Economic Commission for Africa
Address/Websites
Menelik II Ave. P.O. Box 3001, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Background
As the regional arm of the United Nations in Africa, the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) is mandated to support the economic and social development of its 53 Member States, foster regional integration, and promote international cooperation for Africa's development. The African Centre for Gender and Development, a Division of ECA, is mandated to orient the policies of the ECA into areas concerning gender equality and to advise the ECA on the implementation of appropriate strategies for the economic and social advancement of women in Africa.Policy framework
ECA’s mandate and policy framework on violence against women derives from the Dakar Platform for Action (1994) and the outcome and way forward-document of the Seventh African Regional Conference on women (2004). Its policy framework is also rooted in the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and its Additional Protocol on the Rights of Women in Africa.Areas of Focus
ECA through the African Centre for Gender and Development undertakes policy development and research activities, as well as operational activities and awareness-raising activities in relation to violence against women.Resources
The African Gender and Development Index – African Women’s Progress Scoreboard
ABOUT 19 RESULTS
Oct 2008 - Feb 2009
ECA’s African Centre for Gender and Social Development supported the Sixth African Development Forum (ADF) on Gender Equality, Women’s Empowerment and Ending Violence Against Women in Africa, held in October 2008.
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ECA’s African Centre for Gender and Social Development supported the Sixth African Development Forum (ADF) on Gender Equality, Women’s Empowerment and Ending Violence Against Women in Africa, held in October 2008. Participants from Member States, research institutions, academia, civil society, donor communities and other stakeholders discussed, among other topics, ways for tackling violence against women. The ADF adopted a Consensus Statement with and Plan of Action with 3 pillars, one of which is on violence against women. (see: http://www.uneca.org/adfvi/ConsensusStatement.asp). In follow-up to the ADF Consensus Statement and Plan of Action, ECA is designing a methodology to collect data on violence against women.
Feb 2008 - Sept 2008
ECA collaborated in the organization of a seminar by the African Union Commission, held in April 2008 in Addis Ababa, to commemorate the fourteenth anniversary of the Rwandan Genocide, on the theme “Ending violence against women in conflict situations: lessons drawn from the Rwandan Genocide”.
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ECA collaborated in the organization of a seminar by the African Union Commission, held in April 2008 in Addis Ababa, to commemorate the fourteenth anniversary of the Rwandan Genocide, on the theme “Ending violence against women in conflict situations: lessons drawn from the Rwandan Genocide”.
Feb 2008 - Sept 2008
ECA’s African Center for Gender and Social Development (ACGSD/UNECA), in collaboration with UNDP regional gender programme for Africa, developed the African Women’s Rights Observatory (AWRO) website. Violence against women is one of the three thematic areas covered by the AWRO.
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ECA’s African Center for Gender and Social Development (ACGSD/UNECA), in collaboration with UNDP regional gender programme for Africa, developed the African Women’s Rights Observatory (AWRO) website. Violence against women is one of the three thematic areas covered by the AWRO. The AWRO was officially launched on 28 August 2008, at the Conference of Ministers of Gender and Women’s Affairs in Addis Abba.
Feb 2008 - Sept 2008
In February 2008, the Economic Commission for Africa organized a high-level policy dialogue in Addis Ababa on national implementation of the Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) in Africa, in collaboration with the Office of the Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on Gender Issues and Advanc
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In February 2008, the Economic Commission for Africa organized a high-level policy dialogue in Addis Ababa on national implementation of the Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) in Africa, in collaboration with the Office of the Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women.
Feb 2008 - Sept 2008
ECA, in partnership with the African Union (AU) and development partners, has set up the Network on Gender-Based Violence/Violence against Women (GBV/VAW), in Addis Ababa.
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ECA, in partnership with the African Union (AU) and development partners, has set up the Network on Gender-Based Violence/Violence against Women (GBV/VAW), in Addis Ababa. Its members include Regional Economic Communities, the Swedish, Finnish, Danish and South African Embassies, United Nations agencies and civil society organizations. The Network is undertaking the following activities: review global and regional legal commitments on GBV/VAW and analyse obligations by States; review and recommend for strengthening AU reporting frameworks to facilitate monitoring progress and improve performance in implementation of commitments; compile good practices in addressing GBV/VAW in Africa.
Jul 2007
ECA supports inter-governmental processes, including those that result in policy instruments for the advancement of women, and the elimination of violence against women.
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ECA supports inter-governmental processes, including those that result in policy instruments for the advancement of women, and the elimination of violence against women. It supports the work of the Inter-African Committee on Traditional Practices on fight against traditional practices that are harmful to women and girls, including genital mutilation.
Jul 2007
ECA supports Member States, at their request, and undertakes capacity-building activities for non-governmental organizations on women’s human rights.
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ECA supports Member States, at their request, and undertakes capacity-building activities for non-governmental organizations on women’s human rights. ECA supports training workshops on women’s human rights, with a focus also on violence against women, in collaboration with partners from governments, United Nations entities and civil society. Examples include a regional training workshop on women’s human rights in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, in 2003; and a national training workshop on gender mainstreaming in Uganda, in 2004.
Jul 2007
To raise awareness on human rights issues and specifically on violence against women, ECA launched in April 2007, with the collaboration of the UNDP Regional Gender Programme, the African Women’s Rights Observatory (AWRO).
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To raise awareness on human rights issues and specifically on violence against women, ECA launched in April 2007, with the collaboration of the UNDP Regional Gender Programme, the African Women’s Rights Observatory (AWRO). The AWRO is expected to contribute to strengthening of tracking and monitoring protection/violations of women’s rights, including violence against women, in African countries.
Jul 2007
ECA supported 12 countries to undertake field studies using the African Gender and Development Index.
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ECA supported 12 countries to undertake field studies using the African Gender and Development Index. The 12 pilot countries (Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Egypt, Ghana, Madagascar, Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania, Tunisia and Uganda) have collected qualitative data on domestic violence, harmful practices, rape, sexual harassment and trafficking in women. They assessed the extent to which governments have ratified international conventions, met all reporting requirements, passed national laws, developed plans with specific targets, set institutional mechanisms, allocated sufficient financial and human resources, undertaken research, collaborated with civil society organizations, disseminated information and set monitoring and evaluation mechanisms for each type of violence against women. The project has been extended during 2007 to five countries, Cape Verde, Senegal, the Gambia, Namibia, and Botswana.