The All-Party Parliamentary Human Rights Group (PHRG) was pleased to attend this meeting organised by the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, British Group of the Inter-Parliamentary Union and Action Aid UK, to discuss practical ways to end violence against women and girls.

The half-day event featured a series of key-note speeches and panel discussions from experts and survivors from around the world. Its focus was on how existing human rights standards and norms can be implemented to tackle violence.

The event followed the launch of ActionAid’s ‘Fearless’ report on the topic. The report highlights the importance of civil society in ending violence. It found that women and girls are almost twice as likely to experience violence in countries with weaker civil rights than in countries with stronger civil rights frameworks. The report also shows how the shrinking civil society space around the world and erosion of civil rights are undermining their struggle. Women’s human rights defenders feel less safe now than they did 2 or 3 years ago. The report can be read in full here.

The PHRG will continue to prioritise the issue of the shrinking civil society space around the world – and to support civil society activists. We also continue to work on issues of violence against women and girls, particularly following the developments of the UK Government’s Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative.