In the Murewa, Goromonzi and Kwekwe/Zibagwe districts of Zimbabwe, the Family AIDS Caring Trust (FACT) implemented a three-year project, “Voices from the Fringes: Sex Workers and Adolescent Girls and Young Women Action against Sexual and Gender-Based Violence”, supported by the UN Trust Fund under the Spotlight Initiative. This project aimed to promote women’s sexual and reproductive health rights and address sexual and gender-based violence by bringing the marginalized voices and concerns of female sex workers, adolescent girls and young women from the fringes to the fore in the interventions to end such violence. The final evaluation found that the project’s objectives were covered effectively and that the project surpassed its target of 18 solidarity groups for female sex workers, adolescent girls and young women.

Fund for Congolese Women (Fonds pour les Femmes Congolaises) implemented a three-year project, “Prevention and Reduction of Violence in Schools”, with the support of the UN Trust Fund. The project aimed to ensure that 600 girls in 10 target provinces feel safer and better equipped to protect themselves against sexual violence in schools in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The final evaluation found that girls in schools had increased knowledge of the rights of women and girls, the various forms of sexual violence, and the laws against sexual violence.

In Zimbabwe, Voluntary Services Overseas in collaboration with Women and Law in Southern Africa implemented the “SPEAK IT LOUD” project with the support of the UN Trust Fund under the Spotlight Initiative. This three-year project centred on amplifying the voices of women’s movements to address violence against women and girls in Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland West and Manicaland provinces in Zimbabwe. The final evaluation found that, despite the challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the denial of a no-cost extension, the project achieved in part its goals.

Paz Y Esperanza (Peace and Hope) implemented the three-year project “A life of dignity and freedom from violence for girls and women with disabilities in Lima, Cusco and San Martin” in Peru with the support of the UN Trust Fund from 2019 to 2022. The programme aimed to prevent and end violence against women and girls with disabilities by increasing the knowledge and visibility of their rights and improving the quality of and access to multi-sectoral, disability-inclusive services. The final evaluation found that women and girls with disabilities gained greater autonomy and confidence to report violence, seek help from the protection system, and participate in public decision-making, dialogue and advocacy.

Hagar International implemented the three-year project “Building capacity of duty bearers and beneficiaries to improve access to services for women and children survivors of intimate partner violence and non-partner sexual violence and change community’s attitude and behaviour towards violence against women” in Nghe An and Yen Bai provinces in Viet Nam with the support of the UN Trust Fund from 2019 to 2022. The project aimed to address violence against women and children in four communes by improving access to services for survivors, enhancing multi-sectoral coordination of services, and changing community members’ attitudes and behaviour towards gender-based violence. The final evaluation revealed that the project substantially contributed to reducing rates of violence against women and children, improved survivors’ ability to identify and respond to violence, and strengthened the capacity of officials, village leaders and women’s union members to provide emergency support and referral services.

Refugee Consortium of Kenya implemented the three-year project “Towards Improved Prevention of Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Among Urban Refugees Project” in Nairobi and Garissa counties, with the support of the UN Trust Fund, from 2018 to 2021. The programme primarily aimed to enhance community-based support for women and girl survivors of violence, particularly refugees and asylum seekers; improve reporting and conviction rates of gender-based violence cases; and strengthen the coping mechanisms and practical skillsets of survivors. A final evaluation revealed that the project substantially increased the knowledge and awareness of gender-based violence among women and girl survivors, as well as key judicial, medical, official and religious actors, which in turn improved survivors’ perception of self-worth, their confidence in institutional mechanisms, and their ability to seek and access support.

HIAS Refugee Trust of Kenya (HRTK) implemented the three-year “Community-Based Prevention of Violence against Refugee Women and Girls in Nairobi" project in 2019-2022 with the support of the UN Trust Fund. The project aimed to change the gendered drivers of violence against women and girls in urban refugee communities. The final evaluation found the project interventions were relevant to the communities’ needs and were successfully implemented.

In Kenya, the Centre for Rights, Education and Awareness and its partner Kenya Women Parliamentary Association implemented the “Wajibika project” for three and a half years from September 2018 with the support of the UN Trust Fund. The project aimed to better protect women and girls against gender-based violence through implementation of effective national legislation, policies, accountability structures and national action plans. The final evaluation found that, despite the challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the project was successfully implemented. 

With the support of the UN Trust Fund, the organization Dynamique des Femmes Juristes implemented a three-year project "Mettons fin aux VBG chez nous maintenant" (Let's end GBV in our country now) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo between 2019 and 2022. The project aimed to improve the safety of women and girls in North Kivu by addressing domestic violence, sexual violence and harmful practices such as forced marriage. The final evaluation found that the performance of the project was satisfactory, indicating that it was an outstanding success in many ways.

The Centro de Promoción y Defensa de los Derechos Sexuales y Reproductivos (PROMSEX) implemented the three-year project “No more invisible women: against trafficking, sexual exploitation and sexual violence in informal mining areas of Madre de Dios and Piura” in Peru between 2019 and 2022 with the support of the UN Trust Fund. The project aimed to improve access to comprehensive and multisectoral responses that consider aspects of prevention, care and access to justice, as well as access to health and protection services, for women, adolescents and young survivors of human trafficking or violence affected by illegal mining in Madre de Dios and Piura. The final evaluation found that the project increased access to comprehensive and multisectoral responses that consider aspects of prevention, care, access to justice and public services.

Leonard Cheshire Disability Zimbabwe implemented a three-year project “Access to Justice for Girls and Women with Disabilities in Zimbabwe” with the support of the UN Trust Fund. The project aimed to ensure that girls and women with disabilities have improved safety and access to justice. The final evaluation found that the project was successfully implemented through its strategic pillars of response and prevention.

Peruvian Women's Centre Flora Tristán implemented the project “Indigenous women ‘My city, my space’: local answers to violence and discrimination” with support from the UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women for three years. The project aimed to reduce the risk of violence and racial/ethnic discrimination in public spaces for indigenous Amazonian women and girls in Satipo province. The final evaluation found that the project surpassed its goals.

The UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women funded Trocaire’s initiative “Preventing and Responding to Violence Against Women and Girls in Nakuru and Nairobi Counties” in Kenya for three -years. The objective was to reduce violence, abuse and discrimination against adolescent girls and young women, as well as stigmatization of these women and girls, in eight informal settlements. The final evaluation found that the project’s strategy was highly relevant and successfully implemented.

From January 2016 to January 2019, the UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women worked with the National Network for the Promotion of Women (RNPM), helping fund its project “Older Women who have Experienced Violence Exercising their Rights”. The final evaluation found that the project was largely successful, and through its training and empowerment strategies it reached 415 women who had experienced gender-based violence.

The International Institute of Rural Reconstruction implemented the project “Stop Violence against Women and Girls in Samburu, Marsabit, and Isiolo Counties in Northern Kenya” from January 2016 to December 2018 with funding from the UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women. The final evaluation found that the project increased awareness about the harmful effects of sexual and gender-based violence, and changed attitudes to female genital mutilation or cutting, beading and child marriage. The project also improved access to support for survivors of violence.

Society Without Violence received funding from the UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women for its initiative “Integration of gender and gender-based violence subject into educational curriculum in the frames of National 211-215 Strategic Plan” in Armenia from January 2014 to December 2016. The project aimed to empower girls to understand violence and prevent intimate partner and non-partner gender-based violence. The final evaluation found that the project increased awareness on issues related to gender and gender-based violence.

Between January 2016 and December 2018, the Africa Alliance of YMCAs implemented the project “A Real Man Is” in Zambia and Kenya, with funding from the UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women. The final evaluation found that the project left women and girls feeling safer and better protected from violence, and increased the engagement of men and boys in initiatives aimed at protecting women from physical and sexual violence.

The Institute for Development and Community Health in Viet Nam implemented the initiative “Prevention of Intimate Partner Violence against Pregnant and Lactating Women” in Kien Xuong district, Thai Binh province, from January 2016 to December 2018 with funding from the UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women. The final evaluation found that the project improved knowledge, attitudes and behaviour in pregnant and lactating mothers, and increased the ability of communities and families to prevent violence.

The project “Engaging Youth to End Violence against Women and Girls in Brazil and Democratic Republic of Congo”, implemented by Promundo in Brazil and their partner HEAL Africa in DRC, was funded from January 2015 to December 2017 by the UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women. The project worked with adolescent girls and boys in schools, providing group education and counselling. The final evaluation found that the model developed to break the inter-generational transmission of violence was somewhat effective for addressing attitudes, behaviour and responses related to violence.

The project “Access to Justice for Girls and Women with Disabilities – Zimbabwe”, implemented by Leonard Cheshire Disability Zimbabwe, was funded from January 2015 to December 2017 by the UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women. The final evaluation concluded that the project made significant changes to the lives of girls and women with disabilities, particularly relating to women’s empowerment, court cases, access to medical services, and capacity development of civil society organizations.