UN Trust Fund assesses impact on violence against women and frontline organizations

Violence against women and girls surged alarmingly as COVID-19 spread and governments introduced lockdown measures to contain it. This was the initial assessment of the UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women (UN Trust Fund), based on the responses of 144 civil society organizations (CSOs) operating in 69 countries and territories worldwide.

Six months into the crisis, the UN Trust Fund’s second assessment shows that the continued economic insecurity and movement restrictions are still driving increased violence against women and girls. It also highlights the urgent need to resource support services for survivors of violence provided by CSOs and women’s rights organizations (WROs) that are on the front line of community responses.

Violence increasing

• Women and girls are reporting increased levels of sexual violence as the most prevalent form of violence during the protracted crisis.
• Online harassment and harmful traditional practices are on the rise in some communities.
• Economic losses are exposing women and girls to extreme forms of violence, such as survival sex, child marriages, and female genital mutilation.
• Women and girls in marginalized communities, such as those living with disabilities, rural women, and migrant women, are among those most affected because of an increased lack of access to information and support services during the crisis.

“In several contexts, CSOs have not yet been recognized as essential specialist service providers in preventing and ending violence against women and girls, despite the fact that they have often been the first responders during the pandemic. Their participation, leadership, and adequate funding will be crucial in realizing national COVID-19 response plans.” – Shruti Majumdar, Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist, UN Trust Fund.

Recommendations

The global response to the rise in violence against women and girls during the pandemic must, among other things:

• Recognize CSOs and WROs as first responders and essential service providers, and give them the support they need.
• Recognize the role of women’s economic empowerment in global recovery and prevention of violence against women and girls.
• Include CSOs and WROs in national COVID-19 response plans, and support women’s movements.

Original source: UN Trust Fund