The UK government has announced plans for a £15 million fund to tackle misogyny and improve safety for women and girls, placing prevention and public awareness at the centre of a new policy initiative.

Announced on 27 October by Chancellor John Healey and Women and Equalities Minister Bridget Phillipson, the fund will provide £5 million a year over three years. It is intended to support mentoring for young people, workplace training and public-awareness campaigns aimed at challenging sexist attitudes, harassment and discrimination.

The funding will be administered through the Office for the Impact Economy in partnership with the Office for Equality and Opportunity. Organisations will be able to apply for grants, while ministers hope to attract additional contributions from businesses and philanthropic donors to expand the programme.

The initiative comes amid growing political concern about online misogyny and the influence of so-called “manosphere” content on young people. The government says the fund will support practical interventions designed to prevent harmful attitudes and improve outcomes for women and girls.

The announcement forms part of wider efforts to address violence against women and girls. Its success will depend on how funding is distributed, which programmes receive support and whether the initiatives produce measurable improvements.