not only by the quality of the policies but also by the capacity of implementing organizations and the psychological state of victims when accessing protection services. This study contributes to the development of policy effectiveness theory through a more victim-centered approach and offers implications for strengthening policies to protect women and children in Indonesia.</p>