#NothingJustifies campaign wins award for its contribution to the eradication of violence against women and girls

The Nothing Justifies Violence against Women and Girls Campaign won the first prize in the category of the Double or Triple Nexus for its contribution and strengthening the link between humanitarian action, development and peace, promoting gender equality as a way of contributing to the capacities and conditions that promote the physical autonomy of women, such as the right to a life free of gender-based violence, and the challenge that COVID-19 has represented.

The Gender Scorecard report, approved at the end of 2021 by the United Nations System Country Team (UNCT), proposed a workplan that included establishing an annual award: "Protagonists of Change for Gender Equality," recognizing UN Guatemala actions, initiatives, programmes or projects that have had outstanding results in gender equality and women's empowerment.

The #NothingJustifies Campaign reaches the municipalities of Guatemala, saying NO to Violence against Women and Girls.

In 2020, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Guatemala, in coordination with government institutions, civil society, academia and the private sector, implemented the #NothingJustifies initiative, in response to the rise in violence against women and girls due to the lockdown and mobility restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In response to this situation, the UNDP InfoSegura Regional Project, with the support of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) participated in a regional communications and awareness strategy through the Nothing Justifies Violence against Women and Girls Campaign, providing information to the public, and involving key stakeholders in the efforts to eliminate violence against women during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Three phases of the initiative have reached more than 800 thousand people.  Phase four of the #NothingJustifies campaign began in November 2022, in the framework of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and will be implemented in 10 municipalities that exhibit a high incidence of violence against women and risk factors, according to the Ministry of the Interior's Territorial Prioritization Index of Violence against Women and Girls.

This phase will be undertaken in partnership with the Centre for Research, Training, Support for Women and Youth (CICAM), along with the Municipal Women's Directorates of these municipalities, the Presidential Secretariat for Women (SEPREM), the Secretariat against Sexual Violence, Human Exploitation and Trafficking (SVET), the Third Vice-Ministry for the Prevention of Violence and Crime and the National Civil Police (PNC).

The campaign ends March 8, 2023, International Women's Day, adopting the multi-sectoral principles of the campaign UNiTE to End Violence against Women NOW!