UN Women, grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, works for the elimination of discrimination against women and girls; the empowerment of women; and the achievement of equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action and peace and security. About the Spotlight Programme in Afghanistan The Spotlight Initiative (SI) in Afghanistan main goal is to reduce the prevalence of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) and harmful practices (HP) against women and girls in Afghanistan. The Afghanistan SI initiative aims at targeting the most at risk groups, to accelerate efforts towards the elimination sexual gender-based violence and harmful practices. The initiative is tailored to promote Agenda 2030’s guiding principle of “leaving no one behind”. Across the six Pillars, the SI in Afghanistan will bring women and girls, including those with intersecting forms of discrimination and marginalization, to the centre of the interventions, recognizing that the empowerment of women and girls, and their unique experiences and solutions they bring based on their intersectional identities, is the key to design and implement a programme that responds to the needs and priorities of women and girls of Afghanistan in all their diversity. The SI in Afghanistan will work across the socio-ecological model, using a multi-sectoral and intersectional approach, to prevent and respond to SGBV/HP and impact lasting change at the national, sub-national, community and individual levels. The initiative will be informed by a comprehensive prevention strategy to addresses structural issues through this socio ecological model. The SI in Afghanistan has an important focus on the prevention of SGBV/HP (pillar 3) and the provision of comprehensive services (pillar 4). Under Pillar 1, SI will support the Afghanistan Independent Human Right Commission to enhance the evidence-based knowledge on ending SGBV/HP. Under Pillar 2, key national stakeholders will be identified, supported and a national platform will be created to support the development and implementation of evidence-based plans and programming on ending SGBV/HP (including the National Action Plan to Eliminate Early and Child Marriage and the National Strategy and National Action Plan on the Elimination of Violence against Women 2016 – 2020). Under Pillar 3, multi-level and multi-stakeholders initiatives working across the socio-ecological levels will be implemented to address the root causes of SGBV/HP and prevent it, working with schools, communities, young people and the media. Under Pillar 4, coordinated, comprehensive and quality services will be promoted, in line with international standards. Under pillar 5, the SI will work with key stakeholders, including national statistic office, the police and civil society, to promote quality and comparable data on SGBV/HP to inform laws, policies and service provision. Under Pillar 6, the SI will support women’s movement building and the creation of platforms, inclusive of most marginalized, small, young and grass-roots organisations to effectively advocate and influence SGBV/HP and gender equality progress. National actions will be connected with efforts at provincial and district level outside the capital (where the vast majority of the population lives) to strengthen the flow of information, expansion and reach of programming and operations as well as the engagement of communities. The SI will be implemented at the national level in Kabul and in 3 provinces: Paktia, Kandahar and Herat. The functionality and impact of existing coordination mechanisms and institutions working on SGBV/HP will also inform and be informed by provincial and district level programming. In doing so, key coordination and decision-making structures at national level will be informed by the voices and experiences of traditionally marginalized communities The Programme has also innovations that will further enhance efforts to capitalize on lessons learned and link to existing efforts under the UN and other development partners’ programming on SGBV, SRHR, etc. contributing to build knowledge and good practices in preventing SGBV/HP and improving women’s and girls’ life and that of the most left behind through access to quality, integrated essential services that include SRH, justice, and psychosocial support in line with survivor centred and child centred approach standards. VAWG Prevention UN Women is committed to deepening investment in approaches to prevent VAWG and support social norms change. Violence against women and girls is rooted in gender-based discrimination and social norms and gender stereotypes that perpetuate such violence. Given the devastating effect violence has on women, efforts have mainly focused on responses and services for survivors. However, the best way to end violence against women and girls is to prevent it from happening in the first place by addressing its root and structural causes. Prevention and response strategies need to be strengthened to eliminate all forms of violence against women. Position Reporting to the Spotlight Afghanistan Technical Lead Coordinator (EVAW), and to the EVAW Programme manager on work related to the overall prevention portfolio, the Programme Specialist exercises responsibility for planning, implementing, and managing the Spotlight Initiative activities related to VAWG prevention, and more particularly Pillar 3 of the Spotlight Initiative. She/he works in close collaboration with the programme and operations team, UN partner agencies, the Resident Coordinator Office, the Spotlight Secretariat, UN Women HQ staff, Government officials, the EU and civil society, ensuring successful implementation of the Spotlight programme.
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