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The Spotlight Initiative programme in Liberia developed a Comprehensive Prevention Strategy for the prevention of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) and harmful practices through a coordinated and multi-stakeholder partnership. It is the first comprehensive prevention strategy in the region and in Africa which is:
Informed by a literature review and a participatory approach to primary and secondary data collection and analysis to assess risk and protective factors; engaging stakeholders at national, county and community levels including Government ministries, law enforcement, the…
In a male-dominated political landscape, it can be especially challenging for women with disabilities to enter politics. In Zimbabwe, Spotlight Initiative identified low participation of persons with disabilities - especially women - in political processes or political leadership.
In response, Spotlight Initiative implemented a training programme to educate women and girls with disabilities about their human rights, how to engage in policy and law-making and how to advocate for and access legal and gender-based violence services if needed. In partnership with Leonard Cheshire Disability…
All Spotlight Initiative programmes adopted a comprehensive theory of change and worked across all the Spotlight Initiative pillars to develop a comprehensive VAWG programme. The approach taken by Spotlight Initiative Mozambique was as follows:
To support legislation and policies to end VAWG (pillar 1), the Spotlight Initiative worked with the Government of Mozambique to reinforce legislation and policies and develop multiple legal and policy instruments. These instruments included the Multi-sectoral Mechanism for Prevention, Reporting, Referral and Response to Violence Against Children at…
In Uganda, following the delivery of capacity strengthening sessions with government stakeholders, host and refugee communities advocating for EVAWG and the safety of women, new commitments were made in Yumbe District, which had a high prevalence rate of teenage pregnancies. Local authorities advocated for police to adequately investigate and bring perpetrators of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) to justice. In Adjumani District, a GBV ordinance is being pushed for by district women councillors (women caucus) and has received support by the local chairperson.
Additionally, through ‘security…
In Zimbabwe, Spotlight Initiative developed a highly effective whole-of-government and society approach to end VAWG. It worked with the Government of Zimbabwe, in partnership with a range of key stakeholders and partners, to develop a High-Level Political Compact (HLPC). Launched in 2021, the HLPC focuses on increasing political will, accountability, and action at all levels of government and society.
The HLPC and Spotlight Initiative in Zimbabwe have achieved notable progress in enhancing laws, policies and institutional support for addressing VAWG. Key accomplishments include the launch…
Spotlight Initiative in Malawi helped contribute to strengthening the legal framework to protect women and girls from violence. A landmark achievement was the amendment of the Penal Code. The amendments included the redefining of the age of a child as a person under the age of eighteen years, and prohibiting sexual offences against children and persons with mental disabilities. The amendment, long advocated for by civil society, was propelled forward by the effective mobilisation of government ministers, demonstrating Spotlight Initiative’s role in bridging the gap between civil society’s…
In Liberia, the Spotlight Initiative programme has a Comprehensive Prevention Strategy that was developed through a coordinated and multi-stakeholder approach reinforcing government, civil society, and community ownership. This strategy informs all efforts to prevent sexual gender-based violence (SGBV), harmful practices and promote sexual and reproductive health and rights, and supports implementation of the Rape Law, Domestic Violence Law, and government-led Anti-SGBV Roadmap that protects women and girls from violence. Some key elements of the strategy include:
Social behavioural…
The Spotlight Initiative Africa Regional Programme (SIARP) undertook a comprehensive mapping and assessment to understand the implementation status of laws, policies, action plans, financing and capabilities of states in Africa to end violence against women and girls (EVAWG). Despite the existence of various EVAWG-related frameworks and regional strategies, significant implementation gaps were identified.
“All we need is to implement our commitments. It’s great to see regional partners coming together to develop a Regional Action Plan to eliminate violence against women and girls.” -…
In 2021, the Spotlight Initiative team in Malawi conducted a mid-term assessment to take stock of the first phase of the Spotlight Initiative programme, which ran from 2019-2022. The aim was to assess the relevance, efficiency, effectiveness, and sustainability of the programme and to develop relevant recommendations to improve project implementation.
The evaluation team conducted Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) and Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) with 62 individuals. These were spread across national and sub-national levels and included six government officials, three EU Delegation staff…
The Spotlight Initiative established the first-ever National GBV Data Situation Room and Dashboard, in close collaboration with Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Women Affairs (FMWA) and other partners. This innovative data management and visualization platform is designed to enable a systematic collation of VAWG cases using a bottom-up approach from the community to national levels. The online reporting platform is a critical component of the initiative, providing timely analytics and real-time visualization of validated administrative data on reported GBV cases in Nigeria.
"Knowing that the…