Enhanced Capacity of UN Entity in Relation to Violence Against Women

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

In 2007, UNFPA developed a draft corporate strategy on gender-based violence to identify priority areas of focus for investing its resources strategically at country, regional and global levels, based on its comparative advantages and experience. The draft strategy also lays out the organization’s capacity development initiatives, resources and partnerships for an effective approach to addressing gender-based violence. Hide

In order to ensure gender mainstreaming, OHCHR works directly with a range of UN partners in the areas of development cooperation, humanitarian affairs, and peace and security to ensure that human rights principles, norms and standards relating to gender equality and women’s rights are integrated into their work, including as it relates to violence against women. OHCHR is contributing to various UN initiatives to prevent and respond to sexual exploitation and abuse by UN personnel with a view to placing such acts within the framework of violations of human rights, trying to push specifically for UN accountability in this area. Hide

WFP contributed to the development of the guidelines for the Secretary-General's Bulletin on special measures for protection from sexual exploitation and abuse (ST/SGB/2003/13). Hide

UNHCR organizes training on SGBV to enable the organization to meet standards in prevention and response.UNHCR’s system for measuring progress in operations includes standards and indicators on SGBV, and offices are required to report on their performance in relation to meeting the standards. In addition, the UNHCR’s global strategic objectives and measurable targets include a requirement that all UNHCR operations will have in place standard operating procedures for SGBV prevention and response by the end of 2007. Hide

UNHCR has assigned country-level focal points in each of its offices to carry out the recommendations of the Secretary-General’s Bulletin on Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (ST/SGB/2003/13). The Office continues to promote and report on the implementation of the Bulletin and provides annual refresher sessions for staff on its Code of Conduct. UNHCR’s Code of Conduct includes a section on sexual exploitation and abuse by humanitarian workers. All agreements with implementing partners include a mandatory appendix (2) on “Standards of Conduct – Ensuring protection from sexual exploitation and abuse”. Hide

Several DPKO missions have supported, or implemented training activities for mission personnel and other stakeholders on gender-based violence against women, as in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sierra Leone and Timor-Leste. Hide

DPKO gender units/advisers collaborate and partner with different units within a peacekeeping mission to combat violence against women, in particular those dealing with human rights, conduct and discipline, children, or HIV/AIDS, as is the case in Burundi.DPKO gender units in peacekeeping missions increasingly participate in country-based United Nations inter-agency initiatives and mechanisms to address gender-based violence against women, for example in Haiti, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Liberia, Sudan and Burundi. Hide

In September 2005, a United Nations inter-agency working group on violence against women in all its manifestations, was established, coordinated by ECLAC, in order to strengthen, coordinate and integrate current activities carried out by the organizations of the United Nations in Latin America and the Caribbean in the area of violence against women. The working group prepared a regional contribution to the Secretary-General’s in-depth study on violence against women and an integral regional report that will be distributed to the Tenth Regional Conference on Women in Latin America and the Caribbean (Quito, Ecuador, August 2007). Hide

OCHA staff is sensitized on the prevention of gender-based violence, and all partners and staff are informed about applicable codes of conduct. The Office implements confidential complaints mechanisms on gender-based violence, including sexual violence against women and is responsible for managing the sexual exploitation and abuse focal point network. Hide