Measures

ESCWA supports the work of intergovernmental bodies, including the Arab Regional Conference Ten Years after Beijing: A Call for Peace in Beirut (2004), which resulted in the five-year work programme that includes women’s rights and violence against women among its five priority areas. In 2004, ESCWA conducted the Arab regional ten-year review and appraisal of implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action, which included attention to violence against women. ESCWA contributes to the Secretary-General’s reports on the situation of and assistance to Palestinian women, analysing the close links between increased poverty and social burdens and increased domestic violence against women. ESCWA contributed to the Secretary-General’s report on the situation of and assistance to Palestinian women (E/CN.6/2008/3). Hide

The Third Session of the Committee on Women of ESCWA was convened in Abu Dhabi, in March 2007, and focused on women and armed conflict in the Arab region, including violence against women. ESCWA also convened an expert group meeting in March 2007 on the impact of armed conflict on women, and the advancement of women living under conflict conditions. Topics included gender-based violence during armed conflict. Hide

ESCWA undertakes awareness-raising efforts through meetings, regional conferences and seminars. The ESCWA Centre for Women devoted the March 2007 issue of its newsletter to the subject of violence against women in the ESCWA region; the newsletter was distributed on International Women’s Day 2007. Hide

The ESCWA Centre for Women devoted the first issue of its newsletter on women and armed conflict. The newsletter examined gender-based violence against women in conflict settings in the Arab world. The March 2007 issue was devoted on violence against women in the ESCWA region and was distributed on International Women’s Day 2007, as part of the global effort to call attention to this important issue. Hide

ESCWA published Social and Economic Situation of Palestinian Women 2000-2006, which analyses the close links between increased poverty and social burdens and increased domestic violence against women. Hide

A technical cooperation project was established by ILO to address trafficking in human beings covering Albania, Moldova and the Ukraine providing assistance and guidance to ministries and relevant public services in the formulation of gender-sensitive and regulated migration policies as a key preventive strategy, while also strengthening migration and employment management capacity aimed at reducing trafficking in women. Hide

ILO’s Labour Standards Department, in cooperation with ILO’s field offices, provides technical advice on policy and legislation, and conducts training on sexual harassment legislation and policies for constituents. Recently work has been undertaken in this area in the Asian region, in particular Malaysia, China and Pakistan, as well as in the context of the annual training at the ILO training centre in Turin on international Labour standards and gender equality. ILO also implements technical cooperation projects on child labour, migration, trafficking and forced labour in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Hide

The ILO Guide on Preventing Discrimination, Exploitation and Abuse of Migrant Women Workers covers the full migration cycle, from pre-departure to reintegration in the country of origin, including a specific module on trafficking. The Guide has been used extensively to build the capacity of ILO constituents in protecting migrant women workers and preventing abusive situations. It is currently available in 10 languages. ILO through its International Migration Branch has specific technical cooperation activities on trafficking. Hide

In 2001, ILO established a broad-based technical cooperation programme, the Special Action Programme to combat forced labour, to spearhead ILO activities against forced labour, including trafficking, irregular migration and bonded labour, aimed at addressing all aspects of forced labour. Under this programme, projects have been implemented in Ghana, Nigeria, Brazil, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, the Russian Federation, Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Hong Kong SAR, and Nepal. Hide

In 2005, a tripartite ILO Meeting of Experts formally adopted a key framework document for promoting a rights-based strategy for migration policy, i.e. the non-binding Multilateral Framework on Labour Migration. This document provides guidance to constituents on strengthening migration policies within a normative framework, while also giving examples of good practices from around the world, including a number that address the vulnerability of migrant women workers.ILO’s SafeWork programme addresses the issue of sexual harassment and other violence at work by means of an interactive programme known as SOLVE, which is designed to assist in the development of policy and action to address psychosocial issues at the workplace. Hide