To support the prevention of violence against women and girls, the World Bank Group and Sexual Violence Research Initiative will award 10 teams from around the world with funds to support research and innovation to help address this global epidemic. Nearly 1 billion women and girls across all countries and cultures will experience intimate partner violence or non-partner sexual violence in their lifetime. Violence experienced by women and girls is an obstacle to development gains, as it impedes their full participation in society, limits access to education and economic participation, and hinders efforts to achieve gender equality. Award winners will share their motivations and successes in developing effective prevention and response interventions, which the World Bank can also incorporate into its development work.
