United Nations Population Fund

In the East and Southern Africa Region, UNFPA and WHO co-developed and co-facilitated a joint training to support integrated SRHR and GBV services. The 6-week training had around 90 participants from 14 countries in East and Southern Africa.

As of August 2021, 128 participants from 35 countries are enrolled in the kNOwVAWdata course, to develop and strengthen their skills on safe and ethical VAW data collection, analysis and reporting.

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. 

UNFPA leads the GBV Area of responsibility under the global protection cluster which is part of the IASC established coordination mechanism/architecture in humanitarian settings. As of 2021, UNFPA coordinates GBV response and prevention programmes in 35 humanitarian settings.

UNFPA contributed to Inter-Agency Humanitarian Evaluation (IAHE) Steering Group Review of Progress on Mainstreaming Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women and Girls into the Humanitarian, Development, and Peace Nexus Agenda and in the work going forward to promote strengthened mainstreaming in the triple nexus process.

UNFPA actively engages with the 16 Days of Activism with concerted efforts to move from activism to accountability. To reinforce accountability frameworks, we support training for health workers, police and judges to help them respond sensitively and appropriately to GBV survivors; and support the creation of laws and protocols that ensure the protection of survivors.

Since 2008 UNFPA, jointly with UNICEF, leads the largest global programme to accelerate the elimination of female genital mutilation (FGM) in 17 countries.

Since 2016 UNFPA, jointly with UNICEF, has been implementing the Global Programme to End Child Marriage across Africa, the Middle East and South Asia in 12 of the highest-prevalence and/or high-burden countries.

UNFPA is implementing with the The European Union and other UN Agencies the Spotlight initiative, focused on eliminating all forms of violence against women and girls in 26 countries. UNFPA leads or co-leads a number of programmes related to prevention, strengthened provision of comprehensive GBV and SRHR services,collection and use of data, as well as contributing to interventions across all pillars of the initiative.

On 12 March 2021, as part of the 65th session on the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), UNFPA, in collaboration with the European Commission and the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD), held a virtual inter-ministerial dialogue that resulted in countries committing to 10 points to action towards ending GBSS. 

As the IASC-mandated agency for coordinating GBV prevention and response in emergencies, UNFPA leads the GBV AoR and coordinates GBV sub-clusters in 32 humanitarian contexts.  UNFPA is also a core member of the IASC GBV Guidelines Reference Group strengthening the integration of measures to mitigate risks of GBV across all sectors in humanitarian action. 

UNFPA leads the GBV Information Management System (GBVIMS) at global level as well as national coordination mechanisms to strengthen case management and protect confidential and ethical management of GBV incident data. 

UNFPA is a partner in the UN Action Network Against Sexual Violence in Conflict (UN Action), strengthening system-wide responses to conflict-related sexual violence.  

It also collaborates in the UN Trust Fund to End Violence Against Women and the Inter-Agency Network on Women and Gender Equality (IANWGE) Task Force on VAW. 

Through the Spotlight Initiative, UNFPA works to eliminate VAW globally by addressing structural barriers, strengthening institutions, and promoting survivor-centred responses.  

UNFPA is also a key player in the RESPECT framework, a comprehensive approach to prevent GBV, and in the Essential Services Package (ESP), ensuring accessible, quality services for survivors of GBV. 

Additionally, UNFPA is at the forefront of addressing TFGBV, including its role in co-leading a coalition to integrate gender in the Global Digital Compact.  

UNFPA actively engages with the 16 Days of Activism with concerted efforts to move from activism to accountability.  

Since 2008 UNFPA, jointly with UNICEF, leads the largest Global Programme to Accelerate the Elimination of FGM in 18 countries. 

Since 2016 UNFPA, jointly with UNICEF, has been implementing the Global Programme to End Child Marriage in 12 of the highest-prevalence and/or high-burden countries. 

At the regional and national levels, UNFPA participates in UN country teams and humanitarian clusters to integrate GBV prevention, response, and risk mitigation across sectors, ensuring a survivor-centred and rights-based approach. 

In support of the UNFPA GBV Operational Plan, Flourish, UNFPA leads prevention efforts, emphasizing comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) as a key strategy for GBV prevention and gender equality. The EmpowerED! programme, launched in partnership with Global Affairs Canada, embodies this approach, reaching nearly 7.5 million adolescents and youth across 10 countries (Argentina, Benin, Colombia, Ethiopia, Ghana, Malawi, Moldova, the Philippines, Tunisia, and Zambia). Similar initiatives have been implemented in the Pacific, where UNFPA revised CSE curricula in six countries (Fiji, Vanuatu, FSM, Kiribati, Solomon Islands, and Tonga) to align with international standards. 

UNFPA also integrates GBV prevention within health systems, partnering with Ministries of Health through initiatives like the EU4GE Joint Project in Eastern Europe and Central Asia and a regional collaboration with the League of Arab States, supporting training to prevent violence against women and integrate prevention into primary health care. 

Community engagement remains central to UNFPA’s prevention efforts. The Arab States Regional Office has led regional campaigns in partnership with religious institutions such as Al Azhar to prevent GBV and harmful practices. In Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), UNFPA conducted a regional systematization across 18 countries, mapping good practices and sharing findings with 15 governments to advocate for increased investment in evidence-based prevention programmes. 

