Update on the Spotlight Initiative Mid - Term Assessment: Eliminating all forms of violence against women and girls
In October 2020, hera was awarded a two-year contract with UN WOMEN for the Mid-Term Assessment of the Spotlight Initiative, a multi-year initiative between the European Union (EU) and the United Nations (UN), focused on eliminating all forms of violence against women and girls (VAWG). hera director Marieke Devillé is overseeing this project and is working closely with a core team of five regional team leaders and collaborating with a large group of national and regional consultants, and a diverse reference group providing quality assurance. Project Officer Eléonore Deboutte is managing the project.
Now, over a year into the contract, the team has completed 12 country Mid-Term Assessments (MTAs), 1 regional MTA for Latin America, and 1 meta-review of Latin American and African programmes. Additionally, there are 10 ongoing MTAs in the Pacific, Caribbean and Central Asia with another 3 to start in January. Look for more updates in 2022 on this work.
As we reflect on the 16 days of activism against gender-based violence, it is important to look at the strength of these programmes to ensure that continued, targeted and effective efforts reach those who need them. With our meta-review of Latin American and African programmes, we were able to analyse the building blocks and driving forces of successful programmes while exploring the restraining forces at the country level, providing recommendations to help improve future efforts.
As a rights-based cooperative, gender equality and women's empowerment has always been central to our work. hera is proud to be a signatory to the Women's Empowerment Principles, an initiative from UN Women and the UN Global Compact and will continue to work on initiatives such as the Spotlight Initiative, focused on eliminating all violence against women and girls and standing up for human rights. #Orangetheworld #16days
Please contact us if you wish to learn more about hera, our work on the Spotlight Initiative or any projects or issues.