Measures

In 2012, UNFPA responded to crises under the GBV cluster coordination mechanism with special focus on the health needs of women and girls in Afghanistan, Burundi, Chad, Colombia, Cote d’Ivoire, DR Congo, Georgia, Guinea, Haiti, Indonesia, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines, Somalia, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syria, Uganda and Zimbabwe. Hide

The UNFPA-UNICEF Joint Programme on Female Genital Mutilation supported 12 out of the 15 countries, where it works, to develop a legislative framework to address this harmful practice. Such legislation has been recently adopted in Kenya, Gambia, Guinea Bissau and Somalia. Hide

In Liberia: UNFPA through the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare promoted the availability of services to Survivors of violence including sexual violence through the One Stop Centre; UNDP supported the Ministry of Justice through the SGBV Crimes unit to launch the In Camera Trial Mobile Partitions countrywide; WHO supported the establishment of a Referral List for Board Certified Mental Health Clinicians in Liberia by County and trained them to provide basic SGBV Psychosocial counselling in accordance to available guidelines; UNFPA continued to support the Government to establish 5 safe homes; UNICEF supported the Ministry of Justice and other key stakeholders to develop and standardize the victim assistance framework; and UNMIL provided logistical support to the Women and Child Protection Sections of the Liberian National Police in 12 counties, to improve mobility, investigation, reporting and communication. Hide

In 2012, around 3,144 health facilities have integrated FGM/C in their reproductive health services, particularly in their antenatal and postnatal care, with the support of UNFPA. UNFPA has ongoing collaboration with the Auckland University of Technology to support health systems in Fiji, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands and Kiribati to better respond to survivors of violence, including through the development of protocols and multi-sectoral referral mechanisms, as well as training for doctors and nurses. Hide

OHCHR developed a two-day specialised course on monitoring and investigating conflict related sexual violence; briefed the C.34 on its work on sexual violence, together with DPKO and the Office of the SRSG SVC; supported research to understand patterns and consequences of sexual violence during the 1999 conflict in Kosovo, including gaps in access to justice, institutional capacity needs, and perspectives of survivors with regard to reparations; and together with UN Women is finalizing a draft guidance note concerning reparations for victims of conflict-related sexual violence. Hide

OHCHR also supported field office work, including: activities to increase access to justice (mobile courts, legal clinics, training of judges); support on holding investigations; and support to the judicial data project. In the DRC, a five pilot initiative to provide support to over 1000 survivors of sexual violence in the areas of Bukavu and Shabunda was implemented. Hide

OHCHR supported the formulation and implementation of laws on violence against women in accordance with international standards in Afghanistan, Timor-Leste, the Kurdistan region of Iraq and Maldives. In Papua New Guinea, following sustained advocacy by OHCHR and its UN partners, the country’s Law Reform Commission proposed a repeal of the country's sorcery act. In January 2013, at the invitation of the Verma Committee in India, OHCHR made a submission on the review of the law relating to sexual assault, elaborating significant legal and policy elements that should be taken into account to prevent, punish and redress violence against women. Hide

Through the Multi-Partner Trust Fund of UN Action, OHCHR, in cooperation with DPKO, the Office of the SRSG on Sexual violence in conflict and other partners, obtained support for the deployment of Women Protection Advisors to the human rights components of DRC and Cote d’Ivoire. OHCHR also seconded a staff member to act as the Senior WPA in UNMISS (South Sudan) and assist the mission in the setting-up of the Monitoring, Analysis and Reporting Arrangements (MARA). In Angola, an Advisor was deployed to the office of the Resident Coordinator to assist the UN system in promoting follow-up to the commitments made by the Government in relation to sexual violence during the visit of the former SRSG SVC. With the support of UN-Women, the commissions of inquiry for Libya and Syria all included experts on sexual violence. As a member of the TOE, OHCHR worked with Human Rights components to strengthen the capacity of national rule of law and justice actors to address impunity for conflict-related sexual violence. Hide

In Guinea Bissau, OHCHR supported and provided technical assistance to national NGO Djinopi in the organisation of the Islamic Conference on combatting Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), where a Declaration by the Imams of Guinea Bissau on the Abandonment of FGM was adopted. Support to Djinop also resulted in the publishing of a “Golden Booklet” in English, French, Portuguese and Arabic containing short Islamic studies and statements against FGM. Hide

In Togo and Chad, OHCHR supported activities on the implementation of UPR and CEDAW recommendations on violence against women. Hide