This short advocacy briefing – prepared for UNiTE to End Violence against Women campaign activities during 16 Days of Activism against GenderBased Violence in 2016 – aims to highlight some of the costs to national economies and households of violence against women and girls. It also gives some examples of how strategic investments to address this violence can make a concrete and long-lasting difference in lives of women and girls as well as their communities. The funding landscape of efforts to prevent and end violence against women and girls is continuously diversifying to encompass new emerging development partners, international NGOs, philanthropists, high-net worth individuals and the private sector. This briefing aims to reach out to organizations, United Nations Member States and interested individuals with a strong message that increasing their funding of initiatives can make a critical difference. By contributing to efforts to end violence against women, they can also help remove a major barrier to individual, community and national development.