BRIEF 1: Regional Campaign Zero Tolerance for Violence Against Women and Girls

They included civil society organizations, ministries, political parties and members of parliaments, gender, and legal experts, researchers, and media. During the two-day conference, participants shared experience and expertise on violence against women and girls, the status of services for victims, legal frameworks, public awareness on VAWG, education, and media. They discussed shared regional challenges, mainly the legal discrimination against women and the inadequacy of protection mechanisms for women and girls victims of violence, as well as a broad social tolerance towards VAWG that has led to the impunity for perpetrators and victim-blaming. Participants also raised priorities specific to the different national contexts and discussed strategies to encourage the societies to stand up against VAWG, demand the criminalization of all forms of VAWG, and implement such legislation when available. A strong focus was put on primary and secondary education.