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In 2021, Spotlight Initiative established the Pacific Feminist Community of Practice (PacFemCOP). This was moderated by DIVA for Equality in Fiji. It involved a co-creation process between 20 CSOs and around 80 activists from across the region. Through PacFemCOP, these activists were able to document feminist best practice from across the region, including topics such as feminist approaches to gender, ecological and climate justice; elimination of VAWG; how to mobilize, organize and action for change; feminist approaches to economic justice; SOGIESC; bodily autonomy and integrity; and sexual…

In 2019, Spotlight Initiative programmes conducted a contextual analysis across the Pacific region to better understand the policy and legal context that contributed to high rates of VAWG. This analysis showed that domestic violence legal frameworks exist in the form of Family Protection Acts in countries such as Samoa and Fiji. However, sexual and reproductive coercion was not criminalised as a form of domestic violence. In some countries, there were also discrepancies between different laws and policies, due in part to a lack of coordination between government ministries when developing new…

In 2022 the Spotlight Initiative grantee, Women United Together Marshall Islands (WUTMI), launched a training to build understanding within Marshall Island Police Departments about how to take a survivor-centred approach, how to respond to VAWG survivors, and promoting positive masculinities. WUTMI worked closely with the mayors of each outer island to ensure police forces committed to the training. They encouraged mayors to join the training themselves to demonstrate their political leadership and commitment to ending violence against women and girls. Some testimonies from these officers…

In 2022, the Spotlight Initiative Pacific Regional Programme supported Cookhouse Confidential, an informal group of women from multiple organisations and agencies that work together to discuss and tackle women’s menstrual health issues in the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI). Working together, Spotlight Initiative and Cookhouse Confidential administered small grants focused on efforts to advance sexual and reproductive health.

One such grant funded three women tailors in Ebeye, in the Marshall Islands, to produce reusable menstrual pads. These pads in turn were distributed to 250…

Spotlight Initiative established a Regional Gender Based Violence (GBV) Administrative Data Technical Reference Group in the Pacific region. This group works with key stakeholders to build their capacity on how to develop and manage robust GBV case management systems. Stakeholders include national statistics offices, the justice sector and the police sector across the Pacific. This reference group works to: 

Support regional dialogues to share learning across the region 
Build a community of practice on developing GBV admin data systems in the Pacific 
Provide technical support…

The Spotlight Initiative Pacific Regional Programme aims to support a diverse range of smaller CSOs through the small grants funding mechanism. The small grants, ranging from USD 2,500 to USD 50,000, have a simplified application process, with fewer steps than other funding mechanisms. As part of the small grants funding mechanism, the Pacific Regional Programme also had a special call for partners working to advance the safety of people of diverse sexual orientations and gender identities (SOGI) and feminist climate justice as it relates to EVAWG. 

To provide support to these newer…

Under Pillar 6, the Spotlight Initiative Pacific Regional Programme aims to support WROs through the small grants funding mechanism. The small grants, ranging from USD 2,500 to USD 50,000, have a simplified application process, with fewer steps than other funding mechanisms. 

A series of virtual town halls were held to prepare potential applications and provide an overview of the requirements, guidelines in the development of proposals and budgets, and reporting and monitoring and evaluation requirements. Further support was provided via email or phone, with the aim of reducing any…