Grantee partners driving transformative change to prevent and end violence against women and girls in 2023
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In line with its mission to build a world where women and girls can live free from violence, the UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women (UN Trust Fund) invests in civil society and women’s rights organizations leading inspiring, bold initiatives around the world to address violence against women and girls under three broad programmatic thematic areas: 1) improved access for women and girls to essential, specialist, safe and adequate multisectoral services; 2) increased effectiveness of legislation, policies, national action plans and accountability; and 3) improved prevention of violence against women and girls through changes in behaviours, practices and norms.
Leading prevention initiatives
In 2023, UN Trust Fund grantee partners led multiple prevention initiatives to challenge harmful social norms and behaviours, raise awareness of the consequences of violence against women and girls, and ensure that all community members are sensitized and mobilized to prevent further cases of violence.
At least 1,468,558 women and girls successfully accessed information, goods, resources and services to prevent or respond to violence against women and girls. In parallel, recognizing the critical role of influential community members in prevention, grantee partners also mobilized 8,333 community leaders, 1,401 faith leaders, 2,075 traditional leaders and 3,613 youth leaders to advocate publicly for changes in behaviours, practices and attitudes towards ending violence against women and girls, including to eliminate harmful traditional practices.
In India, the Centre for Catalyzing Change (C3) organized various sensitization activities to raise awareness of women’s groups, adolescent champions, men and boys, police officers, government workers and mukhiyas (village leaders) of the consequences of child marriage, encouraging them to mobilize to prevent this harmful practice. In addition, C3 worked closely with faith-based leaders to challenge harmful social norms and practices and ensure they are committed and equipped to publicly condemn forced or child marriage.
Providing multisectoral services
In 2023, thanks to the tireless work of UN Trust Fund grantee partners, 48,959 women and girls were able to access specialist services, tailored to their needs. These support services included counselling, shelter, legal assistance and economic empowerment activities, which all contributed to building the agency, self-confidence and resilience of women and girl survivors and those at risk of violence.
In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the women-led organization Solidarité Féminine Pour La Paix et le Développement Intégral (SOFEPADI) provided comprehensive, essential services to 1,181 survivors of sexual and gender-based violence in 2023, including emergency care delivered within 72 hours, post-rape kits, psychosocial assistance and legal aid.
Strengthening laws and policies
Acknowledging the need to strengthen laws and policies to better protect the rights of women and girls, UN Trust Fund grantee partners increased the capacity of 985 local, sub-national or national government institutions in 2023, equipping them to design and implement institutional reforms, strategies and policies to address violence against women and girls.
In Argentina, FUSA para la Salud Integral con perspectiva de género led advocacy efforts to incorporate informed consent into health services and legal reform, putting an end to the forced sterilization of women living with disabilities who lacked legal capacity.
Across the world in 2023, UN Trust Fund grantee partners continued to develop holistic, comprehensive approaches to respond to and prevent violence against women and girls across all three thematic areas. This helps ensure that women’s rights are fully respected, that their needs are met and that they are better protected and empowered to speak up, prevent, identify and report cases of violence.
Stay tuned!
Read all the snapshots of 2023 in the run-up to the publication of the UN Trust Fund’s 2023 annual report: