KINGSTON, Jamaica — Jamaica is among eight countries from across the globe joining a new UK-led international coalition to end violence against women and girls, reinforcing global efforts to ensure women and girls can live free from violence, abuse and fear.

The coalition, launched by United Kingdom Foreign Secretary, Yvette Cooper, at the recent Global Partnerships Conference in London, brings together founding member countries, including the United Kingdom, Jamaica, South Africa, Brazil, Morocco, Spain, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Australia, to strengthen practical action to prevent violence against women and girls.

According to a release on Tuesday, the coalition aims to tackle domestic abuse, sexual violence and online abuse, while strengthening global efforts to prevent sexual violence in conflict and humanitarian crises.

Through the partnership, countries will share expertise, strengthen prevention efforts, scale up survivor-centred responses and develop national action plans to better protect women and girls and hold perpetrators to account. This, as violence against women and girls remains a global emergency, affecting an estimated one in three women worldwide during their lifetime.

Launching the initiative, Cooper said, “We are determined to work across borders to ensure women’s safety is a worldwide priority.”

Noting a February visit to the Sudanese border where she heard girls speak of rape, abduction and abhorrent sexual violence, she said, “I will make sure their voices are heard and fight to end violence for every single one of them, and for the one in three women globally who will experience sexual or physical abuse in their lifetime.”

“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,” Cooper added.

Meanwhile, Jamaica’s Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Olivia Grange, welcomed the initiative and reaffirmed Jamaica’s commitment to addressing gender-based violence.

“Violence against women and girls requires not only strong laws and policies, but coordinated, survivor-centred systems that protect, respond to and prevent violence. Jamaica remains committed to strengthening our gender architecture, expanding support services for survivors, addressing harmful masculinities, and advancing collective global action to end all forms of gender-based violence,” Grange said, extending her commendations to the UK for its leadership in advancing the campaign.

British High Commissioner to Jamaica, Alicia Herbert OBE, welcomed Jamaica’s participation as a founding member of the coalition.

“This partnership reflects our shared commitment to prevention, survivor-centred support, stronger systems of protection, and holding perpetrators to account. By working together and learning from one another, we can help build safer communities and create a future where women and girls are safe, empowered and able to thrive,” Herbert said.

For her part, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator Kamina Johnson Smith has lauded the initiative, saying: “We welcome continued collaboration with partners such as the United Kingdom as we build on our progress, strengthen protections, expand support and ensure women and girls can live free from violence and realise their full potential.”

The new coalition mirrors the UK Government’s domestic ambition to halve violence against women and girls within a decade and forms part of broader international efforts to place women and girls at the centre of peace, security and development policy.

It will continue to advance practical cooperation among member states, with the UK set to convene a major international summit next year where countries will outline further commitments and report on progress.

Jamaica’s Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Olivia Grange.

UK Foreign Secretary, Yvette Cooper MP.

British High Commissioner Alicia Herbert and Jamaica’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator Kamina Johnson Smith.