Project profile — Creating Space to Take Action on Violence Against Women and Girls

The expected outcomes for this project include: (1) strengthened engagement of key community leaders (including religious, private sector and political) and youth in advancing women's rights and the elimination of violence against women and girls, including CEFM; (2) greater access to support services and economic opportunities for women and girls affected by violence and CEFM; and (3) increased use of innovative knowledge, including best and emerging practices, and accountability systems to end violence against women and girls, including CEFM.

Results achieved as of (March 2020) include: (1) strong advocacy efforts since 2016 contributed to changes on the age of marriage for girls in Indonesia and Philippines; (2) the project was part of an historic achievement in the form of the ratification of Law No.16/2019 on Marriage in Indonesia. This raised the legal age of marriage for girls from 16 to 19; (3) in the Philippines, Child Early and Forced Marriage (CEFM) was discussed for the first time in a Senate plenary session in 2020; (4) 217 public declarations and actions made by influencers to end Violence against Women and Girls (VAWG) and CEFM, and in support of women rights and leadership; (5) 1,562 workshops undertaken with women and girls on their rights, building their confidence, leadership skills and capacity to self-advocate for access to support services; (6) 12 research papers completed on VAWG and CEFM to enable evidence-based program design and implementation; and (7) 83 exchange visits coordinated with influencers to increase their knowledge, skills and capacity to enact and implement laws, policies and accountability mechanisms to reduce VAWG and the prevalence of CEFM and directly reached a total of 275,000 beneficiaries.