Search

Following the launch of the UN Interagency Statement ‘Eliminating Female Genital Mutilation’, by the UN Deputy Secretary General in February 2008, UNICEF-supported efforts were made to implement the approach described therein in national policies. Hide

UNICEF country offices continued to support the development of legislation pertinent to violence against women and girls. Hide

Through the UNFPA and UNICEF Trust Fund and Joint Programme on Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C), achievements included: launch in Djibouti and Guinea Bissau, where a forum was created for advocacy and policy dialogue towards accelerated abandonment of FGM/C within a generation, with a wide range of stakeholders; policy discussions were held in four Country Offices of UNFPA and UNICEF and with partners, in Djibouti, Ethiopia, Guinea Bissau, Sudan, and Egypt aimed at clarifying issues related to the operation of the Joint Programme and Trust Fund. In Sudan, the Trust Fund supported media advocacy capacity for partners implementing the Joint Programme. Hide

Through the UNFPA and UNICEF Trust Fund and Joint Programme on Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C) a quarterly monitoring tool was developed to capture achievements of each output under the Joint Programme, the lessons learned and challenges; the contribution of each output towards achievement of the outcomes in the Joint Programme was developed; a baseline matrix was drafted to guide the collection of baseline information and was circulated to all countries for adaptation. Hide

Many UNICEF country offices in 2008 have utilized television and radio campaigns and capitalized on international awareness days to publicize violence against women and girls. Hide

The West and Central Africa UNICEF Regional Office produced an analysis on gender-based violence and its effects on HIV. The report provides strong evidence that chronic violence can lead to HIV risk behaviours which are not necessarily chosen in a conscious way. Hide

UNICEF has played a major role in the new UN Action against Sexual Violence in Conflict initiative, as Co-Chair of the advocacy working group. Under the auspices of UN Action, UNICEF, together with the women’s rights NGO V-Day is leading a global campaign against sexual violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The Campaign, Stop raping our Greatest Resource: Power to the Women and Girls of DRC was launched in Bukavu, DRC, in November 2007. Hide

In June 2008 in Uganda, 35 schools received support by UNICEF to form child rights clubs. Trainings for Parents/Teachers Associations (PTAs) and School Management Committees (SMCs) on child rights and sexual abuse were conducted. UNIFEM supported a regional radio network (ALER) to train community radio staff in Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela, working among indigenous communities. In Honduras, a violence prevention programme was signed between the Instituto Luis Bogran, the Ministry of Education and UNDP for training teachers, parents and students to become change agents in preventing violence. Hide

UNICEF facilitates the establishment of partnerships with governments and non-governmental organizations, and places emphasis on the development of national action plans on gender-based violence. Hide

As a follow up to the Secretary-General’s Study on Violence Against Children, in December 2007, UNICEF supported the development of a new publication on violence against girls, entitled ” From Invisible to Indivisible” highlighting the recommendations of the Secretary-General’s study on violence against children and the study on violence against women. Hide