The aim of this white paper is to draw attention to the roles and responsibilities of higher education and research organisations in addressing gender-based violence. These roles and responsibilities may not be recognised or are downplayed, and this results in institutions failing to take appropriate action to ensure safe environments for students and staff. Secondly, the white paper aims to explicate the essential features and elements of effective policies and actions and lastly, to highlight the critical role of institutional leadership in making the policy frameworks and actions work. This white paper is primarily intended for: institutional leaders and top management; staff responsible for the design, adoption and implementation of institutional policies; staff appointed to support victims and survivors; and any other member of the academic community committed to ending gender-based violence. It builds on the results of the UniSAFE research, including the prevalence study (Lipinsky et al. 2022, Humbert et al. 2022), the institutional policy analysis (Huck et al. 2022), case studies (Ranea-Triviño et al. 2022), interviews (Blazyte and Pilinkaite 2022), and stakeholder and expert workshops (Yellow Window 2023a, 2023b), the purpose of which have been to gain insight into and test emerging policy solutions.