ACT to End Violence against Women
![UN Women/Martin Jaramillo](https://www.unwomen.org/sites/default/files/2024-03/act-mockup.jpg?t=1710947562)
Violence against women and girls is the most pervasive human rights violation worldwide.
Nearly 30 years since the adoption of the Beijing Platform for Action, and despite concerted efforts by UN Member States, levels of violence against women have remained largely unchanged. The world is failing to eliminate violence against women.
Global emergencies, crises, and conflict have intensified the drivers and risk factors of violence against women and girls. Digitalization and technology have exacerbated existing forms of violence and led to the development of new forms.
However, there is more evidence than ever before showing that violence against women and girls is preventable. The presence of a strong and autonomous feminist movement is the single most critical factor to drive policy change in ending violence against women.
ACT to End Violence Against Women aims to accelerate efforts to eliminate all forms of violence against women through Advocacy, Coalition Building, and Transformative Feminist Action (ACT).
ACT is a new game-changing commitment between the European Commission and UN Women as co-leaders of the Action Coalition on Gender Based Violence (GBV), in collaboration with the UN Trust Fund. Through direct investments in feminist movements, strengthening intersectional alliances, and coordinating a shared advocacy agenda, ACT will amplify women’s rights movements as they coordinate their push for justice.
In the current context of pushback on gender equality and the rise in anti-rights movements, ACT will seek to create greater solidarity within the global movement to end violence against women.
![1 in 3 women globally have been subjected to physical or sexual violence at least once in their life.](https://www.unwomen.org/sites/default/files/2024-03/act-icon-01.png?t=1710955657)
1 in 3 women globally have been subjected to physical or sexual violence at least once in their life
![86% of women and girls are living in countries without robust legal protection from violence and discrimination. Only 0.2 % of overall aid and development spending was invested in gender-based violence prevention.](https://www.unwomen.org/sites/default/files/2024-03/act-icon-02.png?t=1710955671)
86% of women and girls are living in countries without robust legal protection from violence and discrimination.
![Only 5% of official development assistance was allocated to civil society organizations in developing countries.](https://www.unwomen.org/sites/default/files/2024-03/act-icon-03.png?t=1710955683)
Only 5% of official development assistance on GBV, on average, is being allocated to civil society organizations in developing countries.
ACT will initially be rolled out in two regions: Africa and Latin America. It will also work at the global level to elevate women’s rights movements advocacy priorities at international forums and to strengthen cross-regional networking, learning and strategizing.
To read more about ACT, download the programme brochure here.
Calls for proposals
Current calls for proposals within the ACT Programme:
- Strengthened coalition building, networking, leadership, and resilience of regional feminist women’s rights movements in East and Southern Africa
- Invitation for expressions of interest for the ACT Global Civil Society Platform on Ending Violence Against Women and Girls
Future funding opportunities within the ACT Programme will also be posted on this page.
ACT Civil Society Steering Committee
Women’s rights organizations/networks/coalitions or individuals may self-nominate or nominate other individuals for membership in the ACT Civil Society Steering Committee. If you would like to nominate a representative or yourself for the ACT Civil Society Steering Committee, please complete the below nomination form, attaching your/the individual’s CV, and send it to: [ Click to reveal ]
The deadline for submission of nominations is 20 May 2024.
![UNW-EU lockup](https://www.unwomen.org/sites/default/files/2024-05/unw-eu-lockup-en.png?t=1715015042)