United Nations Population Fund

UNFPA provided substantial support for legislative development in the following areas: 

• UNFPA supported the process of developing the Inter-American Model Law on digital violence against women of MESECVI.
• In Colombia, Perú, Bolivia UNFPA supported the development of the Child Marriage and Early Union Prohibition.
• In Colombia, UNFPA supported  the adoption of the law to eradicate Female Genital Mutilation.
• UNFPA Djibouti has taken landmark steps toward eliminating FGM through the adoption of a constitutional amendment to Article 16, explicitly prohibiting FGM under the ban on torture and cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment. This historic legal reform is reinforced by a national fatwa issued by religious leaders explicitly calling for the abandonment of FGM, marking a critical shift in both the legal and normative environment.
• UNFPA Somalia supported a major milestone in December 2025, when the President of the South West State enacted a law prohibiting FGM. The law criminalizes the practice and reflects a strong political commitment to protecting the rights of women and girls and advancing gender equality.
• UNFPA promoted rights-based law and policy frameworks that are survivor-centred and prioritise platform accountability.In partnership with Derechos Digitales, UNFPA released Guiding principles for law and policy reform to address Technology-facilitated Gender-based Violence: Towards a system of accountability at the end of 2025. These principles are based on a comparative analysis of eight global jurisdictions, predominantly from the Global South. UNFPA and UN Women, facilitated by Equality Now, are consolidating two similar documents set to be released in 2026, as well as exploring CSW opportunities.

UNFPA has continued to strengthen national and regional capacities to generate, analyze, and use data on violence against women: 

• For the kNOwVAWdata initiative, this includes a comprehensive learning programme that prioritizes safety and ethics in data collection and  use and   tailored technical support. Particular emphasis is placed on building sustainable in-country expertise, supporting national statistical offices, line ministries, and research institutions to institutionalize high-quality VAW data systems.
• Training and capacity-building activities under the Women at the Centre programme were implemented across all project countries to strengthen gender-based violence (GBV) prevention and response systems. These trainings were delivered to caseworkers, social workers, educators, health personnel, outreach workers, and community leaders. Key areas included GBV case management, survivor-centered approaches, referral systems, and Psychological First Aid. In El Salvador and Indonesia, structured certification and accreditation pathways were advanced, including university-based training systems and national institutional partnerships. Specialized training addressed health sector responses, including clinical care for survivors of sexual and intimate partner violence, as well as adolescent-specific GBV risks and prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEAH). In Madagascar, capacity building also covered disability inclusion and ethical GBV data management, while Zimbabwe emphasized community outreach and curriculum integration into social work education.
• UNFPA has also organized a dedicated internal technical session on the WHO global estimates on violence against women, aimed at strengthening understanding of estimation methods, data limitations, and their implications for national policy and programming.
• The UNFPA regional office in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) developed a virtual course on strategies to prevent Child Marriage and Early Unions (CMEU)
• In  2024, UNFPA led the successful launch of the GBV Case Management (GBV CM) e-learning program, in collaboration with UNHCR, available in four different languages (English, French, Spanish and Arabic). The program has seen widespread interest and participation, reflecting its value and relevance in  strengthening GBV response capacities. This  milestone highlights UNFPA’s collective commitment to enhancing skills and knowledge to better support  survivors of GBV in humanitarian settings.
• UNFPA ASRO completed a regional mapping of SBC approaches and joint tool review and co-joined a six-day Regional SBC ToT, with UNICEF MENARO, for 8 COs (Iraq, Sudan, Egypt, Yemen, Somalia, Jordan, Djibouti, Lebanon) producing actionable work plans and establishing a Regional SBC Community of Practice.
• UNFPA ASRO developed a “UNFPA's Foundational Women-Led Organization Capacity Strengthening Curriculum” a practical training resource designed to bolster the organizational and administrative capacities of women-led and women's rights organizations (WLOs/WROs) in humanitarian and development contexts. Developed through consultations with WLOs across the Arab States, the curriculum addresses capacity gaps identified directly by these organizations.   

