Reaching women and girls in all their diversity in 2023

Date:

Group of young girls posing for a group photo outside a building
Project participants in Logo community's safe space. Credit: Tabitha Cumi Foundation (Nigeria)

In 2023, despite increasing pushback on women’s rights and multiple protracted crises that had devastating consequences, civil society and women’s rights organizations continued to drive transformative, long-lasting changes for women and girls across the globe. 

The UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women (UN Trust Fund) actively supported the implementation of 191 bold, life-changing initiatives aimed at preventing and responding to violence against women and girls in 68 countries and territories, across five regions. These initiatives reached more than 15 million people, including at least 7,723,854 women and girls. 

Leaving no one woman or girl behind 

In line with its commitment to leave no one behind, as set out in the 2021-2025 Strategic Plan, the UN Trust Fund invests in civil society and women’s rights organizations working to reach the most underserved women and girls. In 2023, these grantee partners drove transformative change for: 

Grantee partners reach in 2023: 71,741 women and girl survivors of violence;  51,506 women and girls belonging to the lowest income group;  9,005 internally displaced and refugee women and girls;  8,740 women or girls experiencing racial discrimination or injustice;  6,697 women and girls with disabilities;  4,255 lesbian, bisexual, transgender and intersex women; and  3,977 women and girls living with or affected by HIV/AIDS.

In Rwanda, supported by a small grant, the Rwandan Organization of Women with Disabilities (UNABU) organized self-advocacy groups for women and girls living with disabilities to improve knowledge on gender-based violence and build self-confidence to participate in family and community life, including economic activities. The initiative has already reached over 2,700 women and girls living with disabilities, who are now empowered to speak up and reclaim their rights. 

In Albania, the Shelter Edlira Haxhiymeri (SEH) works closely with the STREHA Center to improve access to support services for lesbian, bisexual, transgender and intersex women living in remote areas. In 2023, SEH met the needs of 212 women and girl survivors of violence, including 100 lesbian, bisexual and transgender women and girls, by providing them with psychosocial support, food packages, legal assistance for protection orders, counselling and shelters. 

Stay tuned! 

Read all the snapshots of 2023 in the run-up to the publication of the UN Trust Fund’s 2023 annual report: