Development Partners roundtable for Resourcing and Aligning Interventions on Gender-based Violence

Excellencies, distinguished partners, colleagues – Good morning

It is both an honor and a critical responsibility to join you today for this Development Partners Breakfast Roundtable as we come together to confront one of the most pressing issues facing the country and the region—gender-based violence. 

This is not just a crisis of individual suffering but a systemic issue that undermines the very fabric of our societies, threatening the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and, more importantly, the dignity and rights of women and girls.

Today’s gathering represents the next step in a journey we have all committed to and offers the opportunity to connect as a follow-up to the UN High-Level Partnership Roundtable launch on addressing Gender-Based Violence in Southern Africa held on 10th October 2023.

Today’s gathering represents the next step in a journey we have all committed to. 

The launch of the Spotlight 2.0 initiative, building on the success and lessons of its predecessor, is an ambitious yet necessary response. 

Together, we seek to accelerate the implementation of the South Africa National Strategic Plan on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF), launched in 2020. 

The plan’s Six Pillars align with both global and regional commitments, and our work here today must complement and strengthen those efforts.

But we cannot achieve this alone. 

The strength of the Spotlight Initiative lies in collaboration. 

The multi-sectoral approach we are advocating for—bringing together governments, civil society, the private sector, academia, and international organizations—mirrors the complexity of the issue. 

Gender-based violence cannot be solved in isolation.

It requires a comprehensive strategy that addresses legal reforms, harmful social norms, economic inequality, and access to services. 

This is where the power of our collective action lies.

A few weeks ago, I had the honour of attending the Second Southern Africa Symposium on Preventing Gender-based Violence hosted by Switzerland, Sweden, and Ireland as well as the 2Gether 4 Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) Dialogue with UNAIDS, UNFPA, UNICEF, WHO and the Embassy of Sweden. 

Both events unequivocally illustrate that strengthened collaboration through joint action and scaled up interventions is integral to achieving a coordinated response in South Africa and across the region.

As we map out the donor landscape and finalize the Resource Mobilization Strategy, let me emphasize that our work goes beyond financial resources. 

This is about leveraging the knowledge, expertise, and innovative practices of all partners to craft solutions that are context-specific, inclusive, and scalable.

Evidence-based programs, targeting root causes like gender inequality, must be at the heart of our interventions if we are to see real, transformative change.

The vision of Spotlight 2.0 is clear: to create an environment where women and girls live free from fear and violence. 

To achieve this, strong financial commitments are crucial, but so is coordination. 

One of the key priorities of today’s discussion is to mobilize long-term, sustainable resources. 

Gender-based violence has far-reaching economic consequences, stifling women’s participation in the workforce and, by extension, national development. 

Therefore, this is not just a women’s issue—it is a societal one, and an economic one. 

It is time for all sectors to step up and recognize that investing in gender equality and ending violence is not just a moral obligation but a driver of sustainable development.

The recent Private Sector Symposium Against Gender-based Violence and Harassment is a clear signal that the private sector is also stepping up to confront this challenge head-on, recognizing the critical role companies and bosses play in rectifying internal practices and shaping the culture, changing social norms, and values of our society.

We are encouraged further by the collaborative efforts of the United Nations, national governments, development partners and civil society across the six Southern African countries involved—Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa, and Zambia.

The cross-border partnerships reflect the shared challenges we face, and the regional approach allows for the exchange of best practices and the scaling up of successful initiatives. 

Our collective action today will set a foundation for future success.

With the upcoming 16 Days of Activism, let us reaffirm our commitment and ramp up our efforts towards addressing GBV.

Let me conclude by reiterating the United Nations' unwavering commitment to this cause and to championing positive masculinity that supports the protection and inclusion of women and girls.

The Spotlight 2.0 initiative is an opportunity to break the cycle of violence and to Leave No One Behind. 

Our message to all partners, donors, and stakeholders is simple: Together, we are stronger. 

The only way forward is through partnership, accountability, and action.

Thank you for your continued commitment and I look forward to a reflective and impactful discussion. 

