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Working with the media provides a unique opportunity for programmes to work at scale to increase awareness of violence against women and girls (VAWG) and address and challenge societal attitudes and norms which drive it. With careful planning and content, the media can amplify important messages to change norms and behaviour, encourage dialogue, and help influence legislation and public policy. However, this needs to be done carefully to avoid reinforcing harmful social norms that contribute to gender inequality and VAWG through stereotypical representations. It is important for media…

Spotlight Initiative has supported a range of programmes and activities which have focused on preventing violence in sports. This includes: awareness and advocacy campaigns, policy reform, creation of safe spaces, capacity building, youth engagement, peer leadership, and multi-stakeholder partnerships. These initiatives have targeted youth, men and boys, women and girls.

Policy development and institutional support: In Samoa, Spotlight Initiative partnered with the Samoa Association of Sports and the National Olympic Committee to develop new policy tools and resources - including an…

Elevating ending VAWG on the political agenda: Spotlight Initiative works at all levels of government to elevate the strategic positioning of VAWG on the political agenda. It has directly engaged at the highest level with Prime Ministers and Heads of State to generate political will through the UN Resident Coordinators and included government co-chairs on National Steering Committees.

Strengthening capacity of government actors: Spotlight Initiative worked to strengthen capacities of key government ministries and agencies at local, subnational and national levels.

Strengthening laws and…

Spotlight Initiative has engaged the media in a variety of different ways and with a range of objectives, from raising awareness on VAWG and challenging harmful norms, to strengthening gender responsive coverage and reporting of GBV cases. By working with the media in these ways, Spotlight Initiative aims to generate widespread awareness, influence societal norms, empower survivors, and drive policy changes to end violence against women and girls. Key learnings include:

Leverage the power of the media through targeted behavioural-change campaigns. For example, work with radio, printed…

Spotlight Initiative has taken a variety of innovative approaches to working with and for adolescent girls:

Using a Safe Spaces Model across programmes and contexts to support girls in developing life skills and increasing awareness of health, rights and services. Read more about the Safe Spaces approach in Malawi and the case studies on Niger and Nigeria. 
Using technology and games development to increase awareness of VAWG among young people. See the case study on Kyrgyzstan below.
Supporting comprehensive sexuality education: For example, in Argentina, adolescent girls and boys have…

Spotlight Initiative has supported capacity-strengthening efforts with a wide range of stakeholders and partners, including civil society organisations (CSOs), Women’s Rights Organisations (WROs), media broadcasters, journalists, national governments, and non-governmental organisations (NGOs). Spotlight Initiative developed a guidance manual on capacity building which committed to the following:

Engage stakeholders in reciprocal learning: Spotlight Initiative programmes were designed from the outset to involve all stakeholders that could benefit from a capacity building initiative in…

Select implementing partner according to context and need: At the programme level, Spotlight Initiative's implementing partners include CSOs, government partners, private sector actors, academic institutions, and consultants. The type and number of implementing partners varies by country and is tailored to the local context and needs. In some programmes, there are fewer than ten implementing partners, mostly with previous UN experience, like in Mali and Niger. In contrast, other programmes, like those in Zimbabwe and Malawi, involve over 30 implementing partners, with most being new to…

Multi-stakeholder partnerships are a central aspect of Spotlight Initiative governance, programme implementation, monitoring and learning,

Setting up multi-stakeholder governance mechanisms: National and Regional Steering Committees provide implementation oversight and coordination of Spotlight Initiative country and regional programmes and are composed of UN, government, donor and civil society partners to ensure meaningful representation and participation. Multi-stakeholder partnerships and mechanisms are a key part of the Spotlight Initiative Approach and Theory of Change, with core…

Spotlight Initiative has employed a range of strategies and approaches to work with traditional and faith leaders to end violence against women and girls (VAWG):

Shaping customary and religious rules and the practices of informal courts. Programmes work to partner with traditional and/or faith leaders and secure their commitment to gender-responsive approaches in laws and policies to address VAWG.
Training cultural and traditional leaders to engage in gender-sensitive alternate dispute resolution within their communities, especially when formal processes are not available, accessible or…

Drawing on analysis from across all country and regional programmes, trust funds, and a global learning exchange, Spotlight Initiative has gathered a number of insights and lessons learned about engaging the private sector to prevent and respond to VAWG: 


Increase the visibility and awareness of VAWG in the workplace, which strengthens leadership and political buy-in to address violence. In Belize, Spotlight Initiative’s team engaged private sector companies in an awareness-raising campaign to raise the visibility of VAWG issues within the workplace, designing posters with key messaging…