Report led by Dr Nata Duvvury informs new World Bank report

The Word Bank launched its ground-breaking report Voice and Agency: Empowering Women and Girls for Shared Prosperity, with Former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim, and UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka on May 14th.

The new report focuses on freedom from violence, control over sexual and reproductive health, ownership and control of land and housing, and voice and collective action. It shines a spotlight on the value of enabling women and girls to fulfil their potential and of amplifying their voices. It distils vast data and hundreds of studies to cast important new light on the constraints women and girls face worldwide, from epidemic gender-based violence to biased laws and norms that prevent them from making decisions about their own lives. While highlighting gaps, the report equally reviews promising policies and interventions.

Dr. Duvvury led one of the key background papers, Intimate Partner Violence: Economic Costs and Implications for Growth and Development, which analysed the costs of violence that provided new evidence for advocacy on the issue with governments globally.

Former US Secretary Hillary Clinton specifically highlighted the significance of this evidence on the economic impact of violence against women and girls to ensure commitment for action and concrete resources to address this global epidemic of violence. See here for video footage.