The United Nations Trust Fund to End Violence against Women (UN Trust Fund) today kicked off its 16th year announcing more than  US$8 million in grants to 12 local initiatives in 18 countries. In ten countries, funds will be used to address violence against women in conflict, post conflict and transitional settings, including Libya for the first time. Also for the first time, the Fund received significant support this year from countries in Africa, Latin America and the Arab States region, a testament to the growing mobilization to address violence against women globally. Today up to seven in ten women are targeted for physical and or sexual violence in their lifetime and 603 million women live in countries where domestic violence is still not considered a crime.

The UN Trust Fund to End Violence Against Women is a testimony to the global consciousness that violence against women and girls is neither inevitable nor acceptable. The UN Trust Fund is a leading global grant-making mechanism exclusively dedicated to addressing violence against women and girls in all its forms. It supports effective initiatives that demonstrate that violence against women and girls can be systematically addressed, reduced and, with persistence, eliminated. To date, the UN Trust Fund has delivered more than USD 78 million to 339 initiatives in 127 countries and territories.  Established by UN General Assembly resolution 50/166 in 1996 and administered by UN Women on behalf of the UN system, the UN Trust Fund works with non-governmental organizations, governments and UN country teams to:

• Prevent violence against women and girls by empowering groups especially at risk of violence, including adolescent girls and indigenous or ethnic minority women, and engaging strategic groups such as youth, men and boys, and traditional and faith-based leaders in prevention efforts;
• Expand the access of women and girl survivors of violence to services including legal assistance, psychosocial counseling, health care, and building the capacity of service providers to respond effectively to the needs of women and girls affected by violence;
• Strengthen the implementation of laws, policies and action plans on violence against women and girls through data collection and analysis, building capacities of service providers and strengthening institutions to become more effective, transparent and accountable in addressing violence against women.

By supporting actions where they matter most, the UN Trust Fund is uniquely placed to meet the most urgent needs of women and girls and their communities. The programs supported by the UN Trust Fund also contribute directly to the advancement of the goals of the UN Secretary-General’s UNiTE to End Violence against Women campaign on the ground. The UN Trust Fund grants are awarded annually through an open, transparent process that ensures quality programming and rigor in the selection of grantees. The grant-making process is highly competitive. For instructions on how to apply, please consult the Application Guidelines. If you have questions, please contact the UN Trust Fund Secretariat.

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Source: UN Women