Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights

The OHCHR/Human Rights and Transitional Justice Section in the UN Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste provided a human rights commentary on the draft law against domestic violence. Hide

OHCHR, along with the Office of the SRSG on Sexual Violence in Conflict, DPKO and UNDP, worked on the operationalization of the team of experts to be deployed to situations of particular concern with respect to sexual violence in armed conflict, in order to assist national authorities to strengthen the rule of law, as called for under Security Council Resolution 1888. At the headquarters level, UNDP and other UN entities have developed a joint programme document and secured seed funding from the UN Action Against Sexual Violence Multi-donor Trust Fund (MDTF) for an initial six month period to recruit and put in place the team of experts. Hide

The OHCHR supported the Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences in strengthening partnerships with other human rights mechanisms, both special procedures and treaty bodies, particularly the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). The Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences and CEDAW held discussions on ways to strengthen cooperation in a number of areas of their work. In Panama, the OHCHR Regional Office led the preparation of the United Nations Country Team’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR) submission, which includes a section on the situation of women in the country, including an alarming increase in cases of femicide. Hide

In El Salvador, officials of the Ministry of Justice and Public Security, the Public Prosecutor Office and the Police participated in an expert seminar, organized by the OHCHR, on legal frameworks to protect women from violence, including femicide. Hide

The OHCHR/Human Rights and Transitional Justice Section in the UN Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste has continued to conduct activities on the prevention and elimination of violence against women. Hide

OHCHR supported the on violence against women, its causes and consequences in advocating for the elimination of violence against women, such as in the conference on femicide in Latin America, organized with the European Parliament, and in a colloquium on domestic migrant workers in the EU, organized by OHCHR Regional office in Brussels. Hide

The OHCHR/Human Rights and Transitional Justice Section in the UN Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste monitored the response of the formal justice system to reported cases of violence against women, including whether traditional justice mechanisms are given priority in such cases. In March 2010, through participation in working groups, the OHCHR also provided a human rights and protection commentary on draft governmental policy related to emergency shelters and safe houses for survivors of violence against women. Hide

As Protection Cluster chair, the OHCHR promoted coordination on strategy and advocacy among actors working to address violence against women in Timor-Leste. Hide

OHCHR participated in Northern Uganda and Karamoja in the IASC GBV Sub cluster (Protection), where the IASC clusters were beginning to hand over their work to the Government. In this context, OHCHR Kitgum and Gulu participated in the drafting of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for programmes targeting Gender Based Violence in August 2009. Hide

OHCHR’s country office in Uganda spearheaded discussions with regard to reviewing the current policy in relation to the Police Form 3 (PF3). The law requires “a competent/qualified health professional” to collect and document evidence of sexual violence as per PF3. This has generally been interpreted to mean that only a doctor can carry out this process, while doctors are scarce in most health centers and districts. Hide