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UN Women/Martin Jaramillo
UN Women/Martin Jaramillo

Violence against women and girls is the most pervasive human rights violation worldwide. 

Nearly 30 years since the adoption of the Beijing Platform for Action, and despite concerted efforts by UN Member States, levels of violence against women have remained largely unchanged. The world is failing to eliminate violence against women.

Global emergencies, crises, and conflict have intensified the drivers and risk factors of violence against women and girls. Digitalization and technology have exacerbated existing forms of violence and led to the development of new forms.

However, there is more evidence than ever before showing that violence against women and girls is preventable. The presence of a strong and autonomous feminist movement is the single most critical factor to drive policy change in ending violence against women.

ACT to End Violence Against Women aims to accelerate efforts to eliminate all forms of violence against women through Advocacy, Coalition Building, and Transformative Feminist Action (ACT). 

ACT is a new game-changing commitment between the European Commission and UN Women as co-leaders of the Action Coalition on Gender Based Violence (GBV), in collaboration with the UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women. Through direct investments in feminist movements, strengthening intersectional alliances, and coordinating a shared advocacy agenda, ACT will amplify women’s rights movements as they coordinate their push for justice. 

In the current context of pushback on gender equality and the rise in anti-rights movements, ACT will seek to create greater solidarity within the global movement to end violence against women.

ACT will initially be rolled out in two regions: Africa and Latin America. It will also work at the global level to elevate women’s rights movements advocacy priorities at international forums and to strengthen cross-regional networking, learning and strategizing. 

To read more about ACT, download the programme brochure here.

1 in 3 women globally have been subjected to physical or sexual violence at least once in their life.
1 in 3

1 in 3 women globally have been subjected to physical or sexual violence at least once in their life

86% of women and girls are living in countries without robust legal protection from violence and discrimination. Only 0.2 % of overall aid and development spending was invested in gender-based violence prevention.
86%

86% of women and girls are living in countries without robust legal protection from violence and discrimination.

Only 5% of official development assistance was allocated to civil society organizations in developing countries.
5%

Only 5% of official development assistance on GBV, on average, is being allocated to civil society organizations in developing countries.

ACT Global Civil Society Steering Committee

The ACT Global Civil Society Steering Committee is comprised of 16 women’s rights experts and activists working on ending violence against women from a diversity of perspectives and regions. The role of the steering committee is to ensure continuous alignment with the strategic priorities and needs of women’s rights movements and advise on the overall strategic direction of the ACT programme.

Calls for proposals

Future funding opportunities within the ACT Programme will be posted on this page.

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UNW-EU lockup