A European Union effort to combat violence against women and girls by giving nearly half a billion euros ($505.6 million) to the United Nations has had little impact and is yet to prove its value for money, according to a much-anticipated report out this week.
The report, which was published by the European Court of Auditors on Monday, said it was difficult to assess the effectiveness of the Spotlight Initiative, which focuses on issues such as domestic violence, sexual and gender-based violence.
The audit will inform deliberations in Brussels over whether to fund another stage of the Spotlight Initiative, with the U.N. pushing for an additional €300 million over five years.