Campaign: Financing the reduction of gender-based violence

A bold multi-year campaign to create a systemic shift in the way finance is used in the reduction of gender-based violence

“We need to end violence against women, and to do that, we need to use all of our power, including the power embedded in our financial systems.”

Join Us
GBV is increasingly recognized as material to many interconnected issues on the global political agenda, from responsible AI to political instability and the climate crisis. This is the moment to bring together a consortium of partners already working on solutions to strengthen the bridges between finance and the GBV movement, accelerating the creation of new infrastructure and partnerships, and radically expanding the capacity to act. The five-year Financing the Reduction of GBV program seizes on that momentum, building on the progress being made to bridge the gap between finance,
government and GBV movement actors. It will bring together diverse leaders who share a commitment to action but seldom sit at the same tables. It will surface what is already being done by social change organizations and investors alike, making it visible and credible across the financial ecosystem. It will generate insights and prototypes that expand investors’ and organizations’ imagination of what finance can do and build the pathways for them to act with confidence. This is not about starting from scratch. It is about elevating and expanding what is already working and creating the infrastructure to sustain change.
In 2017, we intentionally focused 30% of Criterion’s work on gender-based violence to deepen the conversations about gender in the field of gender lens investing. Since then, we have built deep relationships across sectors and geographies and cemented our reputation as a trusted convener and leader in innovative finance and gender lens investing.
We’ve worked primarily with asset owners because they can influence priories across investment ecosystems: their intent shapes how asset managers assess risk and opportunity. So, as part of our 2018 influence campaign, we aggregated USD 1 trillion in intent from asset owners to invest in strategies for addressing gender-based violence and demonstrate a will to act. We worked closely with pension funds, particularly in the United States, who were focusing on gender-based violence in the wake of the #MeToo movement. We collaborated with Trustees United to collectively galvanize asset owner commitments. We also hosted a series of convenings across North America, Asia-Pacific, and Europe.
Alongside investors, we also continue to work closely with the gender-based violence movement to ensure that financial strategies are grounded in the realities of those closest to the issue. So far, we’ve worked with almost 200 GBV organizations and 1,000 individuals to design approaches to change using finance as a tool. This work has translated the deep expertise of GBV practitioners into insights that could in form financial analysis and investment design. Additionally, we’ve worked with the governing structures of religious denominations to align their investments with their policies related to GBV.
Invitation

Join Us

We are seeking foundations with a commitment to gender equity, systems change, and innovation to partner with Criterion Institute in catalyzing systemic change through finance.

Your support will enable scalable, sustainable solutions that enable organizations to use finance as a tool for change, influence investors, and reduce violence globally.

Contact Criterion President Joy Anderson to discuss opportunities
Contact Joy Anderson

Selected Resources

Roadmaps

Roadmap for Christian Denominations to Use Finance to Reduce Gender-based Violence

June 5, 2024
Read More >

Valuing the State of Victoria’s (Australia) Plan to End Family Violence Impact on Investment Opportunities

June 5, 2024
Read More >

Addressing Gender-Based Violence through Direct Investments in the Safety Sector

June 5, 2024
Read More >

Due Diligence Guides

A West and East Africa gender-based violence due diligence tool

December 2, 2025

The West and East Africa Gender-Based Violence Due Diligence Tool is designed to equip investors with a structured way to identify, assess, and mitigate the material risks gender-based violence (GBV) poses to their investments, particularly within the sociopolitical contexts of West and East Africa.

Read More >

Gender-based Violence Due Diligence Tool

August 27, 2024

Criterion Institute, in partnership with the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, created a guide for investors in the Pacific region to understand the risk their investments are exposed to as a result of gender-based violence, and to incorporate that risk assessment into their existing due diligence process.

Read More >

Covid-19 Diligence Tool UNICEF-Criterion

August 27, 2024

Criterion Institute, in partnership with UNICEF, created a guide for investors to understand the risk their investments are exposed to as a result of gender-based violence, and to incorporate that risk assessment into their existing due diligence process.

Read More >

Podcasts

#69: The Stories We Choose: Finding Meaning in the Broken Glass of 2025

January 5, 2026

Joy reflects on the past year and the importance of storytelling in shaping our future. She discusses the common practice of making New Year's resolutions and how they often fall short, advocating instead for a broader perspective that encompasses multiple narratives.

Read More >

#67: Financing the Reduction of GBV: From Insights to Infrastructure

January 5, 2026

Joy Anderson discusses the intersection of finance and gender-based violence, emphasizing the need for transformative systems change. She reflects on the insights gained from Donella Meadows' work on leverage points in systems change and the importance of building infrastructure to support gender-based violence solutions.

Read More >

#68: Clarity is Relational: Leadership in Complex Systems

December 18, 2025

Joy rants about clarity then shifts into a conversation with systems change leader Rachel Sinha, where the two explore communication as a relational and systemic practice.

Read More >

Interested in getting involved with Criterion Institute?

Our work depends on an ever-expanding community of team members, advisors, donors, and other partners who help us achieve our mission.

Get in Touch