[{"bbox": [96, 152, 1134, 286], "category": "Text", "text": "electoral spending). In parallel, and as seen in the recent demonstrations of June 2022, the recommendations as well as the official responses of the electoral body submitted to the EU, cannot succeed without a meaningful empowerment of the different civil society actors that seek to build bridges between the polarising forces of the country. Hence, both public institutions and civil society need to be strengthened in tandem in order to move towards a more cohesive and inclusive society."}, {"bbox": [96, 296, 1134, 458], "category": "Text", "text": "For the implementation of this component of the MIP on democratic participation and governance, the EU will establish a programmatic alliance with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and with a consortium of NGOs made up of the Centre for Research and Collective Action (GRUPO FARO), the Esquel Foundation, the Citizenship and Development Foundation and the Citizen Participation Corporation (hereinafter, the Consortium) ensuring that women and men and concerned people in vulnerability and/or with disability are all equally participating to both process and outcome."}, {"bbox": [96, 468, 1134, 577], "category": "Text", "text": "The action will be carried out through two projects: the first one implemented by UNDP and the second by the Consortium. Although the execution will be carried out independently and autonomously, there will be shared themes and a space for articulation between both projects, in order to maintain the link with the European Union programme and the complementarity of the actions."}, {"bbox": [96, 587, 1134, 748], "category": "Text", "text": "The purpose of this approach seeks to create convergences and complementarities between both projects, to maximise the impact and promote the sustainability and continuity of efforts to strengthen the electoral system of Ecuador, with an electoral cycle perspective as well as promoting inclusive women and men citizen participation. The tentative implementation period for the activities runs from the first half of 2023 to mid-2025, with the purpose of carrying out actions that strengthen the democratic processes linked to the next Presidential and legislative elections of 2025, in line with the Electoral Expert Mission EEM recommendations."}, {"bbox": [96, 758, 1134, 841], "category": "Text", "text": "Close coordination between the present component and the FPI action Adressing socio-environmental conflicts in Ecuador² should be foreseen as both have a very relevant and complementary role, especially regarding the development-peace nexus"}, {"bbox": [96, 850, 1048, 879], "category": "Section-header", "text": "**Component 2: Spotlight II- Reinforcing the prevention and eradication of violence against women**"}, {"bbox": [96, 889, 1134, 1157], "category": "Text", "text": "Violence against women and girls (VAWG) or Gender-Based-Violence (GBV) is both a cause and a consequence of inequalities between women and men, perpetuating a cycle that severely hinders development. It also results in huge direct and indirect impact to GBV survivors, their families and the societies. VAWG pervasively violate human rights of women including right to life. It is estimated that 35% of women worldwide have experienced at some point in their lives either physical and/or sexual violence by their partners. One in three women worldwide experience physical or sexualised violence at least once in their lifetimes. Many acts of violence against women and girls take place in private settings. Violence can take different forms in both private and public spaces, such as domestic and intimate partner violence, sexualised, economic and psychological violence, human trafficking and harmful practices such as female genital mutilation (FGM)³. Latin America alone is home to 14 of the 25 countries with the highest rates of femicide in the world."}, {"bbox": [96, 1167, 1134, 1435], "category": "Text", "text": "According to a 2019 survey by the National Statistics and Census Institute (Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos), seven out of every ten women in Ecuador have experienced gender-based violence (GBV) at least once in their lives, mostly perpetrated by their partners or ex-partners. In fact as most societies throughout the world, and because of the social construction of gender roles and relationships, in large parts of the Ecuadorian population as well, VAWG is tolerated and perceived to a certain extent as a norm of gender dynamics whatever is the legal framework and the measures set by the State to prevent or punish GBV. Moreover, many times the survivors of intimate (ex)partner violence are blamed as if it was their fault, not the aggressors. During the Covid-19 pandemic, the situation of women has worsened. Often, they were trapped at home with their aggressors, during the month-long confinement measures. In this context, social media has become an even more important tool to reach women and provide information and assistance.⁴"}, {"bbox": [96, 1445, 1134, 1526], "category": "Text", "text": "In the framework of the Spotlight Initiative I, the EU and the UN invested EUR 500 million worldwide (EUR 50 million in Latin America alone) to help end violence against women. The Initiative, mobilised all efforts and actions in education, awareness raising, prevention and delivering of justice."}, {"bbox": [85, 1572, 427, 1598], "category": "Footnote", "text": "² C(2022)8608 adopted on 28/11/2022."}, {"bbox": [85, 1596, 793, 1623], "category": "Footnote", "text": "³ A staggering one-in-three women, experience physical, sexual abuse || UN News"}, {"bbox": [85, 1621, 1075, 1647], "category": "Footnote", "text": "⁴ Ecuador: Online campaign against gender-based violence - Gender and Development (gender-and-development.de)"}, {"bbox": [1037, 1680, 1143, 1706], "category": "Page-footer", "text": "Page 5 of 32"}]