Project Zero

We are on a mission to end violence against women and girls (VAWG) by recruiting allies, raising awareness, and encouraging positive bystander action.

Why do we do this?

Violence against women and girls (VAWG) is a fundamental human rights violation, affecting one in three women and girls around the world.

Women and girls experience violence and discrimination, simply because of their gender.

Millions of women and girls will face violence throughout their lives, including rape, sexual assault & harassment, female genital mutilation (FGM), sexual exploitation and child marriage.

Survivors of violence will suffer multiple issues, from psychological trauma and depression to injury, sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and unwanted pregnancy.

For girls, violence and the threat of violence can create both physical and psychological barriers to education. It can prevent them from being able to choose if and who they marry and stop them from experiencing safe and meaningful relationships.

At PROJECT ZERO we are aware of the relationship between gender inequitable attitudes, beliefs in stereotypical gender roles and violence supportive attitudes that lead to violence against women and girls, both on an individual and societal level.

PROJECT ZERO exists to disrupt this narrative.

How do we do this?

PROJECT ZERO’s goal is to recruit allies by working with schools from a whole school approach framework, to increase positive student-led activism and promote gender-equitable schools where Violence Against Women and Girls is not tolerated.

PROJECT ZERO’s approach is supported by an over-arching framework designed by the Department for International Development and Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office and other Gold Standard VAWG interventions from North America and Australia.

PROJECT ZERO’s framework has been designed to involve all members of the school community. This is to ensure a consistent approach and long-term change is embedded within the school to tackle VAWG, with school leaders making a commitment to taking a zero-tolerance approach by challenging VAWGs root causes:

Key Impacts of Project Zero

project Zero's key priorities

Leadership and Strategy

PROJECT ZERO will ensure the school has an overarching framework and strategy, to ensure VAWG is specifically and explicitly addressed through school policy, including clear procedural guidelines which are consistently enforced.

Zero Tolerance / Zero Excuses Approach:

Student Led Activism:

PROJECT ZERO aims to empower and enable students to discuss and learn about VAWG, to report incidents, and to take action for equality. It is designed to encourage the voices of students through school assemblies and to support the school to tackle VAWG through strategy and policy.

PROJECT ZERO will achieve this by delivering at school assemblies and covering topics such as:

What is VAWG and why does it matter?
Challenging gender inequitable beliefs, stereotypical gender roles and violence supportive attitudes through Positive Bystander Intervention
SEE IT. STAND UP. SPEAK OUT: How to report VAWG in your school.
How everyone benefits from a gender equitable society