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In 2021, the Spotlight Initiative programme in Mozambique worked with local leaders to support them to prevent child marriage. They established provincial forums of traditional authorities in three provinces where 133 informal and formal decision-makers were engaged in dialogues on gender and VAWG. Overall, 1,038 community leaders took part in “reflection sessions” to discuss ways to prevent child marriage.

“Behaviour change takes time. With the support of the Government and Spotlight Initiative, we are leading several community-driven actions towards gender equality” - Community leader from…

In March 2022, Spotlight Initiative, through a partnership with the UN Trust Fund, created a multi-stakeholder online hub for global exchange called SHINE. SHINE Hub operates as a knowledge platform that brings together EVAWG practitioners, including government, civil society, the United Nations, the European Union and others for active engagement to end violence against women and girls, and in the co-creation of knowledge.The platform is accessible in more than 100 languages. It supports the creation, collaboration and amplification of knowledge and provides an online space to engage in…

In Uganda, following the delivery of capacity strengthening sessions with government stakeholders, host and refugee communities advocating for EVAWG and the safety of women, new commitments were made in Yumbe District, which had a high prevalence rate of teenage pregnancies. Local authorities advocated for police to adequately investigate and bring perpetrators of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) to justice. In Adjumani District, a GBV ordinance is being pushed for by district women councillors (women caucus) and has received support by the local chairperson.

Additionally, through ‘security talks’…

As part of Spotlight Initiative, UNFPA in Timor Leste mapped quantitative and qualitative data on violence against women and girls in order to inform capacity building and training on data literacy and gender statistics for civil servants. Specifically, data was collected in Dili, Bobonaro, Viqueque and Ermera and involved a literature review and secondary analysis of the 2015-2016 Demographic and Health Survey. The mapping reviewed types of violence (physical, sexual and emotional), demographic characteristics, behavioural factors, vulnerable groups, and help-seeking behaviour. Overall, the…

During Spotlight Initiative's programme delivery in Argentina, the Women's Office of the Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation, the Specialised Prosecutor's Unit on Violence against Women of the Public Prosecutor's Office and the Ministry of Security of the Nation were responsible for recording, systematising and analysing information on femicides. Prior to the start of the programme, these three separate state institutions maintained their own femicide data, using different methodologies, definitions and indicators. The result was a situation where the state's own data on the violent deaths…

In Malawi, the Spotlight Initiative team set up monitoring structures at district level called “communities of practices”. These were composed of diverse stakeholders and led by district officials, taking a decentralised approach to create a more autonomous approach to reporting. They were  instrumental to ensuring local ownership, and engaging marginalised and rural communities – in keeping with the Leave No One Behind principle.Through focus groups discussions, key informant interviews and one anonymous survey, this inclusive process had two main objectives: to check whether women and girls…

The Spotlight Initiative established the first-ever National GBV Data Situation Room and Dashboard, in close collaboration with Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Women Affairs (FMWA) and other partners. This innovative data management and visualization platform is designed to enable a systematic collation of VAWG cases using a bottom-up approach from the community to national levels. The online reporting platform is a critical component of the initiative, providing timely analytics and real-time visualization of validated administrative data on reported GBV cases in Nigeria.

"Knowing that the…

Spotlight Initiative in Grenada worked in close collaboration with national partners to develop an online data system to improve the collection and use of administrative data on violence against women and girls. The online platform was developed in 2022 with the Central Statistical Office and the National Data Centre of Grenada, following extensive consultation with civil society and with key stakeholders in the public sector, including the Royal Grenada Police Force.

“The adoption of a data collection system that produces harmonized statistics that informs policy directives and evidence…

Spotlight Initiative in Mozambique supported the innovative gender-based violence (GBV) data management system “InfoViolência”. This web-based application, designed for registering and managing GBV cases, represents a significant advancement in data collection and analysis. Launched in 2018 and piloted in 2021, InfoViolência allows the referral of survivors to relevant institutions, such as health services (Ministry of Health), justice administration (Prosecutors and Courts), and Centers for Integrated Care (coordinated by the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Action).

"InfoViolência…

To sustain long-term impacts beyond programming timeframes, it can be useful to focus efforts on establishing gender-equitable policies and mechanisms. For example, laws to end VAWG, gender mainstreaming policies, new gender bodies and mechanisms, and comprehensive sexuality education in national curricula.

In Ecuador, Spotlight Initiative programme has strengthened institutional gender units within various governmental departments, including the Ministry of Education and the Legislative Assembly, which has cultivated a sustained focus on gender issues in the government and ministries that…