Despite the staggering statistics – with 1 in 3 women globally experiencing violence in their lifetime – funding for women’s rights and gender-based violence initiatives remains critically low. Spearheaded by our founder Annie Lennox, high profile women from all industries join The Circle NGO’s #MakeAStandfor1in3 campaign to call for increased funding to grassroots women’s rights organisations across the globe tackling gender-based violence.
Key elements of the campaign include:
- High profile supporters including singer, songwriter and The Circle Founder Annie Lennox, Livia Firth, Brandi Carlile, Mary Robinson, Deborah Frances-White, Kalpona Akter, Sam Taylor-Johnson, Saffron Burrows and Lorien Haynes join the #MakeAStandfor1in3 campaign showing their solidarity with the one in three women globally who face gender-based violence (GBV) in a compelling new series of photos.
- Corporations and philanthropists are called upon to contribute more to tackle this pervasive injustice.
- The Circle, our Co-Founders Annie Lennox and Livia Firth and grassroot organisations supported by The Circle, write to the UK Government in an open letter to call on them to commit more vital funds to combat GBV worldwide.
Annie Lennox, Founder of The Circle NGO said: “One in three represents the appalling ratio of women facing gender-based violence across the world. If we want to create effective change, then every sector must join the global women’s movement and stand in solidarity with a united call for a change in attitudes and behaviours impacting women and girls everywhere.”
The horrifying combination of the prevalence of GBV worldwide and the low levels of funding to tackle the issue is compounded by a wider global context where we have seen a widespread roll back of women’s rights. In a year when over 60 national elections are taking place, the risk is that women’s rights are rolled back even further. Research shared by UN Women, does, however, show that funding women’s rights organisations directly helps to combat violence. The time is undeniably now to call on governments, including the UK government, businesses and philanthropists to direct more funds towards combatting this abhorrent violence.
The Circle, have also written an open letter to the UK government, signed by our Co-Founders and grassroots organisations we fund, calling for increased aid funding as an important part of the delivery of their Women and Girls strategy.
Alice Atieno, Founder of Kenyan based grassroots organisation Awer Women Empowerment, funded by The Circle, said “I believe togetherness brings a lot of strength. When we know our rights, we can fight against those who are trying to violate them, to fight for our own existence, for our children. Whenever we come together as women, we can achieve great things.”
Raakhi Shah CEO of The Circle NGO said: “Given the dire lack of funding given to addressing women’s rights, especially gender-based violence, and the notable rollback in women’s rights globally in recent years, it’s easy to foresee a bleak future. Yet we witness firsthand the powerful impact these women led, frontline projects across the world can have. We call on governments, philanthropists and corporations to direct more funds to frontline women’s rights organisations to drive change.”
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