EU and UN promote the participation of governments and civil society in the Action Coalition on Gender-Based Violence

ALMATY, Kazakhstan – Today, a regional consultation on "Building Game-Changing Commitments and Mobilizing Partners" was held within the EU-UN Spotlight Initiative Regional Programme for Central Asia and Afghanistan. Representatives of civil society and government agencies identified key areas of cooperation and what commitments could be made by partners to achieve the goals of the Action Coalition on Gender-Based Violence.

The EU-UN Spotlight Initiative is committed to fostering regional mobilization and movement for transformative change on the elimination of violence against women and girls to develop and leverage the Action Coalition. The regional consultation allowed the presentation of the Action Coalition and its goals to key players in the field of elimination gender-based violence in the region in order to identify their needs and strengthen coordination, and create opportunities for women's organizations and movements to make meaningful contributions to the fulfillment of the obligations of the Coalition members.

“The Spotlight Initiative, as a global, multi-year partnership between the European Union and the United Nations to end violence against women and girls, creates a strong ground to contribute to the Generation Equality targets and to bring other member states and partners to unite the joint game-changing forces,” said UN Resident Coordinator for Kazakhstan Michaela Friberg-Storey.

In March 2021, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan expressed their intention to join the Action Coalition on Gender-Based violence launched during the Generation Equality Forum. The Action Coalition developed a set of concrete, ambitious and transformative actions that the members of the Action Coalition will take, with time and resource commitments, in order to achieve immediate and irreversible progress towards gender equality. 

Addressing the audience Johannes Stenbaek Madsen, Head of Cooperation at the EU Delegation to Kazakhstan, noted: “The European Union is strongly committed to gender equality, the empowerment of women of all ages, the elimination of all forms of violence against women and girls and always promotes the notion of equal rights and equal opportunities, both within Europe and globally. Gender equality is a core value of the European Union and a universally recognized human right, enshrined in EU law for more than 60 years and a key priority in the Union’s internal and external policies.”

The ultimate goal of the Spotlight Initiative is to create an environment where there is zero tolerance for sexual and gender-based violence and harmful practices. National stakeholders and an estimated 35 million women and girls in five Central Asian countries and Afghanistan will contribute to and benefit from the Initiative.

NOTES TO EDITORS

The Spotlight Initiative (SI) is a global, multi-year partnership between the European Union and the United Nations to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls by 2030. In Central Asia and Afghanistan, the Spotlight Initiative is addressing legislative and policy gaps, strengthening institutions, promoting gender-equitable attitudes, and providing quality services for survivors. Interventions are also strengthening systems for collecting data on violence against women and girls and women’s movements. The Initiative joins existing efforts and complements the work of regional institutions and diverse partners. 

The European Union is made up of 28 Member States who have decided to gradually link together their know-how, resources and destinies. Together, during a period of enlargement of 50 years, they have built a zone of stability, democracy and sustainable development whilst maintaining cultural diversity, tolerance and individual freedoms. The European Union is committed to sharing its achievements and its values with countries and peoples beyond its borders.

For media inquiries, please contact:

Vassilina Vorkova, Communications Officer of the Spotlight Initiative Regional Programme for Central Asia and Afghanistan, email: vassilina.vorkova@undp.org
Elnura Abakanova, Communications Officer, EU Delegation to Kazakhstan, email: elnura.abakanova@eeas.europa.eu