UNFPA plays a pivotal role in addressing sexual violence in conflict by adopting a comprehensive approach focused on prevention, response, and survivor support, ensuring that survivors’ needs are met and their rights upheld. UNFPA collaborates with governments, humanitarian organizations, and civil society to provide essential services to women and girls affected by conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV). 

As the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) mandated agency for GBV prevention and response, UNFPA leads and supports multi-sectoral responses to GBV, including CRSV, coordinating efforts across health, legal, protection, and psychosocial sectors. This includes establishing GBV Sub-Clusters in humanitarian settings to coordinate responses, share information, and prevent duplication of efforts. 

As a member of UN Action Against Sexual Violence in Conflict and other global initiatives, UNFPA works to strengthen system-wide responses, supporting UN Security Council Resolutions on Women, Peace, and Security (1325, 1820, 1888, 1960) and collaborating with UNICEF, UN Women, and UNHCR to ensure a comprehensive approach to sexual violence in conflict. 

In 2024, UNFPA, with funding from the UN Action Multi-Partner Trust Fund (MPTF), directly supported CRSV survivors in Sudan, South Sudan, Ukraine, and Mali. Data collected through the GBVIMS on CRSV is shared with the Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Arrangements (MARA), adhering to strict safety and ethical protocols in countries such as South Sudan, Mali, Central African Republic, Somalia, and Iraq. UNFPA also co-leads MARA Working Groups in Myanmar, Mali, and the Central African Republic, strengthening responses through a survivor-centered approach. 

2024 highlights:  

• ASRO provides tailored support to seven crisis-affected countries (Sudan, Palestine, Somalia, Lebanon, Iraq, Yemen, Libya), offering essential medical supplies, GBV survivor assistance, MHPSS, and safe spaces for women and girls. It also supported 42 women-led organizations and enhanced GBV coordination in humanitarian contexts. 
• In Palestine, ASRO partnered with OHCHR for training on CRSV and safe referral processes. 
• WCARO worked with WHO to strengthen clinical management of rape (CMR) capacities, conducting ToT sessions in Côte d'Ivoire and Chad, and planning cascade training in Niger, Central African Republic, Chad, and Mali. 
• UNFPA Nigeria piloted a national CMR ToT focused on testing the new CMR-IPV inter-agency toolkit. 

UNFPA plays a pivotal role in supporting governments to develop legislation that is responsive to the needs of survivors while aligning with international laws and human rights standards. Through its technical expertise, human resources, and financial support, UNFPA supports governments in the development and implementation of national laws that effectively address GBV and ensure the protection of survivors. 

One notable example of UNFPA’s advocacy efforts is its successful work in The Gambia, where it helped uphold the 2015 law criminalizing FGM. UNFPA countered repeal efforts by providing technical support, fostering regional partnerships, engaging with parliamentarians, and collaborating strategically with religious and civil society leaders. This work highlights the importance of multifaceted approaches to legislative advocacy and survivor protection. 

UNFPA has also supported legal framework strengthening and the development of National Action Plans for GBV response across the EECA region (Eastern Europe and Central Asia). In 17 EECA countries, the focus has been on domestic violence prevention, protection, and survivor support, which reflects UNFPA’s comprehensive approach to legislation and policy development. 

Progress at regional and national level: 

• In Latin America, UNFPA has advanced critical GBV legislation. Notable achievements include the passage of comprehensive laws in Chile and bans on child marriage and early unions in Peru and Colombia. These legislative advancements demonstrate UNFPA’s active role in shaping policies that prioritize the rights and protection of women and girls in the region. 
• In the Arab States, UNFPA has partnered with the Arab Institute for Human Rights to build capacity in 9 countries for addressing violence against women and girls (VAWG) through the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) reporting process. This partnership highlights UNFPA’s commitment to improving accountability and monitoring mechanisms for human rights issues in the region. 

