New regional framework charts a shared path to end violence against women and girls in the Arab States

On 29 July 2026, UN Women and the League of Arab States launched the Regional Strategic Framework for Ending Violence Against Women and Girls; the first Arab-owned reference instrument of its kind.

Designed to support action across all 22 League Member States, the Framework establishes a shared yet adaptable roadmap for strengthening laws and institutions, preventing violence, expanding protection and support services, and improving data and accountability. It provides a practical foundation for translating regional commitments into coordinated action tailored to national contexts.

Launched on the margins of the 17th United Nations–League of Arab States General Cooperation Meeting in Geneva, the Framework  was developed by the League of Arab States with technical support from UN Women and adopted by the Arab Women Committee in February 2026.

Representatives of League of Arab States Member States, United Nations entities, the European Union and donor governments attended the launch and welcomed the Framework as an important foundation for stronger regional cooperation.

“The launch of this Framework marks a milestone for the Arab States. It gives us a shared roadmap for turning political commitments into stronger laws, effective prevention, accessible services and meaningful protection for women and girls,” said Dr. Moez Doraid, UN Women Regional Director for the Arab States.

The Framework builds on commitments contained in the 2022 Arab Declaration to Combat All Forms of Violence Against Women and Girls, the 2024 Muscat Declaration adopted through the Beijing+30 review process, and the 2024 resolution of the League of Arab States Council of Arab Health Ministers.

Structured around four strategic areas, it calls for action to:

• Strengthen legislation, institutions and access to justice.
• Expand prevention, public information and media outreach.
• Improve protection and support services.
• Strengthen data, research, monitoring and accountability.

An accompanying implementation plan for 2026–2030 sets out three phases covering preparation and institutional establishment, implementation , and evaluation and review. Designed as a voluntary and adaptable roadmap, the Framework allows Member States to align implementation with their national contexts, capacities and legislative systems.

Following the Geneva launch, consultations will be held with League of Arab States Member States, particularly national women’s machineries, to identify the support needed for effective implementation at the national level.

The Framework comes at a critical moment. An estimated 31 per cent of ever-married women in the Arab States have experienced physical or sexual violence, while more than 100 million women still lack adequate legal protection from domestic violence. Conflict and displacement are compounding risks of violence, trafficking and child marriage technology-facilitated violence is creating new threats to women’s safety, participation and well-being.

Together, these challenges underscore the need for a coordinated regional action alongside context-specific national responses.

Member States participating in the Geneva event expressed broad support for the Framework and emphasized the importance of national implementation. Their interventions highlighted the need for stronger legal protection, prevention measures, reliable data, services for survivors and sustained support for civil society and women-led organizations. They also underscored the importance of tailoring implementation to different national contexts while maintaining common regional objectives.

The launch reflects the longstanding partnership between the League of Arab States and UN Women. Their sustained technical cooperation has helped ensure that the Framework is grounded in the priorities of Member States, informed by international human rights standards and supported by a practical plan for implementation.

“The strength of this Framework lies in its regional ownership and its potential to drive action in all 22 Member States,” Dr. Doraid said. “A framework, however strong, is only as valuable as the action behind it. Our shared priority must now be implementation and UN Women stands ready to support the League of Arab States and its Member States in carrying this work forward.”

The event also introduced the proposed Spotlight Initiative 2.0 Arab States Regional Programme as a mechanism for putting the Framework into action. The programme would bring together the League of Arab States, governments, civil society and five United Nations entities: UN Women, the United Nations Development Programme, the United Nations Population Fund, the United Nations Children’s Fund and the World Health Organization.

The proposed programme focuses on legislation and policy, prevention, response services, and support for civil society and women-led organizations. It would also connect regional action with lessons from country-level Spotlight Initiative programmes, helping good practices reach Member States beyond the countries in which they were developed.

Since its establishment in 2017, the global Spotlight Initiative has supported 32 programmes across five regions, mobilized more than USD 500 million in seed investment and contributed to preventing violence for an estimated 21 million women. The proposed regional programme would be the first Spotlight Initiative implemented across the Arab States.

United Nations entities, including the United Nations Children’s Fund, the World Health Organization, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, welcomed opportunities to contribute their expertise to the Framework’s implementation. Representatives of Belgium, the European Union and France also expressed support, signaling broader international interest in its next phase.

The launch has established a common regional direction. The next phase will require sustained political leadership, adequate financing and close cooperation among governments, the League of Arab States, United Nations entities, civil society and women-led organizations to turn the Framework into measurable improvements in the lives of women and girls.