Violence against women and girls (VAWG) is a global pandemic which affects not only its victims but also the development of entire societies and countries.

Despite some progress in Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EECA), levels of VAWG remain high throughout the region, where a large proportion of women and girls experience various forms of violence. This Issue Brief explores the impact of this violence, why so many women and girls in the EECA region are affected, and why available data represents only a small proportion of the actual victims and survivors of VAWG. Finally, it provides concrete policy and practical recommendations on how to address the problem in the region.