Oct 2008 - Feb 2009

In January 2009, UNRWA implemented its sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) policy "Prohibition of discrimination, harassment - including sexual harassment and abuse of power", supported by agency-wide training. The Agency researched initiatives to address violence against women within the region to determine best practices.

During 2008, all UNHCR offices were required to view and discuss the film “To Serve with Pride”, produced by the ECHA/ECPS UN/NGO Task Force on Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse. UNHCR has also taken the lead in developing guidance for field offices in setting up community-based complaints mechanisms for sexual exploitation and abuse.

UNHCR has developed a Strategic Plan for Reproductive Health (2008-2012), including key sexual and gender-based violence strategies on the establishment of policies, guidelines and programmes to prevent and respond to sexual and gender-based violence; clinical management and protocols for rape survivors; access to early diagnosis; and care and treatment for rape survivors.

In September 2009, UNFPA held a regional meeting in Namibia to develop a UNFPA Africa-wide regional strategy on GBV.

In October 2008, UNHCR finalized a three-year Strategic Plan to prevent and respond to sexual and gender-based violence.

OHCHR examined the feasibility of deploying gender advisors, including on violence against women, to regional offices, and completed a needs assessment mission to the Regional Office in Beirut in October 2008. OHCHR continued to develop a gender strategy for Colombia, including sub-strategies related to violence and a consultant was recruited for its implementation phase.In the Middle East and North Africa region, OHCHR worked to develop a strategy to combat crimes committed in the name of “honour”.

Following the Fifteenth Meeting of Specialized Agencies and Other Bodies of the United Nations System on the Advancement of Women in Latin America and the Caribbean (Bogotá, 23 April 2008), a regional interagency working group has been established to define the strategy and ways to implement the Secretary-General’s campaign. ECLAC is acting as the link between the regional and global levels for the Secretary- General’s campaign to eliminate all forms of violence against women.

DAW, now part of UN Women, identified experts and undertook research in preparation for an expert group meeting on legislation on harmful practices.

The results of the 2008 grant cycle were announced on 25 November 2008, at an event with the Secretary-General and UNIFEM’s (now part of UN Women) Goodwill Ambassador, Ms. Nicole Kidman. A total of US$22 million in grants were approved, reflecting both multi-sectoral and multi-stakeholder interventions.

In December 2008, UN Action created a Multi-Donor Trust Fund to pool resources, tightening accountability for joint UN system action against sexual violence in conflict.UN Action supported the recruitment of a Programme Manager to coordinate the Joint Government-UN Programme on Sexual and Gender Based Violence in Liberia. UN Action also provided financial support to UNFPA for two UN system-wide gender-based violence coordinators in Darfur, Sudan.