Spotlight Initiative launches in Mozambique
MAPUTO, Mozambique - The Spotlight Initiative was launched in Maputo on Friday, 8 March in the presence of Her Excellency the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Action, Cidália Chaúque de Oliveira, other Mozambique Government dignitaries from the central and provincial levels, European Commission of European Union (EU) Director-General for International Cooperation and Development Stefano Manservisi, who was visiting the country, and the United Nations (UN) acting Resident Coordinator, Marcoluigi Corsi.
The launch represents an investment of €40 million in ending violence against women and girls in Mozambique. The programme will be implemented over four years, benefiting around six million people.
"We must intensify actions to remove the barriers that impede the development of women and girls, prioritizing their access to education, health, water and sanitation, productive resources and respect for their rights," said Ms. Chaúque de Oliveira at the launch event. She appealed to all women and men to invest in the empowerment of women and girls, and in building awareness among families and communities.
"The recent adoption of the new gender policy and its implementation strategy, the National Plans for the Advancement of Women, Gender-Based Violence Prevention, Peace and Security, are instruments that should guide all actions implemented by public and private institutions, civil society, religious organizations and other sector in the society,” said Ms. Chaúque de Oliveira. "The Spotlight Initiative aims to support efforts to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls relevant in the Mozambican context."
"We must intensify actions to remove the barriers that impede the development of women and girls." - Cidália Chaúque de Oliveira, Minister for Gender, Children and Social Action
Mr. Manservisi stressed that "the Spotlight Initiative is our greatest investment in efforts to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls, translating our commitment into practice.
"We believe that this requires an open dialogue with as many women and men as possible, boys and girls, in large cities as in small villages, to deliver a single message: violence against women and girls is not normal and is not acceptable.”
The UN Acting Resident Coordinator in the country recalled that "violence against women and girls at the global level is a hard reality: one in three women is a victim of violence at some point in their lives. Violence against women destroys lives and causes suffering for all generations. In Mozambique (IDS, 2011) more than 42 per cent of young women and girls experience some form of violence. In addition, one in two girls (48 per cent) are at risk of marrying before the age of 18. Mozambique has the tenth highest rate of early marriage in the world...The name of the Initiative - Spotlight - highlights the importance of directing violence from the shadows to the light so that it can be seen, approached and eliminated. Today, we are witnessing the launch of an initiative that is truly historic. "
"Violence against women and girls is not normal and is not acceptable.” - Stefano Manservisi, EU Director-General for International Cooperation and Development
In Mozambique, the government-led Spotlight Initiative will be implemented in three pilot provinces in priority areas to combat sexual and gender-based violence and promote sexual and reproductive rights for women and girls.
At the global level, over the next few years, programmes will be implemented to eliminate various forms of violence against women and girls, such as sexual violence, trafficking and labour exploitation and domestic violence. The main areas of intervention include strengthening measures to prevent violence, legislation and policies, as well as the institutions involved in the response. There will also be a focus on data collection in the implementation regions of Africa, Asia, the Pacific Region and the Caribbean.
In line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, specifically Goal 5 on Gender Equality, the Spotlight Initiative will give special attention to marginalized women and girls with a view to "leaving no one behind." In addition, it seeks to attain political commitments at the highest level and to provide large-scale support through new partnerships. It will also contribute to informing civil society and raise awareness of the negative impact of violence on women's lives.
Violence against women and girls is one of the most common human rights violations in the world. This reality represents a barrier to equality, to the empowerment of women, to development and, therefore, a huge impediment to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.
Lead image: A cultural moment during the Spotlight launch event - girls perform a traditional dance previously male-dominated. Photo: Luis Zaqueu/UNDP. Article originally published on UNDP Mozambique.
