Together for Prevention: A Game-Changing Handbook and Creative Communications Tools to Prevent VAWG

Together for Prevention is a practical, evidence-based handbook co-developed by UN Women and Equality Institute, with support from Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. It provides governments and stakeholders with a step-by-step guide to designing, resourcing, and implementing multisectoral National Action Plans (NAPs) that focus on preventing violence against women and girls (VAWG)—not just responding after it occurs. 

Drawing on experiences from Australia, Cambodia, Fiji, Peru, and South Africa, the Handbook equips policymakers, practitioners, and advocates with the tools they need to embed prevention into national strategies in ways that are inclusive, coordinated, and sustainable.  

To complement the Handbook, EQI also developed a suite of creative communications tools—including a dynamic PowerPoint presentation and an animation—to amplify prevention messaging, inspire action, and support advocacy efforts across stakeholders.

The Challenge

VAWG remains one of the most pervasive human rights violations in the world, affecting one in three women globally. Its impacts ripple across societies—harming health, deepening inequality, and holding back women’s full participation. 

While many governments are adopting National Action Plans, too often these plans prioritise response services over prevention. While reponse is critical, so too is prevention. Without coordinated, prevention-focused strategies, efforts remain fragmented, underfunded, and less effective. Governments and stakeholders need practical resources that translate evidence into actionable, persuasive approaches—and communications tools that build awareness, influence investment, and mobilise action.

“Ending violence against women and girls requires a collective and coordinated effort across sectors at the national level. This Handbook facilitates the design of prevention-focused National Action Plans (NAPs) that transcend fragmented interventions for maximum impact.” Kalliopi Mingeirou, Chief of the Ending Violence against Women Section at UN Women.

The Solution

Co-produced by Equality Institute and UN Women, Together for Prevention is the first handbook designed to support governments to put prevention at the heart of their national action. 

Grounded in global evidence and human rights frameworks, it provides: 

• A step-by-step guide to NAP development and implementation 

• Checklists, templates, and examples tailored for government departments 

• Case studies and resources from diverse national contexts 

• A bibliography of evidence and frameworks to strengthen policy design 

The Handbook is practical, accessible, and designed for use by governments, civil society, multilateral organisations, and the private sector. By laying out clear pathways, it ensures prevention is embedded in policy in ways that are evidence-based, inclusive, and actionable.  

“Specialised policies can bring together evidence-based prevention strategies across different sectors and settings to address the multiple and intersecting causes of VAWG. This coordinated approach can maximise resources and outcomes. It can also support the mobilisation of political and resource commitments for violence prevention.” Dr. Emma Fulu, Founder and Co-CEO, Equality Institute

To extend the Handbook’s reach and impact, EQI also developed a strategic creative package including:

• PowerPoint presentation: Designed for UN Women regional advisors, development experts, and technical advisors, it conveys technical information in a clear, inspiring, and human-centred way to build consistent messaging, support advocacy, and encourage action or investment in prevention. Advisory input from experts, stakeholders, and communications specialists informed both content and design. User testing ensured it was accessible, usable, and engaging for diverse audiences. Dynamic motion graphics bring the story to life.

• Animation: Produced in collaboration with UN Women and supported by Wellspring Philanthropic Fund, the animation – Her Future is Now – tells the story of 17-year-old Lena and her community’s efforts to prevent violence against women. Using joyful, solutions-focused messaging, it advocates for greater investment and commitment to scalable prevention strategies.

Together, the Handbook and communications tools provide governments, stakeholders, and civil society with both the technical guidance and the persuasive storytelling needed to translate evidence into real-world action.

The Impact

By shifting the focus from response to prevention, Together for Prevention helps governments move from fragmented interventions to coordinated national strategies that can stop violence before it starts. 

Already, the Handbook and supporting communications tools are being used globally. At its launch in Seoul in October 2023, representatives from Fiji, Cambodia, and Timor-Leste shared their experiences and affirmed the importance of political leadership, cross-sector collaboration, and genuine community consultation in developing effective NAPs. 

The very next day, a UN Women Country Representative shared that she was already using the Handbook to guide the drafting of Terms of Reference for her country’s next VAWG National Action Plan—underscoring how immediately useful and actionable the resource is. 

The communications tools amplify this impact by:

• Translating technical evidence into inspiring, accessible formats for advocacy
• Building consistent messaging across UN Women and partner networks
• Driving awareness, investment, and stakeholder action on prevention

Ultimately, this initiative equips governments and partners to:

• Prioritise prevention in national strategies
• Resource actions across sectors—from health to education to justice
• Build inclusive plans that reflect diverse voices and local expertise
• Drive systemic change to prevent violence against women and girls in our lifetime

Access the Handbook.