Prevention, Including Awareness Raising and Advocacy

In Zimbabwe, IOM supported two community-based events during the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence, including information materials. Hide

In Timor Leste, IOM published a brochure on internally displaced women's rights and responsibilities regarding the return and resettlement options under this National Recovery Strategy. It included information on health services, security and protection mechanisms upon return for victims of violence and was distributed in all IDP camps and Return Communities. Hide

UNHCR marked the 16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence with activities at Headquarters, and a workshop on the involvement of men and boys in addressing sexual and gender-based violence; and the collection and display of handprints of UNHCR staff members as part of the “Hands United against Harm” project. Events in field operations included: roundtable discussions, traditional dances, songs, theatre plays, children’s drawing competitions, film screenings and training sessions to raise awareness on sexual and gender-based violence. Hide

UNHCR organized a regional workshop on masculinities in South Africa, in cooperation with Sonke Gender Justice and the Refugee Women’s Commission, to promote the positive involvement of men and boys in addressing sexual and gender-based violence. Multifunctional teams from nine countries in the Great Lakes, Eastern and Southern Africa regions participated, and the event resulted in the development of country-level work plans. As a follow up, three trainings for men and boys were conducted in Kenya, also for the police. Two digital stories were developed on the involvement of men and boys in addressing sexual and gender-based violence. Hide

Within the framework of the commemorations of the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, UNESCO Doha Office with the collaboration of the Qatar Foundation for Child & Woman Protection organized a workshop on “The International Conventions for the Eradication of Violence and Discrimination against Women & their Reflection on the Qatari Legislations”. Hide

In November 2008, UNESCO Addis Ababa organized a workshop for film-makers, development workers and media professionals during the 3rd Ethiopian International Film Festival in order to identify strategies for promoting greater awareness and positive behavioural change on HIV/AIDS, gender-based violence/discrimination and climate change through the medium of popular films. Several UNESCO Offices, including those in Montevideo, Brasilia and Almaty, included violence against women as a focus in their activities. Hide

ESCWA participated in a meeting entitled “The effect of violence on women and family“, organized by the Doha International Institute on Family Studies and Development, in November 2008. Hide

In 2008, UNDP supported multi-media national and local campaigns, including during the “16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence”, in Kuwait, Iraq, Syria, Zimbabwe, Niger and Myanmar. Hide

Throughout 2008, UNDP-supported community conversation sessions were organized by village facilitators in Cambodia, in order to promote the communities’ understanding of social and legal issues related to domestic violence. Hide

Within the framework of the campaign Stop Raping our Greatest Resources: Power to the Women and Girls of DRC, awareness-raising activities, funds and political commitment to end violence against women and girls in the DRC were implemented from July to December 2008. Awareness raising campaigns in Edo State in Nigeria, have been designed with the support of UNICRI. Hide