EU and UN fight against domestic violence in the Pacific region

The European Union and the United Nations are announcing a €50 million investment to tackle domestic violence in the Pacific region, as part of the EU-UN Spotlight Initiative.

The €50 million contribution will fund new programmes to support concrete measures to end domestic and gender-based violence. It will do so by supporting preventive measures, and by providing protection and quality services to victims. Such measures will be accompanied by broader efforts to ensure women’s economic empowerment and their participation in all aspects of society.

Commissioner for International Cooperation and Development, Neven Mimica stressed: “Two out of three women in the Pacific region suffer from domestic and gender-based violence. But it is not an exclusively “Pacific” problem – it is a global problem. We must all join forces with partner governments and civil society. With an additional €50 million investment we are building on and expanding existing efforts to help end violence against women and girls in the region.”

Today’s Spotlight Initiative high-level event for the Pacific marks the beginning of a consultative process between governments, regional bodies, civil society and development partners to design a programme that seeks to end domestic violence in the region. The event brought together heads of state and government representatives from Pacific states, religious leaders, high-level representatives from the European Union and United Nations, survivors of gender-based violence, and civil society leaders to share their experiences and confirm their commitment to eliminating violence against women and girls.

Original source: European Commission
Published on 26 February 2019