UNFPA is committed to strengthening the capacity of governments, implementing partners, and its own staff to prevent and respond to GBV effectively. Through comprehensive training and capacity-building initiatives, UNFPA equips all actors involved in GBV prevention and response with the necessary knowledge, skills, and systems. 

• As of February 2025, 300 participants from 67 countries have completed the kNOwVAWdata course, focusing on safe, ethical VAW data collection, analysis, and reporting. 
• ASRO supported Al-Azhar in conducting TOT workshops for students from Somalia, Djibouti, Sudan, and Yemen, training future religious leaders to address GBV, FGM, and child marriage. ASRO also helped develop a framework for a Religious Leaders Network to enhance collaboration in combating harmful practices. 
• In EECA, UNFPA strengthened multi-sectoral responses to GBV through regional ToT workshops, training 35 stakeholders per country and developing tools for monitoring and implementing standard operating procedures. 
• PSRO developed and rolled out a GBV Risk Mitigation Curriculum for the Pacific Sub-Region, focusing on climate disaster contexts, across 4 countries. 
• WCARO conducted capacity-building workshops on the Essential Services Package and GBV case management in The Gambia and Equatorial Guinea for UN personnel, government officials, and partners. 
• ​​​In LAC, UNFPA developed 3 self-administered virtual courses on the Essential Services Package, clinical management of sexual violence, and child marriage prevention, reaching over 10,000 public servants across 15 countries. From these courses, a community of practice was established, running from 2020 to 2022 and generating 20 webinars on GBV, with 1.6k subscribers and 198k views.  Moreover, since 2021, UNFPA and PAHO have developed a course on the clinical management of sexual violence in Latin America. The course has been disseminated at the regional level and is currently being rolled out by the ministries of health in four countries: El Salvador, Brazil, Guatemala, and Ecuador. 

UNFPA prioritizes staff capacity-building in the areas of GBV prevention, response, and risk mitigation, ensuring alignment with global standards and enhancing the organization’s ability to effectively address GBV. This includes training on essential frameworks such as the IASC GBV Guidelines, ethical data collection, and survivor-centered case management, equipping staff with the knowledge and skills to deliver impactful programs. 

UNFPA also invests in strengthening staff capacity to generate and analyze data, including prevalence and administrative data, ensuring that evidence-based programs and policies are at the forefront of their interventions. One example of this is the kNOwVAWdata initiative, which provides comprehensive training and support to countries to gather and use VAW data effectively. 

In addition to technical expertise, UNFPA fosters cross-regional learning through communities of practice and knowledge-sharing platforms, facilitating the exchange of insights and innovations across regions. The organization also promotes intersectional approaches that address emerging forms of violence, such as technology-facilitated GBV and coercive control, ensuring comprehensive strategies for all forms of violence. 

By embedding VAW prevention and response across its policies, programs, and staff competencies, UNFPA enhances its ability to drive inter-agency coordination, support national systems, and advance global efforts to eliminate violence against women. 

Key Capacity-Building Efforts in 2024 

• WCARO Regional Capacity-Building: In 2024, UNFPA WCARO provided targeted capacity-building support to Country Offices on social norms and harmful practices. This included in-person and virtual training, as well as a regional workshop with SWEDD, where participants from 14 countries were equipped with essential knowledge on social norms, programming, and GBV response. 
• Global Training on Technology-Facilitated GBV: In 2024, UNFPA facilitated global in-person training on Technology-Facilitated GBV (TFGBV), strengthening global capacity to address this emerging issue and ensure the implementation of evidence-based programming. 

UNFPA plays a pivotal role in data collection, analysis, and research to enhance understanding and response to VAW. 

One of its flagship initiatives, kNOwVAWdata, provides technical support and capacity-building for ethical and robust VAW prevalence studies. Launched in 2016 in Asia-Pacific, it has since expanded to Eastern Europe, Central Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America and the Caribbean. The initiative helps countries collect and use data to inform programming and monitor SDG 5 on gender equality. 

