From the age-old manifestations of physical and sexual violence, to the advent of online abuse powered by artificial intelligence, the issue of gender-based violence seems intractable and pervasive.
However, I am here today to unequivocally say that ending violence against women and girls is not only imperative — it is possible.
And the Spotlight Initiative is showing us the way.
The Initiative’s comprehensive programming model works alongside governments and community to foster gender-responsive laws, policies, and institutions.
It focuses on preventing violence, changing harmful social norms, providing high-quality services for survivors, and ensuring that perpetrators are held accountable.
The Initiative places civil society and women’s movements at the heart of our work to end the scourge of violence against women and girls.
This response, now implemented across more than 25 countries, will help to prevent 21 million women and girls from experiencing violence by 2025.
That is why I am excited to launch ‘Unprecedented Impact: a pathway for ending violence against women and girls’ – the Spotlight Initiative’s impact report covering highlights and results from its first phase from 2017-2023.
Among its many astonishing results, the Initiative has doubled conviction rates for perpetrators across 13 countries, leading to over 13,000 convictions.
The Initiative has ensured an increase in national budgets dedicated to addressing gender-based violence by nearly 13-fold across 13 countries.
The results are inspiring. Nearly three million women have accessed essential services, and six million men and boys have been educated on respectful family relationships, non-violent conflict resolution, and positive parenting.
Excellencies,
Violence against women and girls exacerbates poverty and marginalization, and directly affects their physical, sexual, emotional and mental health. Girls who experience violence are more likely to drop out of school and lose out on an opportunity to learn and build a future for themselves.
The Spotlight Initiative advances a comprehensive approach to programming that attacks the root causes of violence centering the voices of women and girls themselves.
In just five years, this partnership has proven to be an effective model for accelerating progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals – from ending poverty, to universal health and education and achieving gender equality.
None of this progress is possible without the commitment of Member States.
I want to congratulate Member States in the room for their commitment and leadership that has led to the progress made in ending violence against women and girls, in partnership with the Spotlight Initiative.
I thank the European Union for their vision and unwavering commitment, demonstrated by a historic investment in the Initiative.
I recognize the governments of Belgium and the United States for becoming the most recent contributors to the Spotlight Initiative’s next phase.
And I applaud civil society partners, who have been central to the Initiative’s work and its success since its launch in 2017.
Excellencies, Colleagues and friends,
Despite the groundbreaking success so far, much more remains to be done to end violence against women and girls worldwide. We must reach every woman who survives and those at risk.
I call on Member States here and across the globe to contribute additional and much-needed investments into the Spotlight Initiative. The return will save lives and change societies.
With your support, we hope to scale the Initiative to become a $1 billion fund that will move us all towards the elimination of the global incidence of violence for the one in three women.
Together, we can ensure no woman or girl is left behind in darkness and fear.
Thank you.