UN Population Fund (UNFPA) on Tuesday opened a three-day workshop on the EU-UN Spotlight Initiative (SI) toward eliminating Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG).
Conceptualised in September 2017, the EU and UN launched the ambitious partnership to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls worldwide.
The initiative aims to mobilise commitment of political leaders and contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and specifically Goal 5 on gender equality and Goal 16 on inclusive and peaceful societies.
The initiative is backed by an initial dedicated financial envelope of 500 million Euros from EU, targeting large-scale investments in Asia, Africa, Latin America, the Pacific and the Caribbean, aimed at achieving significant improvements in the lives of women and girls.
The UNFPA Deputy Representative in Nigeria, Erika Goldson, while declaring the SI workshop open in Abuja, said that the initiative would change the dynamics of girls and women to be free from violence.
She urged Implementing Partners (IP) such as CSOs, NGOs, government MDAs who are working with UNFPA to achieve the goal of eliminating Gender Based Violence (GBV) in the country to be proactive toward achieving zero violence against women and girls.
She also encouraged them to reach out to the Fund for plans toward achieving the goal, as well as share new ideas and innovations.
A total of 250 million Euros out of the initial total 500 million Euros will be spent to implement the programme in Africa, namely Nigeria, Malawi, Liberia, Mali, Mozambique, Niger, Uganda and Zimbabwe.
In Nigeria, a pilot programme toward achieving the goal of the initiative is being carried out in six states, namely Lagos, Adamawa, Sokoto, FCT, Ebonyi and Cross River.
The initiative will later be extended to other states of the federation to ensure that girls and women live free of violence and can develop their potential and contribute to national development.
(NAN)
