Measures

UN Women together with ILO, UNDP, UNFPA, UNICEF, UNODC, OHCHR and WHO supported the preparations for and successful conclusion of CSW 57. This included the convening of a high level side event with the Secretary General and the Heads of 11 UN agencies to discuss ending violence against women which resulted in a joint statement, available at: https://www.unwomen.org/en/news/stories/2013/3/joint-statement-by-heads-of-un-agencies-on-ending-violence Hide

UN Women’s Safe Cities Global Initiative includes: the “Safe Cities Free of Violence against Women and Girls” Global Programme (2011-2017), in partnership with UN Habitat, and 50 other local and global partners operating in 9 countries to develop models to prevent sexual harassment and other forms of sexual violence against women and girls in public spaces. Five pilot cities of the programme (Cairo, Delhi, Kigali, Port Moresby and Quito) are applying an impact evaluation methodology to contribute a solid evidence basis for what works. Some city level results in 2013 include: in Kigali, the city created a toll free line to increase reporting of incidents of sexual violence and harassment in public spaces. In Port Moresby,vendors established associations in the markets – two in Gordons and one in Gerehu, with 50% representation of women in executive positions. In New Delhi, with technical support from UN Women and partners such as Jagori, Mission Convergence and Department of Women and Child Development, Government of NCT of New Delhi, the Safe City Programme conducted over 100 women safety audits in 25 areas in New Delhi. The safety audit tool was also piloted in two new cities – Mumbai and Bengaluru.The Global Initiative also includes the UN Women, UNICEF and UN Habitat Joint Programme “Safe and Sustainable Cities for All”(2012-2017), which is currently being implemented in 8 additional cites: Greater Beirut (Lebanon), Dushanbe (Tajikistan), Metro Manila (Philippines),Marrakesh (Morocco), Nairobi (Kenya), Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), San José (Costa Rica) and Tegucigalpa (Honduras). Some city-level results of the programme include: In Manila, a ‘Safety Scan Instrument’ was developed to identify and assess violence risks in the neighbourhoods of Mandaluyong, Quezon and Pasay to inform strategies for structural improvements. In Marrakech, a participatory Scoping Study was completed in 2013 to inform the design of the programme.For more information: https://www.unwomen.org/ru/what-we-do/ending-violence-against-women/creating-safe-public-spaces Hide

Leveraging existing accountability mechanisms for legal and policy action, UNAIDS, UNDP, UN Women and OHCHR jointly organized a briefing of the CEDAW committee on the link between HIV and violence against women. Hide

In December 2010, OHCHR and UN Women were tasked by the Secretary-General’s Policy Committee to develop a Guidance Note on reparations for victims of conflict-related sexual violence. The Guidance Note, which was informed by a study jointly commissioned by OHCHR and UN Women, provides policy and operational guidance for Member States, UN agencies, development actors, and civil society organizations on the topic, and will be finalized in the first quarter of 2014. Hide

The Asia-Pacific Regional Coordination Mechanism Thematic Working Group on Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women (TWG-GEEW), co-chaired by ESCAP and UN WOMEN, continued its engagement in support of the women, peace and security (WPS) agenda. The Thematic Working Group convened the “Second Meeting of the Asia-Pacific Regional Advisory Group on Women, Peace and Security” on 1-2 August 2013. The meeting provided a forum for the Regional Advisors to share experiences and good practices, as well as identify common concerns and strategies for accelerating progress in effective implementation of UNSCR 1325 and related resolutions. The meeting addressed the particular vulnerabilities of conflict-affected populations and concluded with recommendations on policies and strategies to strengthen implementation of the WPS agenda in Asia and the Pacific, including through national action plans to effectively protect women and girls in conflict situations. Hide

The publication of a new methodology and a regional UN Women publication on VAW costing cemented UN Women’s technical leadership in this emerging area of research in the Asia Pacific region and have contributed to the decision by seven governments in the region to undertake new or additional VAW costing studies. Hide

In October 2013, UN Women launched Voices against Violence, a pioneering co-educational and non-formal education curriculum on ending violence against women and girls, designed for various age groups ranging from 5 to 25 years, in partnership with the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts. It provides girls, boys, young women and young men with tools and expertise to understand the root causes of violence in their communities, to educate and involve their peers and communities to prevent such violence, and to learn about where to access support if they experience violence.Increasingly, UN Women is strengthening prevention interventions that include and also go beyond awareness-raising, to engage with schools, faith-based organizations, media and communities at large. In Mozambique for example, UN Women successfully advocated for the UNCT to adopt ending violence against women as one of two signature themes for the country and in partnership UNFPA and UNICEF, national institutions and civil society organizations developed and are implementing a comprehensive approach to prevent violence against women and girls in a total of five districts in 4 provinces, reaching opinion and community leaders and enlisting youth as agents for change in seven secondary schools. In India, UN Women contributed to prevention of trafficking in women and girls through the establishment of 40 Anti-Trafficking Vigilance Committees as well as to increasing the evidence base through research on various forms of VAW and strategies to address them. In Timor-Leste, UN Women was included in the curriculum reform reference group and provided inputs on school curricula and lesson materials related to VAW prevention and promotion of gender equality for potential integration in the Basic Education Curriculum. Hide

UNFPA and UN Women launched and rolled out the Joint Global Programme on Essential Services for Women and Girls subject to Violence. This Joint Programme is aimed at responding to the critical gaps and challenges that limit expanded access to quality multi-sectoral services for all women and girls victims/survivors of violence. With a particular focus on developing countries, the programme aims to achieve greater access for all women and girls who have experienced violence to a set of essential quality and coordinated multi-sectoral services. Under this initiative, a global experts meeting was convened, also in collaboration with WHO, in Bangkok, Thailand, in November 2013 to reach an agreement on the set of essential health services that are required to be provided to women and girls vulnerable to or that have been subjected to violence. Hide

In 38 countries, UN Women contributed to implementation of laws and policies, building capacity and improving coordination to expand access to health, justice, police and shelter services – fundamental responses to hold perpetrators accountable and provide better outcomes for survivors. For example, in the State of Palestine, UN Women contributed to 10 fully functioning Family Protection Units across the West Bank, resulting in a near four-fold increase in the number of women reporting abuse in 2013 over the previous year. In addition, UN Women supported two shelters and one multi-purpose centre for survivors. Hide

UNICEF is leading in the development of tools for violence against women and girls in emergencies, including the revision of the IASC GBV Guidelines and the GBV Coordination Handbook. In 2014-2015, UNICEF will roll out the Guidelines and promote adherence at headquarters, regional and country levels, within UNICEF programmes and by partners. Hide