To further advance GBV prevention in educational settings, UNFPA developed the ‘4 Steps to GBV Prevention’ toolkit, a pedagogical resource implemented in six LAC countries (Bolivia, Argentina, Uruguay, Panama, the Dominican Republic, and Peru). 

In 2024, UNFPA co-hosted a global expert group meeting on femicide alongside UN Women and UNODC, with support from the Centre of Excellence for CRVS and kNOwVAWdata. This meeting brought together experts, activists, and victims' families to address critical issues surrounding femicide. Key topics included: 

• Developing conceptual and statistical frameworks for measuring femicide 
• The role of feminist review committees in identifying systemic failures and prevention strategies 
• Intersections with emerging issues like technology-facilitated GBV, suicidality, and sorcery-related violence 

The voices of victims' families were central to the dialogue, grounding discussions in lived experiences and underscoring the urgency of addressing femicide as the most severe form of gender-based violence (GBV). The meeting emphasized data-driven approaches, survivor-centred solutions, and multi-stakeholder collaboration to combat femicide globally. 

Follow-up documents are being developed, including a report highlighting key insights around prevention, response, and data, as well as a specific document on the strengths of the statistical framework and potential additional data sources beyond the judicial system. 

UNFPA LAC, under the Spotlight Initiative, conducted a series of multidimensional studies on feminicide in vulnerable contexts across Latin America. Notably: 

• In Peru, UNFPA supported the development of an inter-institutional protocol for addressing feminicide, attempted feminicide, and high-risk intimate partner violence. 
• In El Salvador, the campaign "Traces of Absence" raised awareness of femicide. 
• In Argentina, the "We Are More Than Numbers" campaign focused on prevention and awareness of femicide. 

UNFPA provides direct technical assistance to governments in developing, strengthening, and implementing policies for GBV prevention, response, and survivor support. This includes legal frameworks, national action plans, standard operating procedures (SOPs), emergency preparedness and response plans, and gender-sensitive policies across humanitarian, peace, and development contexts. UNFPA collaborates with ministries, parliamentarians, and other stakeholders to integrate GBV prevention into national development plans, social protection systems, and SRHR policies, including Universal Health Coverage. 

At the global and regional levels, UNFPA supports key international frameworks such as the Beijing Platform for Action, the SDGs, and UN Security Council Resolutions. 

Notable achievements include: 

• Nigeria: Strengthened partnership with the First Lady, leading to the first National Summit on Social Norms and GBV, which resulted in a national commitment to upholding the dignity and rights of women and girls. 
• North Macedonia (2021–2024): Supported a Multi-Sectoral Response Protocol, facilitated 11 bylaws (7 adopted), developed SOPs for Sexual Assault Referral Centres, finalized a survivor reintegration program, and supported the evaluation of the National Action Plan on implementing the Istanbul Convention (2018–2023), endorsed in 2024. 
• Latin America & the Caribbean: Advanced survivor-centred approaches in multi-sectoral response protocols across nine countries (Mexico, Peru, El Salvador, Panama, the Dominican Republic, Bolivia, Guatemala, Honduras, and Ecuador). 

UNFPA provides support, in terms of funding, knowledge management and capacity development to 98 countries, as they implement the Essential Services Package for women and girls subject to violence. In 2021, UNFPA in partnership with other UN agencies published a seventh module of ESP which provides guidance on estimating resource requirements for a minimum package of services. 

UNFPA works to make gender-based violence prevention and response services available to marginalized groups, such as refugees, people with disabilities, displaced populations, and indigenous people across 97 countries. As an example of UNFPA's intersectional approach to GBV, the We Decide Programme addresses GBV against women and young persons with disabilities, through strengthened prevention and response including accessible GBV services. The programme also supports women and young persons with disabilities to access SRH services, exercise their reproductive rights, and be empowered to make their own decisions free from discrimination and violence.

Due to its wide network of Offices, UNFPA is present before, during and after disasters. 1.2 million people reached with services related to gender-based violence (prevention, risk mitigation and response) in 46 countries.

UNFPA Regional and Country Offices in 113 settings work to integrate GBV and SRHR services. For example, UNFPA provided integrated, quality services for gender-based violence and sexual and reproductive health to 18,460 survivors in eight African countries.

In 2020, 76, 651 girls and women survivors or at risk of FGM received services in health care, social welfare, and access to justice.

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 works in partnerships with governments to develop legislation that is responsive to the needs of survivors and that is aligned with international laws and human rights standards. UNFPA provides technical, human and financial resources to support the development of national laws and largely engages with governments. By the end of 2020, as much as 96% of UNFPA Country Offices were involved in strengthening national legislation and policy. For example, in Kyrgyzstan, UNFPA contributed to the review of gaps in legislation resulting in expanded and improved services for survivors, increased awareness on gender-based violence and the utilization of new technologies during the pandemic. In the Gambia, UNFPA contributed to the approval of a law criminalizing FGM. And, in Nigeria the Violence Against Persons’ Prohibition Act has been adopted in 20 States in 2020 (bringing the total to 25 States).