Spotlight on femicide in Latin America
The European Union (EU) and the United Nations (UN) are announcing a EUR 50 million investment to end femicide—when a woman or girl is killed because of her gender—in Argentina, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico. Latin America is home to 14 of the 25 countries with the highest rates of femicide in the world, and 12 women and girls in the region are killed every day because of their gender.
The high-level event highlights interventions from world leaders, civil society activists, and celebrities, including the Heads of State of the five focus countries, Amina J. Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General, UN; Federica Mogherini, High Representative, EU; Neven Mimica, Commissioner for International Cooperation and Development, EU; Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Executive Director, UN Women; and Cecilia Suárez, Mexican Ariel Awardee and Emmy International nominated actress.
The Spotlight Initiative is a global, multi-year partnership between the European Union and the United Nations to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls. Launched with an overall commitment of EUR 500 million from the EU, the initiative represents an unprecedented global effort to invest in gender equality and women’s empowerment as a precondition and driver for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.
Follow the conversation via #SpotlightEndViolence. The event is being livestreamed.
Information for media: For interview requests, please contact adekoyejo.adeboye[at]unwomen.org.