Measures

UNHCR, in cooperation with UNFPA and WHO, published an e-learning tool on the clinical management of rape. UNHCR’s Handbook for the Protection of Women and Girls has been translated into Arabic, French, Russian and Spanish and a CD-ROM version in Arabic, English, French and Spanish has been produced. Hide

During 2009, UNHCR organized a session for staff at Headquarters to raise awareness about Security Council resolutions 1820 and 1888, and also held a lecture on Revisiting Strategies of Inclusion and Violence against Women. UNHCR commemorated the 16 days of activism campaign against gender violence at Headquarters and in the field with a variety of activities, including a demonstration of solidarity by UNHCR staff in joining the “Get Cross” campaign of UN Action Against Sexual Violence in Conflict. Hide

In September 2009, a workshop, jointly facilitated by UNHCR, UNFPA and the International Rescue Committee, was held on the establishment of standard operating procedures to address SGBV, and on the gender-based violence information management system (GBVIMS). The workshop included participants from the Central African Republic, Chad, Liberia, Nepal, and Sudan. UNHCR and UNFPA conducted GBVIMS technical support missions to the refugee operations in Kenya and Thailand. Hide

The Final Evaluation Report of the UN Trust Fund 2005-2008 and the Management Response can be found at the UNIFEM website (www.unifem.org/evaw). A debriefing on the evaluation findings was organized in September for the global inter-agency Programme Appraisal Committee and UN Member States.The UN Trust Fund continued to intensify its outreach and resource mobilization efforts, including through a new fund-raising strategy under the UN Secretary-General’s UNiTE to End Violence against Women Campaign. The Campaign’s target of an annual contribution of US $100 million by 2015 to the UN Trust Fund became a Commitment to Action of the Clinton Global Initiative.In 2009, the UN Trust Fund reached an unprecedented US $23.5 million in total donor contributions and pledges, the largest amount of resources mobilized thus far in a single year.UNIFEM Goodwill Ambassador and UN Trust Fund grantee organization Breakthrough testified in October 2009 to the United States House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee. They presented strategies on ending violence against women and girls, and called attention to the need to scale up resources to the UN Trust Fund.In November 2009, the UN Secretary-General announced US $10.5 million in UN Trust Fund grants. A training curriculum on evidence-based programming, monitoring and evaluation was piloted, and two workshops were held in Ethiopia and in India for grantee organizations. Hide

In November 2009, UNESCO’s Office in Beijing sponsored the Institute of Anthropology in the Renmin University of China to initiate an advocacy forum and campaign to mark the “End Violence against Women Day”. The project provided a platform for experts from the government and civil society organizations to discuss domestic violence and raised awareness among university students on the issue through a variety of campaigns, such as debate and drama. Hide

In December 2009, UNESCO’s Office in Beijing, along with the UN country team, launched a project on “Preventing and Responding to Domestic Violence in China through a Multi-Sectoral Approach”. The project is supported by the UN Trust Fund and coordinated a host of UN agencies and national partners. UNESCO is taking the lead role to conduct baseline surveys in identifying risks and needs in prevention and response to domestic violence; and developing a pilot program for training community leaders in prevention of violence against women. Hide

UNESCO continued to conduct research on violence against women and its activities under its project to fight human trafficking in Africa. Hide

UNESCO worked on a campaign to fight human trafficking in Africa.The seventh session of the UNESCO Forum on Gender Equality, organized in collaboration with the Permanent Delegation of the United States of America to UNESCO, was held in October 2009. The Round Table, on the theme “Beijing: 15 Years After”, explored the progress which has been made in the twelve critical areas of action of the Beijing Platform for Action. Hide

The UNESCO Communication and Information Sector conducted numerous activities in post-conflict countries, where an emphasis was put on women’s involvement in conflict resolution, peace-building, and reconstruction through better access to information. In this context, safety training for women journalists against violence and specific threats to foster security of women journalists in conflict and post conflict situations is strongly supported. UNESCO is following up on the development of its project on school-related gender-based violence in six post conflict countries in Africa. Hide

UNESCO continues to carry out a series of studies which examine the family laws in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). The UNESCO Office in Beijing initiated public awareness campaigns in Mongolia to strengthen the implementation of the law to combat domestic violence in local areas, engaging a broad range of stakeholders. Hide