An international coalition aimed at preventing violence against women and girls and strengthening global accountability has been launched at the Global Partnerships Conference in London,
jointly hosted by the United Kingdom and South Africa.
The initiative, announced by UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, brings together eight founding countries — the UK, South Africa, Brazil, Morocco, Spain, Jamaica, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Australia — in what officials describe as a coordinated effort to accelerate action against gender-based violence worldwide.
Framed as a partnership-driven approach to development, the coalition emphasises country-led priorities, social inclusion, and protection of vulnerable groups. It builds on existing UK–South Africa cooperation, including the Gender-Based Violence and Femicide Response Fund, which supports prevention programmes, survivor services, and community-based interventions.
Gender-based violence remains a pervasive global challenge, affecting an estimated one in three women. In South Africa, where it is treated as a national emergency, officials say participation in the coalition will reinforce domestic efforts to address domestic abuse, sexual violence, and emerging threats such as online harassment.
Under the agreement, member states will collaborate to expand prevention strategies, strengthen protection systems, share policy expertise, and improve accountability mechanisms for perpetrators. The coalition will also address violence in conflict and humanitarian settings, where risks to women and girls are significantly heightened.
The announcement forms part of a broader agenda at the Global Partnerships Conference, which highlights the importance of inclusive development, resilient institutions, and human rights protection as foundations for sustainable progress.
Speaking at the launch, Cooper described violence against women and girls as “a global emergency,” calling for coordinated international action to ensure safety is prioritised across borders.
She said countries involved in the coalition share a common responsibility to ensure women and girls can live free from fear of violence, adding that lasting peace, security, and prosperity cannot be achieved otherwise.
Looking ahead, the UK plans to convene a global summit in 2027 to review progress and encourage further commitments. Coalition members are expected to develop and strengthen national action plans as part of that process.
The initiative also aligns with wider UK domestic and international efforts to reduce violence against women and girls, including a pledge to halve related crimes within the next decade and continued funding for prevention and response programmes worldwide. Photo by Simon Dawson / No10 Downing Street, Wikimedia commons.
