The UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women, managed by UN Women on behalf of the UN system, is the only global grant-making mechanism dedicated to eradicating all forms of violence against women and girls.
Since its establishment in 1996 by UN General Assembly resolution 50/166, the UN Trust Fund has awarded USD 175 million to 572 initiatives in 140 countries and territories.
It is shocking that more than 700 million girls and women living alive today were married as children. While the practice of child marriage has slowly been declining, particularly for girls under 15, continued global action is essential if it is to be eliminated. The UK is leading international efforts in this area. Indeed, UK pressure helped ensure a separate target on ending child marriage was included within the Global Goals.
The UK’s £39 million programme to end child, early and forced marriage is helping thousands of girls take back control and choice over their bodies and their futures. Support for the UN’s ‘Accelerate Action to End Child Marriage’ programme plays an important role. The Global Programme is supported by the Governments of Belgium, Canada, the Netherlands, Norway, the United Kingdom and the European Union, as well as Zonta International, a global advocacy service which seeks to empower women. The UK is working to strengthen legal and policy frameworks, scale up access to services for girls at risk of child marriage, and tackle harmful social norms underlying child marriage. The £39 million programme also supports ‘AmplifyChange’, a multi-donor fund working for universal sexual and reproductive health and rights, including for grassroots organisations with the local knowledge and expertise working to address child, early and forced marriage.
Women across the world should be able to live free from violence in all its forms in all settings. The UK is providing the UN Trust Fund to End Violence Against Women with up to £12 million funding over the three years to 2020. The Fund supports organisations across the world to tackle gender-based violence, improve access to services such as legal assistance and healthcare, and strengthen laws and policies that protect women and girls. In 2017, the Fund managed projects in 80 countries and territories. This is expected to benefit 750,000 women.
I welcome the work of the Department for International Development and look forward to hearing how this funding continues to improve the lives women and girls across the world.
Cronfa Ymddiriedolaeth y Cenhedloedd Unedig i Roi Diwedd ar Drais yn erbyn Menywod, sy’n cael ei rheoli gan Fenywod y Cenhedloedd Unedig ar ran system y Cenhedloedd Unedig, yw’r unig fecanwaith dyfarnu grantiau byd-eang sydd wedi ymrwymo i ddileu pob math o drais yn erbyn menywod a merched.
Ers i gynnig 50/166 Cynulliad Cyffredinol y Cenhedloedd Unedig ei sefydlu yn 1996, mae Cronfa Ymddiriedolaeth y Cenhedloedd Unedig wedi dyfarnu 175 miliwn USD i 572 o fentrau mewn 140 o wledydd a thiriogaethau.
Mae’n arswydus bod mwy na 700 miliwn o ferched a menywod sy’n byw heddiw wedi priodi’n blant. Er bod yr ymarfer o briodi plant wedi bod yn dirywio’n araf, yn enwedig ymysg merched o dan 15 oed, mae’n rhaid cymryd camau gweithredu parhaus ar lefel fyd-eang os ydym am gael gwared arno. Mae’r DU yn arwain yr ymdrechion rhyngwladol yn hyn o beth. Yn wir, fe wnaeth pwysau gan y DU helpu i wneud yn siŵr bod targed ar wahân ar gyfer rhoi diwedd ar briodi plant wedi’i gynnwys yn y Nodau Byd-eang.
Mae rhaglen £39 miliwn y DU i roi diwedd ar briodi plant, ar briodas gynnar ac ar briodas dan orfod yn helpu miloedd o ferched i gael rheolaeth a dewis yn ôl dros eu cyrff a’u dyfodol. Mae’r gefnogaeth i raglen ‘Accelerate Action to End Child Marriage’ y Cenhedloedd Unedig yn chwarae rhan bwysig. Mae’r Rhaglen Fyd-eang yn cael ei chefnogi gan lywodraethau Gwlad Belg, Canada, yr Iseldiroedd, Norwy, y Deyrnas Unedig a'r Undeb Ewropeaidd, yn ogystal â Zonta International, gwasanaeth eiriolaeth byd-eang sy'n mynd ati i rymuso merched. Mae’r DU yn gweithio i gryfhau fframweithiau cyfreithiol a pholisi, i gynyddu’r mynediad at wasanaethau i ferched sydd mewn perygl o briodi’n blant, ac i fynd i’r afael â’r normau cymdeithasol niweidiol sy’n sail i briodi plant. Mae’r rhaglen £39 miliwn hefyd yn cefnogi ‘AmplifyChange’, cronfa aml-roddwr sy’n gweithio dros iechyd a hawliau rhywiol ac atgenhedlol cyffredinol, gan gynnwys ar gyfer mudiadau ar lawr gwlad sydd â’r wybodaeth a’r arbenigedd lleol i fynd i’r afael â phriodi plant, priodas gynnar a phriodas dan orfod.
Dylai merched ar draws y byd allu byw yn rhydd rhag trais yn ei holl ffurfiau ac ym mhob lleoliad. Mae’r DU yn rhoi cyllid gwerth hyd at £12 miliwn i Gronfa Ymddiriedolaeth y Cenhedloedd Unedig i Roi Diwedd ar Drais yn erbyn Menywod dros y tair blynedd tan 2020. Mae’r Gronfa’n helpu sefydliadau ledled y byd i fynd i’r afael â thrais ar sail rhywedd, i wella’r mynediad at wasanaethau fel cymorth cyfreithiol a gofal iechyd, ac i gryfhau cyfreithiau a pholisïau sy’n amddiffyn menywod a merched. Yn 2017, roedd y Gronfa wedi rheoli prosiectau mewn 80 o wledydd a thiriogaethau. Mae disgwyl i 750,000 o fenywod elwa ar hyn.
Rwy’n croesawu gwaith yr Adran dros Ddatblygu Rhyngwladol ac yn edrych ymlaen at glywed sut mae’r cyllid hwn yn parhau i wella bywydau menywod a merched ym mhob cwr o’r byd.