Spotlight Initiative Guyana Annual Programme Report 2020

A key milestone during the period was the official signing of the Country Programme Document on 23 October 2020 between the Government and the United Nations (UN). Subsequently, the programme was launched virtually on 31 October 2020. This launching event saw the participation of many stakeholders, including H.E. President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohamed, and the EU Deputy Director-General for International Cooperation and Development Marjeta Jager. The Government’s participation at the highest level is indicative of its commitment to embrace initiatives to end violence against women and girls and ultimately bridge the gender inequality gap.

Considering the COVID-19 pandemic and its broad socio-economic impact, the UN and EU collaborated to approve a limited civil society response from the Spotlight Programme in Guyana. This response was geared to addressing the increased incidences of gender-based violence and the constraints faced by GBV survivors and persons at risk of accessing supportive services.