Background for Interactive Session

GBV Statistics in South Africa Factsheet [Main Source from StatsSA]

1. Approximately 51,1% (30,5 million) of the population of South Africa is female.
2. One in five (21%) partnered women has experienced physical violence by a partner (Ever Experienced)
3. The prevalence of physical violence was greater among less- educated women than those with secondary education or higher.
4. The prevalence of physical and sexual violence decreased with the wealth quintile.
5. Ever- experience of partner violence is highest in the Eastern Cape for physical violence while North West had highest rates of sexual violence ever experienced.
6. Despite the National Strategic Plan adopted by the country in 2020 to address GBVF, the number of reported cases continues to rise. Between April 2022 and March 2023 alone, a staggering 53,498 sexual offences were reported to the South African Police Service (SAPS), with rape accounting for 42,780 of these cases. However, the accuracy and reliability of data related to GBVF remains a critical concern.
7. The KPMG report released in 2014 estimated the costs of GBVF in the country to be between R28 billion and R42 billion per year, which amounts to 0.9% and 1.3% of the country’s annual GDP. The impact of GBVF is thus not only socio-medical but also economic, which is detrimental to the country’s prospects for further economic growth.
8. According to the NSP, most incidents of GBVF remain undocumented, underreported, and unaccounted for within national statistics.
9. This is despite reliable and credible data being the bedrock for policy formulation, planning, costing, implementation, evaluation, and reviewing of programmes and policies. Reliable data is central to ensuring that resources are allocated accurately as budgets follow reliable data sets.

Background Information: 

• Prior to the 10 October event, the United Nations' Offices in Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa, and Zambia conducted consultations with national and regional stakeholders, including UN Agencies, Governments, and Civil Society Organizations, demonstrating a high-level commitment from government and partnerships with key donors, the private sector, and civil society.
• Evaluations of the Spotlight Initiative 1.0 have shown that adopting a regional approach strengthens the agenda to eliminate violence against women and girls at the level of regional interstate bodies. It also helps establish new intergovernmental accountability frameworks that governments can use to report back to their regional institutions on the extent to which they have applied actions to eliminate violence against women and girls.
• Building on the substantial lessons and unprecedented impact realized in the first phase of the Spotlight Initiative to Eliminate Violence Against Women and Girls, the six countries in the Southern Africa region are embarking on an ambitious endeavor to bring the Spotlight Initiative here.
• The Spotlight Initiative demands a comprehensive approach that unites the UN, grounded in civil society response, and guided by governments. These are large-scale efforts that match the scope of the problem. It is clear that the scattered, “confetti-style” programming of the past will not bring the transformative change required to end violence against women and girls in Southern Africa.
• Our plan involves contextualized country programs, connected and amplified through sub-regional support.
• This Initiative is founded on the principle of leadership by governments at the highest levels. Presidents, Prime Ministers, ministries of finance, planning, and development play crucial roles in emphasizing our collective responsibility and accountability for promoting the safety, well-being, engagement, and potential of all women and girls.

South Africa Specific Context:

1. The South African National Strategic Plan on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF-NSP) offers a strategic opportunity for collaboration between Development Partners and the South African Government by providing a multi-sectoral framework to address the GBV crisis comprehensively. This collaboration can enhance resource mobilization, technical expertise, and coordinated efforts to effectively prevent GBVF, support survivors, and strengthen the criminal justice response.
    
2. The South African National Council on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide Act No.9 of 2024 is about the establishment of a dedicated council to coordinate efforts against GBV and femicide. This presents a strategic opportunity for Development Partners to collaborate with the South African Government by leveraging a structured platform for resource sharing, policy alignment, and multi-sectoral engagement to effectively combat GBV and support victims.
    
3. The South Africa Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF) Response Fund, along with the Private Sector Coalition on Gender-Based Violence and Harassment, offers a strategic opportunity for collaboration by pooling resources and expertise from both public and private sectors. This partnership can enhance the effectiveness of GBVF interventions through coordinated funding, awareness campaigns, and support services, ultimately leading to a more comprehensive and impactful response.
    
4. Despite the comprehensive framework of the NSP, significant financial gaps remain, particularly in funding for grassroots initiatives and survivor support services. These gaps hinder the full implementation of the plan’s six pillars, including prevention, response, and economic empowerment of women. Addressing these financial shortfalls is crucial for achieving the plan’s goals and ensuring a coordinated, effective response to GBVF in South Africa.

Information on the Spotlight initiative evaluation report 

The Initiative was set up as an SDG model fund that puts the elimination of violence against women and girls as a precondition to achieve gender equality (Goal 5), to promote peaceful and inclusive societies (Goal 16) and more broadly to advance all SDGs and realize the 2030 Agenda. 

