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Once you have considered what the programme design could look like, examine the expertise and level of organisational capacity needed, as well as potential partners to implement the strategy to meet the priority needs of the community and challenges in the specific context. Consider whether a co-creation process is needed to develop the detailed programme interventions, keeping in mind the reach and intensity of activities to deliver a transformative intervention, the number of iterations, and what type of piloting/inception and adaptation phase is needed to test the intervention within the…

Not all programmes need to be designed from scratch. Some build on lessons from a pilot or initial phase, others adapt approaches that were promising in other contexts, and some scale up existing approaches proven effective in the given context. It is useful to consider which of these options might be appropriate in your context and why. 

Equally, you will need to consider what scope of programme is feasible within the timeframe and budget available. Programme managers are often faced with pressures to show quantifiable results in short timeframes. However, evidence and practice-based…

Effective VAWG programmes require a comprehensive design incorporating interventions to address key risk and protective factors in order to prevent violence, as well as work to strengthen response services for survivors of violence. In the case of the Spotlight Initiative, multiple partners worked together to develop a comprehensive approach.

However, it is also critical to understand what other organisations (e.g. bilateral donors, NGOs, women's rights organisations national and local government) are already doing or plan to do within the same geographical area and build synergies. Take…

Before selecting a specific programme strategy, review the global and local evidence on the implementation, results and impacts of different programme approaches. Take care to review which specific forms of VAWG were addressed through different strategies and whether the programmes have been implemented in similar contexts.

There are a number of useful sources including global evidence reviews, UN programming guidance (e.g. the RESPECT Women Implementation Package, the INSPIRE Handbook, the Essential Services Package) and individual programme evaluations that have been conducted to assess…

Prior to designing, adapting or scaling up a VAWG programme, it is useful to undertake a context and situation analysis. This involves identifying key data on VAWG, relevant research and other contextual information to determine which specific issues to address. Knowing who is most at risk and what is driving specific types of violence within the chosen context and across different levels of the socio-ecological model (individual, interpersonal, community, and policy level) helps to identify which programme approaches will be most effective. For more information, see page on Conduct Research…

By combining their expertise and practice-based knowledge, UN agencies can achieve a deeper understanding of how to prevent and respond to VAWG. Globally, UN agencies work together through the UN Headquarters Knowledge Management Group, of which Spotlight Initiative is a part. This group helps identify opportunities for inter-agency collaboration, including how to improve the uptake of knowledge and evidence across the wider UN system.

Collaboration can also help avoid duplication of efforts when it comes to monitoring, evaluation and research. For example, the UN conducts joint evaluations…

As part of wider UN reform, UN agencies are encouraged to explore opportunities to share costs, for example through joint missions, joint premises, joint capacity-building and by harmonising functions to eliminate duplication and reduce costs. An illustrative example comes from Papua New Guinea, where Spotlight Initiative RUNOs shared costs by working from the same office space. This arrangement allowed the Initiative’s Programme Management Unit to operate more efficiently and in a coordinated manner. By identifying similar opportunities, those working on EVAWG programming can increase…

Potential implementing partners and grantees can sometimes be put off applying for VAWG programmes due to complicated application and reporting processes. In many country and regional programmes, the Spotlight Initiative found that creating a single ‘Expressions of Interest’ (EOI) across UN agencies simplified the process. This way, organisations with limited capacity could apply more easily by submitting only one application instead of responding to multiple calls with different UN processes. After succeeding at the EOI stage, organisations then submitted individual bids for specific…

A key element of operating as ‘One UN’ is to collaboratively agree and follow a unified framework for addressing violence against women, that draws on the expertise of relevant UN agencies and evidence-based strategies.

RESPECT Women: Preventing Violence against Women Framework is a comprehensive framework to help policymakers and implementers with EVAWG programming. Developed by the World Health Organisation, with UN Women, the framework has been endorsed by 12 other UN agencies and bilateral partners.
INSPIRE Framework provides a similar UN framework for ending violence against children…

Holistic and comprehensive VAWG prevention, mitigation and response requires a multi-sectoral approach, including health, justice, education, security and social services - as well as engagement with women's rights organisations. Strengthening multi-sectoral approaches to VAWG helps address the multiple drivers of violence across individual, social, cultural and structural levels and helps ensure prevention and mitigation more effectively.

For instance, training staff or programme participants on survivor-centred approaches can help ensure that referral networks are established and improve…