United Nations Children’s Fund

In June 2008 in Uganda, 35 schools received support by UNICEF to form child rights clubs. Trainings for Parents/Teachers Associations (PTAs) and School Management Committees (SMCs) on child rights and sexual abuse were conducted. UNIFEM supported a regional radio network (ALER) to train community radio staff in Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela, working among indigenous communities. In Honduras, a violence prevention programme was signed between the Instituto Luis Bogran, the Ministry of Education and UNDP for training teachers, parents and students to become change agents in preventing violence. Hide

UNICEF country offices continued to support the development of legislation pertinent to violence against women and girls and to work with the Inter-Parliamentary Union. Hide

Many UNICEF country offices support the development of legislation on violence against women, including trafficking, domestic violence and sexual offences. UNICEF also works with the Inter-Parliamentary Union to strengthen legislative responses to violence against women and children. UNICEF recently published a guide for Members of Parliament on addressing violence against children. Hide

At the global level, UNICEF is actively involved in efforts to develop policies aimed at the protection of women and girls from sexual abuse and exploitation by United Nations staff and related personnel. Hide

A network of gender focal points in regional and country offices work with UNICEF’s Gender Equality and Human Rights Unit in promoting gender issues and awareness, including on violence against women and girls, through television and radio campaigns. In line with the Secretary-General’s study on violence against children, several country offices have led campaigns on violence against children, with an emphasis on violence against girls. Hide

UNICEF is working for the adoption of a comprehensive policy and strategy for victims of abuse and exploitation and supports the follow-up to Stockholm/Yokohama commitments on commercial sexual exploitation of children. In every sub-region, UNIFEM provides support to efforts to introduce and strengthen policies against gender-based violence, including domestic and sexual violence, trafficking in women and forced marriage. Hide

UNICEF’s Innocenti Research Centre conducts research on UNICEF’s priority areas, including on violence against women and girls. UNICEF recently published a report and strategy for the abandonment of FGM/C within one generation and together with the Body Shop, it published a report “Behind Closed Doors”, on the impact of domestic violence on children. Hide

UNICEF has developed a new manual for football coaches to encourage them to talk to boys about violence against women and girls, in order to promote a culture of non-violence and non-discrimination. Hide

In 2007, UNICEF’s State of the World’s Children report was entitled “Women and Children: The Double Dividend of Gender Equality”, which also included an analysis on the impact of violence against women on children. Hide

UNICEF has played a major role in the new initiative UN Action against Sexual Violence in Conflict, as co-chair of the advocacy working group. UNICEF also supports the provision of care and support for survivors of rape, especially in conflict situations. UNIFEM and UNFPA jointly hosted an expert meeting on sexual violence in humanitarian situations to strengthen inter-agency collaborative action to combat sexual violence in crisis. UNFPA also supports the Global Call to Action to End Sexual Violence in Armed Conflict. Hide