Delivering as one: United Nations system progress on ending violence against women and girls (2019–2024)

This report provides an overview of how the United Nations system has advanced global efforts to prevent and respond to violence against women and girls (VAWG) over the past five years. Drawing from contributions from 36 UN entities and mechanisms to the Inventory of United Nations Activities to End Violence against Women and Girls, the report highlights collective progress achieved through coordinated action, joint programming, and partnerships with governments, civil society, and women’s rights organizations.

The report documents the UN system’s role in advancing global norms and standards, with notable developments on violence in the world of work, technology-facilitated violence, conflict-related sexual violence, and harmful practices. It showcases how coordination mechanisms and flagship joint initiatives—such as the Spotlight Initiative, the UN Trust Fund to End Violence Against Women, and other inter-agency programmes—have mobilized resources, strengthened laws and policies, expanded access to survivor-centered services, scaled up prevention efforts, and improved data and evidence.

At the same time, the report underscores persistent gaps, including uneven implementation of laws, limited financing, fragmented prevention efforts, data challenges, and growing backlash against gender equality. It emphasizes the central role of women’s rights organizations and feminist movements in driving sustainable change. Looking ahead to 2030, the brief calls for the UN system to deepen coordination, strengthen accountability, invest in evidence-based interventions at scale, and reinforce locally led, whole-of-society approaches to end VAWG.