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Patriarchal social norms, practices and attitudes act as a barrier to survivors accessing legal and justice services. For example, families and communities may pressure VAWG survivors to stay silent or to use informal justice systems and to accept decisions that are not in their best interests. In cases of mediation, such decisions could include the expectation for survivors to apologise to the perpetrator and return to living with them, putting them at risk of further violence. Facilitating community discussions around the importance of survivor-centred justice mechanisms is key to creating…

Access to justice programmes should include VAWG survivors in decision-making from the design stage. This can be achieved by engaging with local women’s rights organisations led by or representing survivors. For many survivors, justice means more than punishing perpetrators. It is multi-faceted and subjective. For some, it may be linked to truth, recognition and dignity, for others it may be linked to collective healing, reparations, and accountability. Survivors are best placed to identify their priorities regarding justice and to understand whether and how different systems can support or…

WROs are more effective in addressing VAWG when they collaborate and work together, forging a collective strength that can help withstand the anti-gender backlash they often face. For example, while WROs are engaged as programme partners across all outcome areas of Spotlight Initiative, WROs receive particular support through a dedicated outcome area in Pillar 6 on strengthening women’s movements. This involves activities such as network-building, capacity-strengthening, institutional funding, and working to amplify the influence and agency of WRO’s work on ending violence against women and…

VAWG programmes that work with a range of WROs, representing the needs and priorities of diverse women and girls, are more likely to be inclusive and effective. Within Spotlight Initiative, the Civil Society Reference Groups serve as a valuable mechanism to encourage the participation of diverse WROs in the programme. For example, in Argentina, the Civil Society Reference Group expanded their membership to ensure a broader representation of women with different intersectional statuses and identities. New organisations joined the group, including representatives of women living with HIV/AIDS…

Co-designing VAWG programmes helps ensure that interventions are more relevant and responsive to the diverse needs of WROs and the communities they serve. By actively involving these organisations in the design process, it can increase the likelihood of sustainable, impactful programmes. It can also help ensure that programmes are more likely to reach diverse groups of women and girls. For example, in Grenada and Jamaica, WROs participated in the design phase of Spotlight Initiative calls for proposals to help increase the accessibility and inclusiveness of funding. For more information, see…

Core, flexible funding is vital for WROs because it provides the financial stability needed to plan, adapt, and sustain their work effectively. Historically, funding has been mainly programmatic, with fixed, often short, timeframes and limited flexibility for indirect/support costs. This constrained approach can leave WROs exposed during emergencies when programmes need to adapt or are cut, such as the COVID-19 pandemic or conflict outbreaks. For example, 91% of organisations surveyed in the Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF) 2021 annual CSO survey said their existence was at risk due…

Many WROs operate with limited resources, often volunteering their time and expertise to drive change. Offering financial remuneration for their participation in events and initiatives acknowledges WRO’s valuable contributions and helps cover any personal expenses incurred (e.g. mobile data and transportation costs). Spotlight Initiative has developed a Guidance Note on the compensation of Civil Society Reference Group (CSRG) members, which acknowledges that many WRO representatives engage in CSRG activities alongside their regular responsibilities, activism, and household/care work. The…

One of the most significant barriers for WROs in accessing funding is the complexity and lack of harmonisation in application and reporting processes. Key recommendations in the Spotlight Initiative Inclusive Funding Learning Brief include: streamlining processes (e.g. harmonised templates), sharing operational procedures on procurement, finance and HR, and improving communication and accessibility of information for WROs about how to access funding. For example, the Spotlight Initiative programme in Ecuador used a ‘piggyback’ modality to leverage a procurement process used by another UN…

Online violence and technology-facilitated gender-based violence (TFGBV) are potential risks that journalists can encounter, especially when women journalists are vocal about human rights, women’s rights and racism. This can lead to disinformation, intimidation and discreditation of media, as well as serious impacts on the personal health and physical safety of journalists. Newsrooms and media agencies therefore have a responsibility to be aware of TFGBV and its impacts, and should implement policies and best practices to manage safety and raise awareness. For example, journalists can be…

When working on public-facing campaigns and awareness-raising programmes, it’s important to prepare and ensure the availability of resources for the safe and confidential reporting and disclosure of violence. In many cases, media campaigns may lead to women and girls speaking about their experience of violence for the first time. Prompt referrals and services should be made available and publicised as part of campaigns in line with ethical standards.

Where media work directly involves survivors or covers an incident of violence, it is important to prioritise survivors’ rights to dignity…