Spotlight Initiative increases momentum for ending violence against women and girls at the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development

SEVILLE, Spain – At the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FFD4) in Seville, Spain, Spotlight Initiative hosted a side event to catalyse and scale up international investment in ending violence against women and girls.

‘Increasing Momentum for Ending Violence Against Women and Girls’ (EVAWG) brought together high-level representatives from the United Nations (UN), The European Union (EU), governments, philanthropy, international financial institutions, academia and civil society.

The event was moderated by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Global Director of Gender Equality, Raquel Lagunas. “Spotlight Initiative gave the ambition and the promise to women and girls everywhere that violence is not inevitable. That change at global, large scale is possible when we come together… This is a high-impact initiative of the UN Secretary-General,” shared Ms. Lagunas.

In her opening statement, UN Women Deputy Executive Director, Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda, outlined the human and economic costs of gender-based violence, explaining, “We need to reframe financing for EVAW not as a cost, but as a strategic and measurable investment in public safety, human development and economic resilience.” 

“We have some good news, though: we know what works... Spotlight Initiative has delivered results and impact [and shows] that when we work together we have the power to transform the lives of women and girls. And we need to do more, especially in a resource-constrained environment,” said Ms. Gumbonzvanda.

Uganda Commissioner of Strategic Coordination Implementation, Office of the Prime Minister, Edward Walugembe, said “the urgency to end violence against women and girls is not abstract for us. It is real, it is personal and it is national.”

He shared some of the strides that Uganda has made over the past five years, and as one of the first countries to launch the second phase of Spotlight Initiative, calling the gains made “a quiet revolution of hope”. Mr. Walugembe ended with a call to action: “To embed gender equality at the heart of financing frameworks… Spotlight Initiative has shown us what is possible. It is now our responsibility to scale this vision to match ambition and resources with results. Uganda stands ready to lead by example.”

European Commissioner for the Mediterranean, Ms. Dubravka Šuica delivered a recorded message emphasising the EU’s commitment to ending violence against women and girls and enhancing women’s economic opportunities. “Spotlight Initiative leverages the power of collaboration between governments, organizations, civil society and the private sector to end violence against women and girls,” said Ms. Šuica. She also expressed appreciation for “the comprehensive, whole-of-society-approach – because true change requires united action from all sectors of society.”

Chair of the International Olympic Committee’s Safe Sport Steering Committee, His Royal Highness Prince Feisal Al Hussein of Jordan, said that “Violence happens in and through sports, just as it does in many institutions. But violence can also be addressed in and through sports, when sport is safe, value-driven and embedded in preventative and protective systems.” HRH Al Hussein expressed commitment to building upon existing long-term partnerships, such as Spotlight Initiative.

CEO of PAI, Nabeeha Kazi Hutchins issued a call to action, asking: “What will it take for the global financing architecture to finally prioritize ending violence against women and girls in budget, in policies and in practice? We should not have to justify why women’s safety and autonomy matter.”

“Our work with Spotlight and the work that civil society does, day in and day out, to fight for rights and justice must be replicated – and it can [be]. As the multilateral system undergoes significant reform, as national budgets are being renegotiated, as programmes are reimagined and as the world strives to do more with fewer resources, our work can be replicated. We do not need to start from scratch.”

UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador, biotechnologist and global advocate for innovation and inclusion, Dr. Hayat Sindi, kicked off the following panel by sharing the obstacles she faced in her own career due to gender discrimination. “Today only 30 per cent of the world’s researchers are women,” said Dr. Sindi. “Giving people the right tools, especially access to finance, to build their own sustainable future will build their pride and potential, especially vulnerable communities such as women and girls.”

Liberia’s Deputy Minister for Economic Management, Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, Hon. Dehpue Zuo spoke about Liberia’s domestic financing strategy. “We are faced with the hard reality of the global landscape that has to do with a reduction in ODA,” said Mr. Zuo. “Under our financing approach, what we have done is to ensure that key interventions that are earmarked in our national development plan are also costed.” He said that gender-sensitive budgeting, a multi-sectoral approach and collaboration between civil society and government had been keen to Liberia’s effort to eliminate gender-based violence. 

UN Women ACT Civil Society Representative, Dr. Mabel Bianco, addressed the impact of ODA reduction on civil society organizations but said that funding cuts were a policy choice. “We have less and less money. This we need to recognise… But we are not so poor when we are investing in militarisation. As you know, without peace, there is no possibility of development.”  Dr. Bianco warned that in the current context, more than 50 per cent of women’s organizations globally would be forced to close and stressed the urgent need for governments to properly fund civil society working on the frontlines of GBV prevention, response and data gathering.

“This is not a moment for business as usual,” said Ford Foundation Vice President for International Programmes, Martín Abregú. He stressed the need to deliver for partners, build social justice infrastructure and reimagine financing for development. He said the Foundation was committed to providing flexible core funding to its partners. “We have a specific focus to work with feminist and women’s rights movements, one of the most vulnerable groups.”

United Nations Resident Coordinator for Jamaica, Dennis Zulu touched on the challenges Caribbean nations face due to the impacts of climate change, as well as the need for national ownership over gender-based violence prevention and response mechanisms. He said Jamaica had done this by embedding these mechanisms into core health, education and justice services within national frameworks, and by focusing on fewer but high-impact activities. “To achieve this, we must leverage joint programming of the UN,” said Mr. Zulu. “Spotlight Initiative was a great opportunity for us to be able to showcase how we can work together and really contribute to the reduction of violence against women in the world and in Jamaica.”

World Bank Group’s Global Director for Gender Equality, Hana Brixi shared a recorded message. She noted that the World Bank Group is, “…scaling up support across countries in the next five years,” including by, “building a link between women’s economic participation and gender-based violence prevention.” She added, “At the World Bank Group, we are proud to partner with Spotlight Initiative alongside the United Nations and the European Union to help end violence against women and girls and expand opportunities for women and girls to thrive.”

International Organization of Migration Deputy Director General for Operations, Ugochi Daniels, spoke about the vulnerability of migrant workers and women to violence. “As horrible as the data we’ve heard today is, for migrants, the rate [of violence] is three times higher,” said Ms. Daniels, noting that they were also less likely to have access to support services. She highlighted the considerable contributions migrants make to their communities and the global economy despite these barriers, and the role of remittances [funds sent by individuals working abroad to their families or communities back home] to development. “Migration is a global strategic asset for development and remittances, right now, are financing development. The potential to do so much more with diaspora and migrants is there… We look forward to working with all of you.”