The Spotlight Initiative focus on the following six mutually reinforcing programming outcome areas: Laws and Policies, Institutions, Prevention, Essential Services, Quality Data and Civil Society/Women’s Movement.
A guiding principle is that interventions are implemented under a comprehensive approach to tackle violence against women and girls at multiple levels, and through actions that complement each other in order to achieve sustainable results.
Root Cause: Patriarchal systems and gender inequitable social norms, attitudes, behaviours and harmful practices Control over women’s bodies, their bodily integrity, sexuality and reproduction, harmful practices
Underlying Causes: Discrimination against women and girls, historical and structural power imbalances between men and women, gender inequality causing women and girls’ lack of power and control, restrictions and limitations on women and girls’ freedoms, choices and opportunities (including safe spaces)
Drivers: Lack of punishment (impunity) for perpetrators of violence, witnessing or experiencing abuse as a child, substance (including alcohol) abuse by perpetrators, low levels of education for perpetrators, limited economic opportunities for women