Global Powers Unite in 'ALL IN' Bid to End Gender-Based Violence

LONDON, UK – December 01, 2025 – In a move signaling a significant escalation in the fight against gender-based violence (GBV), a formidable coalition of global leaders, philanthropic giants, and governments has launched a new high-level panel named ALL IN: Global Leaders for Ending Gender-Based Violence. Unveiled at the Design Museum in London, the initiative aims to pivot the global response from reactive measures to a comprehensive, evidence-based prevention strategy, backed by the political will and financial resources necessary to create generational change.

The scale of the crisis is staggering. According to UN and WHO data, more than one billion women and girls experience violence in their lifetimes. Every day, an average of 137 women and girls are killed by an intimate partner or family member. The economic toll is equally devastating, costing the global economy an estimated US$1.5 trillion annually—a figure that, for some nations, represents between 1.2% and 3.7% of their GDP, eclipsing national spending on education. The launch of ALL IN frames this issue not merely as a violation of human rights, but as a critical public health crisis and a massive impediment to global economic stability.

A Coalition of Unprecedented Influence

What sets ALL IN apart from previous efforts is the sheer weight of influence and capital it brings to the table. The initiative is co-led by a powerful triumvirate: the Ford Foundation, Wellspring Philanthropic Foundation, and the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). This public-private leadership structure is designed to break through the funding and policy inertia that has long plagued GBV prevention efforts.

The panel itself reads like a who's who of global advocacy and leadership. It includes Nobel Peace Prize laureates like former Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and Dr. Denis Mukwege, the Congolese gynecologist renowned for his work with survivors of sexual violence. They are joined by figures such as Graça Machel, the former First Lady of both Mozambique and South Africa; Tarana Burke, the founder of the ‘me too.’ movement; and Harriet Harman, the UK’s Special Envoy for Women and Girls. The inclusion of leaders from diverse sectors, including former New Zealand cricket captain Ross Taylor, underscores a strategy to engage all corners of society, particularly men and boys, in dismantling the norms that enable violence.

This is not a ceremonial committee. Each member has a deep history of tangible work in the field. Dr. Mukwege’s Panzi Hospital has provided holistic care to tens of thousands of survivors, while Tarana Burke’s movement created a global platform for survivor voices. Their collective expertise and access to the highest levels of government and civil society are the initiative's core assets, intended to translate advocacy into concrete policy and sustained investment.

The Strategic Shift from Reaction to Prevention

The strategic heart of the initiative is a new report, also titled ALL IN, developed by the Equality Institute, which serves as the panel's secretariat. The report moves beyond simply raising awareness and outlines a clear, three-pronged framework for action: BROAD, DEEP, and RESOURCED.

• BROAD: This pillar focuses on integrating GBV prevention across all major societal systems. Instead of siloing prevention efforts within underfunded social programs, the goal is to embed them within sectors like health, education, transport, and justice. This could mean training primary healthcare providers to identify and support individuals at risk of violence, implementing comprehensive consent education in school curricula, or designing safer public transportation systems with input from women.

• DEEP: The second pillar targets the root causes of violence by aiming to drive profound and lasting change in social norms and behaviors. This is arguably the most challenging aspect, as it involves confronting deeply ingrained patriarchal attitudes and power imbalances. The strategy involves community-level interventions, media campaigns, and engaging cultural influencers in sports, arts, and faith communities to champion new narratives of masculinity and gender equality.

• RESOURCED: Recognizing that even the best strategies fail without funding, this pillar is dedicated to mobilizing sustainable, large-scale financing. The initiative aims to shift the funding paradigm from short-term, project-based grants to long-term, systemic investments from national governments, development banks, and the private sector. The panel will leverage its influence to make the economic case for prevention, arguing that investing in ending GBV is not a cost but a high-return investment in human capital, public health, and economic growth.

As Dr. Emma Fulu, CEO of the Equality Institute, stated, “After twenty-five years working to end gender-based violence, I have never seen a moment like this… this Panel is our opportunity to finally match the scale of the problem with the scale of action required.”

The Economic and Public Health Imperative

For the audience of this column—industry leaders, investors, and policymakers—the economic and public health arguments underpinning ALL IN are particularly compelling. The $1.5 trillion annual cost of GBV includes direct costs, such as the immense strain on healthcare systems for treating physical and psychological trauma, and indirect costs like lost productivity and reduced earnings potential for survivors. This chronic drain on human and economic potential hinders national development and corporate performance alike.

By focusing on prevention, ALL IN advocates for a market-shifting intervention. Investing in preventative measures—such as education and norm-change programs—has been shown to be significantly more cost-effective than managing the consequences of violence. For health systems, reducing the incidence of GBV would free up critical resources, lower long-term healthcare burdens associated with chronic pain and mental health conditions, and improve overall community well-being.

Panelist Baroness Harriet Harman highlighted this priority, noting the UK Government's mission to “halve violence against women and girls in a decade” and its desire to “collaborate with other countries who share our ambition.”

Navigating the Path Forward: Ambition Meets Reality

Despite the powerful coalition and clear strategy, the path forward for ALL IN is fraught with challenges. Coordinating action among diverse global stakeholders, each with their own priorities, has historically been a significant hurdle. Ensuring that funding remains sustainable beyond the initial commitments will require constant political and economic advocacy, and the deep-seated social norms that the initiative seeks to change are notoriously resistant.

However, the leaders of ALL IN appear to be clear-eyed about the task ahead. Their public statements reflect a profound understanding of the systemic nature of the problem. “It’s not just perpetrators of [sexual and gender-based] violence who are responsible for their crimes, it is also those who choose to look the other way,” said Dr. Denis Mukwege, condemning the indifference that allows violence to flourish.

Graça Machel echoed this sentiment, calling for a fundamental societal overhaul: “We must reimagine and redesign our societies into safe, vibrant and equitable ones.” This is not a call for minor adjustments but for systemic transformation. Tarana Burke, bringing the perspective of a survivor and lifelong activist, added a note of determined optimism, stating, “I know that this is a solvable issue, and I’ve committed my life to unearthing those solutions.”

The launch of ALL IN marks a pivotal moment. It represents a consolidation of evidence, political will, and financial muscle on a scale rarely seen in the social justice space. While the ultimate success of this ambitious initiative will depend on its ability to translate high-level commitments into grassroots-level change, its very existence signals a crucial recognition that ending gender-based violence is not only a moral imperative but a prerequisite for a healthy, stable, and prosperous global society.