In humanitarian settings, UNFPA leads GBV administrative data collection through the Gender-Based Violence Information Management System (GBVIMS), ensuring ethical handling of sensitive data to improve response efforts. In 2024, the UNFPA Humanitarian Response Division conducted an external review of GBVIMS, assessing progress and UNFPA’s role as a lead agency. 

Regional Data and Research Efforts 

• West & East Africa: In partnership with UNICEF and the Innocenti Center, UNFPA launched an operational study in 2024 to develop technical guidance for FGM and child marriage programming in humanitarian settings. 
• Arab States: Published "Voices from Syria" and "Voices from Sudan," providing qualitative insights into GBV in crisis settings. 
• Asia-Pacific: Supports VAW prevalence studies, ensuring ethical and robust methodologies. From 2021-2024, APRO supported national surveys in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Indonesia, and Vanuatu—with 32 out of 36 countries having conducted at least one study, and 12 with comparable data to track changes over time. In 2024, APRO and the University of Melbourne published research on technology-facilitated GBV in Asia, including in-depth studies in three countries. UNFPA also ran GBV data learning sessions in four countries in the Pacific under the Spotlight Initiative, hosted a GBV data course in Fiji, and developed the GBV Administrative Data Toolkit for the Pacific. 
• Latin America & Caribbean: Conducted the first regional qualitative research on child marriage and early unions (CMEU) in eight countries, in collaboration with Plan International, making the issue more visible. Based on this research, UNFPA and UNICEF launched an inter-agency strategy to eliminate CMEU, including the Allies for Children and Adolescents Free of Harmful Practices regional platform. 

Through these initiatives, UNFPA strengthens evidence-based policies and interventions, ensuring accountability in the global fight against GBV and harmful practices. 

UNFPA plays a crucial role in supporting international legal and policy development on GBV through its active contribution to global frameworks, advocacy for key resolutions, and provision of technical expertise to shape international policies. 

Key Contributions and Global Frameworks 

• UN SG Reports on GBV: Given UNFPA’s extensive operational presence, it is a key contributor to the UN Secretary-General’s reports on GBV, ensuring the inclusion of critical data, analysis, and evidence to inform global policy decisions. 
• Special Representatives’ Reports: UNFPA also contributes to the reports of the Special Representatives on Violence Against Women and on Sexual Violence in Conflict, ensuring that programming realities, knowledge, and best practices from its operations in over 150 countries are reflected. 
• Support for Treaty Bodies and Frameworks: UNFPA contributes to international frameworks such as the Beijing Platform for Action, CEDAW, and other treaty body reporting mechanisms, ensuring that GBV is consistently addressed in international legal instruments. Additionally, UNFPA supports the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 and other relevant UN Human Rights Council resolutions on GBV. 
• Advocacy for National Legal Integration: UNFPA advocates for the integration of GBV prevention and response into national laws and policies, collaborating with governments to ensure that legal frameworks align with international human rights standards, and that the rights of women and girls are upheld globally. 

Global and regional Initiatives 

• Guidance on Technology-Facilitated GBV: In partnership with Derechos Digitales, UNFPA developed a Guidance for Rights-based Law Reform to address Technology-Facilitated GBV. This is a crucial step in shaping legal responses to emerging forms of violence. 
• AU Convention on Ending Violence Against Women and Girls: In 2024, UNFPA supported the African Union (AU) in developing a landmark Convention on Ending Violence Against Women and Girls. This first-ever continental legal instrument aims to prevent and eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls. The Convention was finalized at the end of 2024 and is expected to be endorsed in 2025. 
• Follow-up Mechanism of the Belém do Pará Convention: In 2024, UNFPA LACRO supported the Follow-up Mechanism of the Belém do Pará Convention in the Americas. This included contributing to the approval of Recommendation No. 5 on GBV against Afro-descendant women, which calls for a differentiated response to violence in contexts of racial discrimination. 

