Spotlight is launched in Central Asia

Kazakhstan has officially launched the Spotlight Initiative Regional Programme for Central Asia and Afghanistan as part of 16 days of activism to combat gender-based violence.

Spotlight Initiative (SI) is a global partnership between the European Union (EU) and the United Nations (UN) to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls (VAWG), including harmful practices.

"Spotlight is a regional programme with $4.3 million budget and is part of a global initiative funded by the European Union in more than 25 countries and regions aimed at combating various forms of violence against women. The programme focuses on strengthening efforts to end sexual and gender-based violence against women and girls in Central Asia and Afghanistan", the UN Office in Nur Sultan noted in the statement.

Ultimate goal of the Spotlight Programme for Central Asia and Afghanistan is to create an environment where there is zero tolerance for sexual and gender-based violence and harmful practices, which will be facilitated by national stakeholders and about 35 million women and girls in five Central Asian countries and Afghanistan.

Spotlight Programme will also include digital literacy training and involvement of key stakeholders in promotion and protection of rights of women and girls. The initiative is coordinated by Office of the UN Resident Coordinator in Kazakhstan and implemented through the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and UN Women.

The project was launched worldwide in 2016 with a global financial commitment of 500 million Euro from the European Union.