Spotlight Initiative launches 2024-2025 impact report on the sidelines of the Second World Summit for Social Development

DOHA, Qatar - Spotlight Initiative, the United Nations (UN) high-impact initiative to end violence against women and girls, launched its 2024-2025 Impact Report in Doha, Qatar on the sidelines of the Second World Summit for Social Development.

“This report we launch today shows what is possible when we work together across sectors and institutions. But it also reminds us that any progress we have made is fragile and we need to work hard to sustain it.”- UN Deputy-Secretary General Amina J. Mohammed

UN Deputy-Secretary General Amina J. Mohammed and Spotlight Initiative Global Coordinator Erin Kenny addressed members of the press to share some of the key takeaways from ‘Beyond Progress: Securing Gains to End Violence against Women and Girls’.

“Every major crisis that we face today — from climate change to conflict to poverty — intersects with one issue: violence against women and girls,” said Ms. Mohammed. “That is why Spotlight Initiative is so essential."

“We know that we will not realize the 2030 Agenda and the commitments of the Doha Political Declaration without the full participation of women and girls. To participate, they need to be free from violence and fear.”

Ms. Mohammed said that Spotlight Initiative advances these goals by supporting governments to create gender-responsive laws, policies and institutions; preventing violence; providing high-quality service for survivors and ensuring that perpetrators are held accountable – all while centring civil society.

“This approach will have prevented an estimated 21 million women and girls from experiencing violence by the end of this year,” said Ms. Mohammed. 

“This report we launch today shows what is possible when we work together across sectors and institutions. But it also reminds us that any progress we have made is fragile and we need to work hard to sustain it.”

"The question is not whether we can afford to end violence against women and girls — it’s whether we can afford not to." - UN Deputy-Secretary General Amina J. Mohammed

In its first phase, Spotlight Initiative’s investments across more than 25 countries in five regions meant that more than 540 laws and policies were signed or strengthened to help protect the rights of women and girls; nearly 8 million young people took part in programmes that promote equality and respect; more than 380 million people were reached through campaigns that challenge violence and discrimination; and conviction rates for gender-based violence doubled across 13 countries.

“In Ecuador, a new femicide reparation law is bringing justice to femicide victims and their families. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, four women trained by the Initiative opened a restaurant that now sustains their community. In Uganda, nearly all girls aged 10-19 in project areas joined life skills programmes learning confidence and leadership,” said Ms. Mohammed. 

“We are just getting started,” Ms. Mohammed continued. “With your support, we can go even further, reaching 60 countries by 2023 and preventing 70 million women from experiencing violence.”

“The question is not whether we can afford to end violence against women and girls — it’s whether we can afford not to."

“The blueprint is here in this report and now is the time to build on it.”

Background

Spotlight Initiative is the United Nations high-impact initiative to end violence against women and girls. Its comprehensive model works to address the root causes of violence through strengthening laws, policies, institutions and data; changing harmful social norms and behaviours; supporting access to quality services for survivors; and strengthening civil society organizations and women’s movements.

Launched in 2017 with more than USD 500 million in seed funding from the European Union, the Initiative represents an unprecedented global effort to invest in gender equality as a precondition and driver for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.

The Initiative is responding to all forms of violence against women and girls, with a particular focus on domestic and family violence, sexual and gender-based violence and harmful practices, femicide, trafficking in human beings and sexual and economic (labour) exploitation.

The Initiative’s first phase was implemented across more than 25 countries and five regions between 2017 and 2023. A second generation of Spotlight Initiative country programmes are now underway in Ecuador, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Uganda and Zambia, as well as a new regional programme in Africa.

For more information, please contact:
Koye Adeboye
Head of Communications, Spotlight Initiative
Koye.Adeboye@un.org