Promises vs. Progress: Is UN Women Delivering on Eradicating Gender-Based Violence?

UN Women has lofty goals as the proclaimed champion for women and girls. However, in a time where
society seems to be reverting, and women’s rights are in danger worldwide, it is easy to lose faith in
UN Women. Can or are they creating meaningful change and aiding in reducing gender based violence
in these bleak times?
UN Women was founded in 2010, to enhance and centralize efforts to further women’s rights and
gender equality. Building upon past UN efforts such as CEDAW and resolutions like the 1995 Beijing
Declaration that helped set the standards for combatting gender-based violence. They have continuously worked to reduce it via efforts in areas such as prevention, protection, and support of victims.
They have had several high-profile campaigns over the years, trying to increase awareness and inspire
action. Notable campaigns like “16 Days of Activism”, “HeForShe” and “UNiTE” have succeeded in
becoming large global movements. There is also programs like the Spotlight Initiative that have mobilized billions to address violence against women and girls in over 25 countries. Their focus on advocacy for legal reforms has led to significant policy shifts in nations like South Africa and Bangladesh. Survivors across the globe have gained access to shelters, counseling, and legal support thanks to UN Women’s partnerships with grassroots organizations.
If we measure progress by efforts and campaigns launched, UN Women has certainly made progress.
Progress is more than that though, it is also about lives being changed. About whether their initiatives translate into tangible actions and change. They have often been criticized for struggling to fulfill their ideas and with real-life implementation. Ironically, despite being created to emphasize the UN’s commitment to gender equality, they are one of the least funded entities within the UN system. There is no doubt that this lack of means likely has an effect on their ability to create change. Begging the question of what they could do if they had a level of funding closer to a top entity such as UNICEF.
It is still a young agency trying to find its footing, and they show some promise. UN women have managed to change lives and are no doubt working towards progress, but still when looking at the rise in gender- based violence across the world, especially since the pandemic, it is hard to say whether they creating enough change and truly making progress.