1. A 2022 impact modelling study prepared by the Dalberg advisors showed that the Initiative has already had a direct impact on other SDGs, most notably SDG 3 on Health, SDG 4 on Education and SDG 8 on Economic Growth. Specifically, the Initiative has:
   • Pre-empted critical physical injuries for 2,500 women and girls and the onset of serious psychological distress for 320 women and girls every day.
   • Saved 2 women’s and girls’ lives every day.
   • Safeguarded survivors from losing 30% of their annual earning potential.
   • Added back 43 million productive days a year.
   • Enabled role modelling of gender-equal values and relationships for 90 million children.

   • Finally, due to the intergenerational nature of the Initiative, we are projected to have kept 5 million more girls in school by 2050 and will have prevented 21 million women and girls from experiencing violence by 2025.

      

2. The model draws on proven initiatives from across the world, weaving the best of what works into a comprehensive whole to deliver sustainable impact. Spotlight Initiative does not replace the work of individual UN entities but rather creates a neutral “big tent” under which everyone’s bespoke efforts can come together for maximum effect. This is not only good practice and the most ethical way to approach social justice issues but is also the most efficient way to invest resources. Indeed, we are at the vanguard, demonstrating the future of funding development assistance.

The Initiative is unique in four ways. 

• First, it mobilizes unprecedentedly large-scale resources—both financial and non-financial. 
• Second, it invests roughly 50% of its programme funding directly into women’s rights organizations and movements. 
• Third, Spotlight Initiative promotes a multi-sectoral approach to the complex issue of violence against women and girls and its variety of root causes. by working on multiple, mutually reinforcing pillars that necessitates the engagement of many different stakeholders, including diverse Government ministries and a range of UN entities. 
• Fourth, Spotlight Initiative acts as a unique convener for a range of partners to unite under a common approach. Acting as a bridge between disparate groups of stakeholders, we enable collaborative action where none existed. We help to convene governments, civil society, community leaders, the private sector, academia and from within the UN to define the problem and identify the best interventions to reduce violence against women and girls in their local contexts. 

Spotlight Initiative presents a radical shift in how we have historically approached this issue. From previously disconnected and small-scale projects, the Initiative unifies communities, civil society, governments, donors and experts under a common approach rooted in local needs. Its position in the Executive Office of the Secretary-General and with Resident Coordinators at country level elevates the issue. Leadership by government at the highest levels – presidents and PMs, ministries of finance, planning, development – further serve to emphasize our collective responsibility and accountability to promoting the safety, wellbeing, engagement and life-potential of all women and girls. 

• The 2023 report of the European Court of Auditors observes that the ambitious Initiative has delivered positive achievements and addressed beneficiaries’ needs but needs more time and resources to root its results. This finding was reinforced during last Thursday’s presentation of the report by the auditors to the EC, where members lambasted the auditor’s focus on “value for money” when discussing women’s lives, celebrated the results achieved to date (noting impact in this area requires significant time), and called for a reinvestment of resources.
   
  • That said, many of the recommendations in the report have already been taken on board, such as more streamlined and contextual programming in the future, the call for greater efficiency, and improved monitoring and knowledge management. 
     
• New investments are already coming in. The EU has invested 18M in the global Secretariat, with Belgium contributing an additional unearmarked 2.5M. Spain, Qatar, the World Bank and others are seeking opportunities to join in. And EU delegations are investing anew in our legacy countries and spearheading new investments. We are excited to welcome the 6 countries participating in this effort into the Spotlight fold and welcome your support. 

Structure of the Initiative, the ECA conclusions are misleading, misunderstanding the nature of a technical assistance programme such as Spotlight Initiative and the types of costs included. The 31% figure quoted by ECA conflates management costs with technical assistance, and investments in M&E, communications, and knowledge management. Critically, it neglects to consider how essential it is to invest in coordination for effective, multi-stakeholder engagement. No one likes to be coordinated, least so the UN. Investing in human resources in support of this essential function has been one of the greatest assets to ensuring Spotlight’s impact.

Call to Action:

• Independent projections show that the Spotlight Initiative is 70%–90% more effective at reducing the prevalence of violence, compared to a model that focuses on only one pillar or works in silos. With an additional €300 million investment over five years, the Initiative could drive the prevalence rates from 1 in 3 women experiencing violence in her lifetime to 1 in 5. Our 1B USD ambition could drive this rate to 0, and prevent the killing of women, which is most prevalent in this continent.