Government of Belize, European Union and United Nation launch 2020 review of spotlight initiative

By Zoila Palma: On June 1, the Government of Belize, the European Union, and the United Nations, through their partnership in the Spotlight Initiative, hosted its 2020 Annual Review with Civil Society Organizations (CSOs).

The objectives of the meeting were to review the progress on the Spotlight Initiative implementation and identify key challenges, opportunities, and recommendations for strengthening and accelerating the programme.

 The Spotlight Initiative is in its 2nd year of implementation in Belize.

The collective efforts of the programme in 2020 impacted an estimated 40,000 women and girls through radio and television messages on gender-based violence (GBV); 345 girls and 2,535 boys through school-based interventions; and engaged a total of 1,312 men and boys directly.

The Annual Review meeting opened with Luca Lo Conte, Programme Manager from the European Union Delegation, Tanya Santos, CEO in the Ministry of Human Development, Families, and Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, and the United Nations Resident Coordinator for El Salvador and Belize, Birgit Gerstenberg.

 The leaders emphasized and recognized the importance of partnership in the successful outcomes of the Initiative during its first phase of implementation.

Additionally, they thanked the implementing partners, predominantly comprised of Government ministries and CSOs, for their dedication to the programme and efforts to fulfil the fundamental goal of the Initiative in eliminating family violence and violence against women and girls.

 CEO Tanya Santos emphasized the Government’s commitment.

 “The Government of Belize join in all these processes and display our commitment with our valued partners, using one voice to reach everyone across Belize to be a part of the efforts to eliminate all forms of violence,” Santos said.

 Participants who joined the meeting welcomed the 2020 Annual Report.

Participants were also able to give their recommendations and examined where wider collaboration and coordination could take place in areas of policy and legislation, data and evidence, prevention, service delivery, and coordination and networking.

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