Prevention, Including Awareness Raising and Advocacy

DPI provided communications support for the launch of the Secretary-General’s Campaign “UNiTE to end violence against women”, on 25 February 2008, including generating awareness about the role of the United Nations in efforts to end violence against women. DPI coordinated an inter-agency communications group and produced multimedia information materials on the issue. Guidance on the campaign was disseminated to field offices to ensure that the communications campaign is prioritized. The Department’s network of UN Information Centres (UNICs), based in over 60 countries, participated in promoting the launch. DPI created a website in the official languages for the launch (www.endviolence.un.org); it issued press releases; it produced several radio stories for the campaign; and highlighted inter-agency efforts to address violence against women. The News Centre, a website for journalists worldwide, issued multiple stories which were picked up by the press. DPI provided live coverage of the launch of the campaign, along with the noon press briefing and the lunchtime panel discussion. The i-Seek Intranet site highlighted the Secretary-General’s Campaign and violence against women issues.Substantial media coverage was generated by the launch of the campaign in the international and regional press. The launch was also covered extensively by influential wire services and national media as well.Along with the broadcast network HBO, DPI co-sponsored film screenings at New York’s New School in April 2008, and included a panel discussion on sexual violence. UNTV produced several television stories that were offered to broadcasters through its series “UN in Action” and “21st Century”, including features on violence against women in Nepal, women’s rights in Rwanda and female infanticide in India. DPI’s quarterly journal UN Chronicle published a story on UNIFEM’s partnership with Avon in order to raise money to fight violence against women. Africa Renewal carried in-depth stories on violence against women focusing on Africa. More than 30 stories were also featured on the high-traffic UN News Centre website, including “Ban leads call for greater efforts to end ‘silent war’ of sexual violence in conflict” and “Time to turn commitment to ending gender-based violence into action – Migiro”. Hide

UNAIDS participated in several workshops and fora at the International AIDS Society Meeting in Mexico which presented new information on violence against women. Hide

In Grenada, St. Lucia and Trinidad & Tobago, UNIFEM, now part of UN Women, is supporting implementation of a court-based batterer intervention programme. Hide

In 2007, UNIFEM, now part of UN Women, launched a six-country programme designed to build community capacity to prevent sexual and gender-based violence and to build peace in post-conflict countries in Afghanistan, Haiti, Liberia, Rwanda, Timor Leste and Uganda. In Southeast Asia and the Pacific, as elsewhere, UNIFEM, as part of joint UN efforts, supported campaign efforts on ending violence against women. Hide

DAW, now part of UN Women, compiled information about recent activities of the entities of the United Nations system in follow-up to General Assembly resolutions 61/143 and 62/133, to complement the Inventory of United Nations system activities on violence against women, which was uploaded on the DAW website in July 2007. Hide

An awareness-raising pamphlet for women prisoners in Afghanistan using drawings and cartoons is being published in cooperation with UNIFEM, now part of UN Women, . The pamphlet aims to inform women in prison about their rights and takes into account newly approved regulations of penitentiary law. Hide

UNFPA is working in collaboration with a wide range of stakeholders to address gender-based violence, including outreach work with men on prevention and sensitization of populations at large. Hide

In December 2007, UNFPA co-hosted the Africa Regional Forum on strengthening partnerships with faith-based organizations (FBOs) for the prevention of HIV/AIDS and violence against women, with the World Conference of the Religions for Peace, in Durban, South Africa. Hide

UNFPA organized a meeting in Addis Ababa on addressing female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) in August 2007, involving a wide range of stakeholders. Hide

The OHCHR in general and the High Commissioner for Human Rights in particular have continued to raise the issue of violence against women on various occasions, including in connection with the discussion, by the Security Council, of follow up to resolution 1325, in October 2007. Hide