Violence against women and girls is one of the most widespread, persistent and devastating human rights violations in our world today.
It is a major obstacle to the fulfilment of women’s and girls’ human rights and to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It occurs worldwide, cutting across all generations, nationalities, communities and spheres of our societies, irrespective of age, ethnicity, disability or other background.
The Spotlight Initiative
The European Union (EU) and the United Nations (UN) are embarking on a new, global, multi-year initiative focused on eliminating all forms of violence against women and girls (VAWG) – the Spotlight Initiative.
The Initiative is so named as it brings focused attention to this issue, moving it into the spotlight and placing it at the centre of efforts to achieve gender equality and women’s empowerment, in line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
The Spotlight Initiative will respond to all forms of VAWG, 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. In line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Initiative will fully integrate the principle of ‘leaving no one behind’.
Other Resources
Related News
Safe, effective family planning is key to ’empowering people, developing nations’ – UN
If the demand of women in developing countries who wanted access to safe and effective family planning was met, it would reduce an estimated 100,000 maternal death and avert 67 million unintended pregnancies, the United Nations population agency today said.
Education critical in preventing adolescent pregnancy, underscores UN agency
Girls with higher levels of education are less likely to have an early and unintended pregnancy, the United Nations education agency said today, launching a new technical paper with recommendations for the education sector.
Women scientists and youth take centre stage at UN-backed technology forum
As an international conference on science and technology wrapped up in Vienna, the head of a United Nations partner organization that works to end nuclear testing stressed that women have a "powerful voice" in the global scientific community.
Related Videos
UN Secretary-General appoints High-Level Expert Group on Beyond GDP
Media Advisory | The UN’s Science, Technology and Innovation Forum marks 10 years of bridging frontier knowledge and policy for sustainable development
More than 30-year difference in life expectancy highlights health inequities
Where you're born could be the difference between living over [...]
Hospital bombing deepens bleak situation for war-weary South Sudanese
Aid teams in South Sudan warned on Tuesday that repeated [...]