Vital Strategies to scale up data systems to improve identification of gender-based violence in Brazil
Sept. 18, 2023 (New York, NY)—Approximately one in three women worldwide have been subjected to physical or sexual violence in their lifetimes. Yet, even the best estimates of the burden of gender-based violence fail to capture the true extent of the problem. This insufficient and incomplete evidence hampers efforts to address this violence.
Today, Vital Strategies announced a Commitment to Action at the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) 2023 Meeting to scale up efforts to use innovative data analysis to create an early identification tool to recognize cases of gender-based violence, using data from the Brazilian public health systems.
CGI, an initiative of President Bill Clinton, Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton and Chelsea Clinton, supports partners in developing Commitments to Action—new, specific and measurable plans to address significant challenges. CGI supports members by helping them meet new partners, providing technical guidance, and elevating projects with the potential to scale up. The CGI 2023 Meeting, Sept. 18-20, convenes its community of doers who are committed to act together to forge transformational solutions to the world’s most pressing challenges.
“A striking majority of gender-based violence cases remain uncounted and unseen,” said Pedro de Paula, Country Director, Brazil, Vital Strategies. “A lack of data constrains decision-making, limits health care professionals from addressing risk factors for their patients, and stands in the way of policies that can protect women, girls and gender-nonconforming people from violence. By combining linguistic intelligence with public health expertise, we can reveal otherwise invisible forms of violence in the datasets. Using AI tools, we can better equip public health systems to address these cases early on. In doing so, we can better inform public health policies and actions, creating opportunities to interrupt cycles of violence and prevent serious injuries and deaths.”
“Investments in data are a missing component of interventions to end gender-based violence.This Commitment to Action allows us to help fill gaps in Brazil’s health system to strengthen data use, improve services for women who experience violence, and drive much needed policies to address gender-based violence,” de Paula continued. “Ultimately, this will lead to better health for women, girls and gender-nonconforming people.”
Vital Strategies works with governments in more than 80 countries, leveraging its global expertise in epidemiology, data and surveillance, and policy development. Vital Strategies’ work to address gender-based violence includes partnering with governments to improve city and country-level data systems and using data analysis to inform public policies.
“Vital Strategies believes every person should be protected by an equitable and effective public health system—and this includes protection from violence of any kind. Vital Strategies is committed to addressing gender-based violence so that every person can live free from fear and harm,” said José Luis Castro, President and CEO of Vital Strategies. “We are grateful to CGI for their support to elevate this critical work, which will advance progress to respond to gender-based violence and prevent it from happening.”
To learn more, visit: https://datatostopgbv.org/
About Vital Strategies
Vital Strategies believes every person should be protected by an equitable and effective public health system. We partner with governments, communities and organizations around the world to reimagine public health so that health is supported in all the places we live, work and play. The result is millions of people living longer, healthier lives.
To learn more, visit vitalstrategies.org, or follow us @VitalStrat.
About the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI)
Founded by President Bill Clinton in 2005, the Clinton Global Initiative is a community of doers representing a broad cross section of society and dedicated to the idea that we can accomplish more together than we can apart. Through CGI’s unique model, more than 9,000 organizations have launched more than 3,900 Commitments to Action—new, specific, and measurable projects and programs.
Learn more about the Clinton Global Initiative and how you can get involved at www.ClintonGlobal.org
Media Contacts
Ally Davis: +1-516-205-4203; adavis@vitalstrategies.org
Christina Honeysett: +1-914-424-3356; choneysett@vitalstrategies.org