Spain joins the new International Coalition against gender-based violence as a founding member

Eduardo González Spain is among the eight founding members of the new International Coalition to end violence against women and girls, an initiative launched by the UK government that will be presented this Wednesday at the Global Partnership Conference in London. British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper will lead the international coalition, which will bring together eight countries to work together to prevent violence, “so that women and girls can live free from fear, no matter who or where they are,” the Foreign Office announced in a press release. The founding member states—the UK, South Africa, Brazil, Morocco, Spain, Jamaica, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Australia—will promote practical actions to prevent domestic and sexual violence, which affects one in three women worldwide, as well as to address online abuse, which is on the rise globally. Separately, and in light of the escalating global conflict, the International Coalition will also seek to strengthen global efforts to prevent sexual violence in conflict and other forms of violence in humanitarian crises. Next year, the UK will convene a major summit on combating violence against women and girls, where countries can establish new commitments and report on progress made. “The Government has already pledged the largest crackdown on violence against women and girls in British history, committing to halve these horrific crimes within a decade and introducing lifesaving policies like Raneem’s Law, which has seen domestic abuse specialists embedded in 999 control rooms,” the Foreign Office highlighted. The Raneem Law was championed by Yvette Cooper in 2024, during her previous tenure as Home Secretary. Furthermore, the British Government presented a national strategy against violence in 2025, a commitment also made by Cooper during her time as Home Secretary. For all these reasons, the Foreign Secretary has decided to apply her experience in domestic policy to foreign policy and has declared women and girls a departmental priority at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). Furthermore, despite the challenges of the current fiscal environment, the Foreign Secretary announced last March that central spending on the prevention of violence against women and girls (VAWG), the Women, Peace and Security (MPS) initiative, and the prevention of sexual violence in conflict (PSVI) will be maintained at 2025-2026 levels. “Violence against women and girls is a global emergency not just a national emergency. We are determined to work across borders to ensure women’s safety is a world wide priority,” Cooper stated. “I visited the Sudanese border in February, and I heard girls speak of rape, abduction and abhorrent sexual violence. I will make sure their voices are heard and fight to end violence for every single one of them,” she affirmed. “I’m delighted to launch this Coalition with countries around the world that share our ambition. Because from the UK, to Brazil, to South Africa and beyond, women deserve to live free from fear of violence. And because there can be no peace, security, or prosperity for any of us until they do,” she added.

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