UNFPA enforces a survivor-centred approach by investing in partnerships, human capacity, and infrastructure to ensure survivors have access to high-quality case management and multi-sectoral services tailored to their needs. 

UNFPA supports 98 countries in implementing the Essential Services Package (ESP) for women and girls subjected to violence, providing funding, knowledge management, and capacity development. A pilot of ESP’s seventh module, which guides resource estimation for a minimum service package, is currently underway. 

UNFPA’s intersectional approach ensures inclusive service provision, including through initiatives like the WeDecide Programme, which strengthens GBV responses for women and young persons with disabilities. 

In line with the 2023-2025 Strategy and Operational Plan on GBV in Emergencies, UNFPA provided safety from GBV for 5 million crisis-affected people in 2024, with over 1,800 safe spaces offering women and girls emotional and physical refuge. Thanks to its extensive field presence, 1.2 million people in 46 countries accessed GBV-related services in 2024, including prevention, risk mitigation, and response. 

UNFPA works across 150 settings to integrate GBV and SRHR services. The Women at the Centre Programme, launched in Azerbaijan, El Salvador, Indonesia, Madagascar, and Zimbabwe, delivers psychosocial, health, legal, and protection services for women and girls in all their diversity. The programme strengthens case management systems through professionalized training and workforce development, benefiting 177,360 people from 2023-2024. 

In the Arab States, UNFPA enhanced GBV-SRH integration in humanitarian settings through the "Stronger Together" knowledge product, improving service quality in Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Yemen, Sudan, and Somalia. 

In EECA, UNFPA developed and rolled out a Multi-Sectoral Response to GBV training package, including a dedicated module on the intersection of disability, gender, and violence. SOPs for health sector GBV response were also established in five Pacific countries (Nauru, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, FSM, and Fiji). 

In LAC, a training initiative on ESP standards reached 8,000+ public servants in 12 countries. This process also documented promising practices in intersectional GBV responses, focusing on women with disabilities, Indigenous and Afro-descendant women, girls, and adolescents. 

Launched in 2024, Making All Spaces Safe is a UNFPA global programme supported by Global Affairs Canada, aimed at addressing the growing threat of technology-facilitated gender-based violence (TFGBV). The programme focuses on critical gaps in preventing and responding to TFGBV by integrating targeted activities into existing gender-based violence (GBV) programming and advancing rights-based laws and policies, as well as safety-by-design standards in technology development. The programme is structured around three key pillars: 

• Response 
• Prevention 
• Law and Policy 

Additionally, it includes two cross-cutting pillars: 

• Research and Evaluation 
• Convening Efforts 

Key Activities and Regional Efforts 

• UNFPA’s Role in Global Initiatives: UNFPA is an active member of the Technology and Innovation Reference Group under the global GBV Area of Responsibility. 
• Gender Analysis and Legislative Roadmaps: In 2024, a Gender Analysis of national legislation on TFGBV was conducted in the Pacific sub-region, as well as in Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Serbia, and Kosovo. As a result, Legislative Roadmaps for preventing GBV through information and communication technology (ICT) were developed in these countries. 
• Bodyright Campaign: Several UNFPA country offices have adapted and launched the Bodyright Campaign, including in Moldova, Costa Rica, Argentina, the Western Balkans (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, North Macedonia, Kosovo), Nigeria, and Mali. 
• Regional Initiatives in the Arab States: In the Arab States, UNFPA has focused on various approaches to address TFGBV. In Jordan, UNFPA partnered with the National Commission for Women to create a community awareness guide. In Egypt, UNFPA conducted multiple trainings on TFGBV for GBV service providers and university representatives. 
• Investing in Technology for Women’s Safety: UNFPA is also leveraging technology for women’s safety. For example: 
• Safe YOU app: Launched in Iraq and Romania, the app provides emergency support and a peer discussion platform. 
• Netopoly: In Tunisia, UNFPA developed Netopoly, an online board game aimed at educating adolescents on cyberbullying and online safety.