Why invest in programming to end VAWG?

Make the case to invest in ending VAWG

To make a compelling case to donors and national governments for investing in ending violence against women and girls (EVAWG), it is useful to highlight both the moral imperative and the far-reaching social and economic impacts of violence. VAWG is a fundamental breach of women and girls human rights, impacting their own and their families' education, health and societal contribution. VAWG is also a strong indicator of a lack of peace and societal wellbeing.

VAWG also has huge economic costs, estimated to be around 2% of global GDP, or US$ 1.5 trillion. Economic costs have been calculated in different ways, but usually include: direct and indirect costs incurred by survivors and their families for medical and legal fees as well as loss of income due to illness or injury; wider societal costs for prevention and support services provided by government agencies; and the impact of lost productivity on national GDP due to absenteeism by survivors and perpetrators. We now know that preventing VAWG is possible in programmatic timeframes and that these costs could be saved, allowing the funds to be used for other important purposes.

Guiding Principles

Transformative approach

Survivor-Centred Approach

Leave No One Behind, Equity and Non-Discrimination

Spotlight Initiative

Approach and Learning

Spotlight Initiative was designed to shift from isolated, project-based efforts to a comprehensive well-funded approach for addressing VAWG, which is aligned with national development priorities and works to accelerate progress to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

It also marks a significant step in UN reform, using a whole-system 'One UN' approach that leverages coordinated and coherent funding and places women and girls at the centre of its efforts.

As one of the first large-scale initiatives focused solely on eliminating VAWG, Spotlight Initiative serves as a demonstration fund of the need for a bold, comprehensive approach. Read more about Spotlight Initiative’s role as a high-impact financing model for eliminating VAWG.

The Imperative to Invest report brings together evidence from Spotlight Initiative and over 100+ impact evaluations to make the case for investing in eliminating violence against women and girls. It draws on learnings from Spotlight Initiative as well as over 20 external experts.

Top Tips

How to make the case to invest in ending VAWG - top tips based on wider learning in the sector.

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Identify supporting evidence to make the case for investing resources

When making the case for donors, it can be helpful to draw on evidence and data. There are several key arguments, which can be adapted to different contexts. Evidence from the Spotlight Initiative can also be found in the Imperative to Invest report.

Reasons	Evidence to support case
Violence is widespread – around 1 in 3 women globally experience violence.	See the WHO Global Database on VAW prevalence for the latest estimates of the % of women experiencing key forms of violence against women
Violence against women represents a breach of the fundamental human rights that are enshrined in numerous agreements.	Examples of key global, regional and national laws, commitments and policies on Violence against Women can be found in the: UN Global Database on Violence Against Women
Violence has significant social, health and economic costs for individual lives as well as for the collective progress of society as a whole.	Examples of costs include: Counting the Cost: The Price Society Pays for Violence Against Women (CARE International Report based on 13 studies) Economic and Social Costs of Violence (What Works Evidence Brief) Costs and Consequences (UN Women EVAW virtual knowledge centre)
Response services for survivors are vital, but they only reach a minority of women survivors. The majority do not seek help or report violence. Preventing violence before it starts is therefore vital.	Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) national data on the proportion of women who report experiencing violence (prevalence data) can be compared to the proportion who report to formal services (administrative data)
VAWG hinders all people from achieving peace and prosperity as laid out in the Sustainable Development Goals.	Examples of the links include: Sustainable Development Goals and VAWG (Equality Institute report) Getting Back on Track with SDG5: Seven Actions to Eliminate VAWG (What Works Brief) Overview of links between VAWG and the Sustainable Development Goals (page 6 of Imperative to Invest)
Prevention of violence is possible, including within 3-5 programmatic cycles.	See page on Design a Prevention Strategy
Investment in EVAWG programming can be a cost-effective way to reduce violence.	Economic evaluations of VAWG interventions are still at an early stage, with a costing approach developed and piloted as part of the What Works to Prevent VAWG programme. See the Cost-Effectiveness Study for findings from six countries.

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Case Studies

Large-scale investment in ending VAWG

Spotlight Initiative

Spotlight Initiative represents a unique case of large-scale, ambitious investment in ending violence against women and girls (EVAWG). It has moved beyond fragmented project-based funding of VAWG prevention and response towards a more systemic strategy. Spotlight Initiative was launched in over 25 countries with substantial seed investment of €500 million from the European Union, signifying an unprecedented commitment to end VAWG.

Central to its approach is the financing and participation of civil society and grassroots organisations, ensuring that the increased investment reaches those most affected by violence, and is rooted in their needs and realities. Spotlight Initiative earmarked 10-15% of programmatic funding to civil society and women’s movements through a dedicated pillar (Pillar 6) as well as through crosscutting investment across other pillars. In total, over half of its activity funds (US$195 million) were allocated to civil society organisations: 79% of these funds were channelled to national, local and grassroots organisations, and 34% to new UN partners, diversifying the civil society landscape and helping to demonstrate the importance of localising resources.

Overall, working with national partners and placing VAWG at the heart of national development plans has led to a nearly 13-fold increase in national budget allocations to address VAWG across 13 Spotlight Initiative countries. 50 countries strengthened their National Action Plans to eliminate violence against women and girls. Under the ‘One UN’ framework, Spotlight Initiative has demonstrated the value of taking an integrated approach to ending violence. It uses UN Reform tools, like the Business Operations Strategy, to enhance operational and programmatic efficiency. The model has increased inter-agency collaboration and efficiency within the UN system, setting it apart from other joint programmes.