The Global Virtual Knowledge Centre to End Violence against Women and Girls

is an online resource in English, French and Spanish, designed to serve the needs of policymakers, programme implementers and other practitioners dedicated to addressing violence against women and girls. The Centre is an initiative of UN Women, bringing together the valuable contributions of expert organizations and individuals, governments, United Nations sister agencies, and a wide range of relevant actors. Part of the overall effort is encouraging shared ownership of the site and ongoing partnership-building for its continuous development and sustainability.

The primary purpose of the Global Virtual Knowledge Centre is to encourage and support evidence-based programming to more efficiently and effectively design, implement, monitor and evaluate initiatives to prevent and respond to violence against women and girls.  To achieve this, the Global Virtual Knowledge Centre offers a ‘one stop’ service to users by making available the leading tools and evidence on what works to address violence against women and girls. It draws on expert recommendations, policy and programme evaluations and assessments, and fundamentally, on practitioners’ experiences from around the world. 

The site offers users:

step-by-step guidance on ‘how to’ work with specific sectors, groups or areas of intervention

proven and promising approaches

recommended training and other practical tools for implementation

a roster of specialized organizations, by country and languages

summaries of evaluations and key findings

links to key sources of data and other on-line resources

an emerging observatory of leading initiatives; and

a calendar of major events and training opportunities. 

The more than 800 products and features available in over 60 languages is expanded and updated on an ongoing basis to ensure that practitioners have timely access to current information, knowledge and resources. Programming modules are also rolling out on an ongoing basis with shelters, violence in conflict/pos-tconflict and primary prevention slated for release in 2012. 

In addition to functioning as a user-friendly central repository, the Global Virtual Knowledge Centre will offer practitioners enriched opportunities for knowledge sharing and communication through forthcoming interactive spaces and technical webinars.

Register for the site to receive updates and to provide feedback during our annual survey. Your opinions are important in helping improve and shape this resource.

See past survey results:

Virtual Knowledge Centre 12 month Survey Report. Available in English, French and Spanish.

Help Desk Rapid Assessments. Available for 2009 and 2010.

Webinar Assessments.  Available for Costing (October 2011).

Acknowledgements

UN WOMEN:

Original Concept and Overall Leadership - Maria Jose Alcala, Senior Adviser

Technical Content and Management - Dina Deligiorgis, Knowledge Management Specialist

Research, Content and Website Support - Sunita Caminha, Research Specialist

Communications – Aldijana Sisic, Communications and Resource Mobilization Specialist (2009)

Administration – Connie Britton (2009-2010); Kutisha Ebron (2010-2011); Patricia Codazzi (2011); and Talita Mattos (2009-2011)

UNIFEM/UN Women Consultants and Interns: Kathleen Bernadette, Meagan Bovell, Megan Dersnah, Nery Joubert, Arati Rao and Abigail Weitzman (2009); Sophie Berlamont (2010); Sophie Browne (Summer 2011).

Translators:

Michel Coclet (French)

Pierre Fabian (French)

Ana Maria Caro (Spanish)

Ana Cizmich (Spanish)

Betty Schmoller (Spanish)

Martin Schmoller (Spanish)

Photo Credits:

Landing Page

Girls sitting together in Bangladesh - Corbis

Women on bicycles in Croatia – Corbis

Women marching in Brazil – AP/Wide World

Man with a banner "Men say NO to violence" in South Africa - AP/Wide World

Women voting in Iraq - UN Photo/Rick Bajornas

Men driving rickshaws in the Philippines - Ernyros Manlangit

Women and girls on the bus in India - Carol Mitchell/Flickr

Website Design and Development: Luccaco