The UK is leading an “international mission” to tackle violence against women and girls.
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper set out details of the plan which will see countries across the world share expertise in addressing the problem.
The founding members of the coalition are the UK, South Africa, Brazil, Morocco, Spain, Jamaica, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Australia.
Ms Cooper said: “Violence against women and girls is a global emergency not just a national emergency.
“We are determined to work across borders to ensure women’s safety is a worldwide priority. I visited the Sudanese border in February, and I heard girls speak of rape, abduction and abhorrent sexual violence.
“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.”
As home secretary, Ms Cooper helped lead work on the Government’s domestic target of halving violence against women and girls (VAWG) in a decade.
She drew on the example in Spain, where she saw how technology was being used to identify perpetrators and as part of the launch of the new coalition she was joined by Spanish international co-operation minister Eva Granados on a visit to Lewisham in London to see the Metropolitan Police’s work on tackling prolific offenders.
Ms Cooper said: “We obviously have a UK domestic mission to halve violence against women and girls over the next 10 years, but what we’re now trying to do is to build an international mission on ending violence against women and girls, and working closely with Spain, but also with other countries, including Jamaica, South Africa, Morocco, Australia, countries from across the world.”
The coalition was announced as part of the Global Partnerships Conference being hosted by the UK in London.
Ms Cooper said “women deserve to live free from fear of violence” and “there can be no peace, security, or prosperity for any of us until they do”.
Safeguarding minister Natalie Fleet, who was also on the visit to Lewisham police station, said: “To create a world where women and girls feel safe from harm, we must build a united, global front and I’m proud to stand alongside international partners today who committed to doing just that.
“But we will not stop there. We will deploy the full power of the UK state to halve violence against women and girls in a decade.”
