United Nations Population Fund

UNFPA and WHO jointly hosted a meeting on “Prenatal Sex Selection for Non-Health Reasons” in June 2009 in order to build a common understanding that will lead to the issuance of a joint UN inter-agency statement on the subject. Hide

UNFPA – via its Country Offices - was involved in implementing various components of Security Council resolutions 1325 and 1820 in humanitarian settings, including programming to address the needs of survivors of gender-based violence. Hide

UNFPA Madagascar supported centers and legal advice for victims of violence. UNFPA country programmes supported the strengthening of the health sector response to gender-based violence, and reported a higher percentage rate of inclusion of gender-based violence issues in pre- and in-service training of health service providers as compared to 64 per cent in 2007. Working with a number of partners, initiatives included the development of medical kits to treat survivors of gender-based violence in Guatemala. In Honduras, a model of integrated care for gender-based violence victims was developed and implemented in 26 centers. Hide

UNFPA country programmes, working with a number of partners, undertook various technical assistance and training activities, including: (i) development of manuals, protocols, guidelines and curriculum on gender based violence in Rwanda, Botswana, Uganda, Albania, and China; (ii) training of service providers in Cote D’Ivoire, Mongolia, Nepal, South Africa, and Zambia. Other training and capacity development initiatives in gender-based violence were supported by UNFPA in several countries such as Swaziland, Cambodia, Sudan, Turkey, Romania and Nicaragua. Hide

In Jordan, UNHCR and UNFPA coordinated a mapping of existing sexual and reproductive health and sexual and gender-based violence services available to Iraqi refugees. A matrix was developed and shared with the sub-group on Reproductive Health, the health group and other key actors providing services to mobilize improved services. Hide

In Paraguay, UNFPA supported the institutional strengthening of the Gender Unit of the Human Rights Division of the Supreme Court, which is responsible for the monitoring of the violence against women policy. In Rwanda, WFP supported the establishment of two Gender Desks: one in the National Police and one in the Ministry of Defence. The primary task of these units is to assist Concerned National Institutions and other stakeholders to address issues related to gender-based violence. Hide

UNFPA sent a high-level delegation participate in the March 2009 international colloquium that was held in Liberia on “Women’s Empowerment, Leadership Development, International Peace and Security”. UNFPA made a presentation on “Developing Linkages for Collaboration on the SG Campaign on VAW” at the UNDP global annual gender meeting that was held in Caracas, Venezuela, in April 2009. Hide

In Romania, UNFPA and the National Agency for Family Protection (NAFP) assisted the East European Institute for Reproductive Health (EEIRH) to develop centralized data collection – the Integrated Information System (IIS) - which allows confidential access to gender-based violence services for survivors. Hide

UNFPA participated in the March 2009 Rio Global Symposium on Engaging Men and Boys in Achieving Gender Equality; developed a toolkit on Engaging Men and Boys in Gender Equality and sexual and reproductive health (with Instituto Promundo); developed case studies of Engaging Men and Boys in Gender, Sexuality and reproductive health in Asia and Africa (with ICOMP); and, documented good practices on Engaging Men and Boys in Gender Equality and HIV and AIDS. UNFPA represented the UN Team in the drafting committee of the Rio Call to Action and continues the collaboration with the “Men Engage Alliance” as well as respective partners.UNFPA continued its advocacy work on elimination of violence, abuse and discrimination against women and girls, with a special focus on vulnerable and marginalized groups of women and girls. It collaborated with Help Age International, the Global Action on Aging and the NGO Committee on Ageing in advocating for the implementation of the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing, and contributed to UNAIDS’s guidance note on HIV and sex work. Other instances of work with such groups includes the new UNFPA-AECID Latin America initiative - “Strengthening Indigenous Women’s Organizations and Health Systems to Promote Maternal Health, with an Intercultural and Human Rights-Based Approach”. In Jamaica, in partnership with the government, UNFPA support the launching of the campaign “Sister to Sister”, using popular icons and messages.During the Commission on the Status of Women, UNFPA hosted various events on the inter-sectionality of HIV/AIDS and violence against women. Hide

The research study supported by UNFPA and conducted by the International Center for Research on Women on “Costing Intimate Partner Violence in 3 identified countries” was finalized and a colloquium was organised in Washington DC, in May 2009, at the International Centre for Research on Women (ICRW) to make the findings of the study public. Hide