Measures

UN-Women has continued bringing the critical issue to the center of the normative agenda. This has been reflected in Agreed Conclusions of the 65th Session of the CSW. Available here

UN Women promulgated an update of its policy on the prevention of Harassment, Sexual Harassment, Discrimination, and Abuse of Authority in May 2020. The policy has been revised to notably: (i) clarify the purpose of the policy (ii) incorporate elements of the CEB Task Force on Harassment Model Policy, including strengthened language on zero tolerance, victim-centred approach and updated definitions (iii) update roles & responsibilities Three specific role-based guidance in relation to sexual harassment for supervisors, affected persons and alleged perpetrators were developed in conjunction, providing clear and concise information.

The Procedure for Selecting Programme Partners was revised by UN Women to include a SEA assessment of partners in accordance with the UN Protocol on Allegations of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse involving Implementing Partners, and the corresponding ST/SGB/2003/13 provisions. As part of the implementation of the revised procedure, a new Partner Agreement template for contracting programme partners was developed. The Partner Agreement includes, inter alia, an outline of the standard of care expected of programme partners relating to SEA; an undertaking by the programme partner that they accept the standards of conduct set out in ST/SGB/2003/13; an acknowledgement that SEA are strictly prohibited and that UN Women will apply a policy of zero tolerance with regard to SEA; and the requirement that the programme partner investigate and report any allegations of SEA to UN Women and that personnel whom they engaged have undertaken training on prevention and response to SEA (including access via a link to the United Nations SEA online training for all implementing partners).

The study on “Prospects for Ending Child Marriage in Africa: Implications on Legislation, Policy, Culture & Interventions” undertook mapping of the legislative frameworks in 10 countries in Africa, which is also guiding the countries in strengthening the EVAW and Child Marriage legislations. The ESARO is supporting in the framing of bye-laws to harmonize the national laws with the customary laws in line with the international conventions.   At least in 5 countries such initiatives are ongoing, these include, Malawi, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Liberia. 

A study on “Mapping of Discrimination Faced by Women with Disabilities in ESAR” also highlighted the various forms of discrimination and violence faced by women with disabilities and will help advocacy with member states on enactment of legislation and policy in the 6 study countries of Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, South Africa, Tanzania and Zimbabwe.

Report: Regional Forum Promoting the Implementation of the Istanbul Convention in the Western Balkans and Turkey

This report presents a summary of the discussions held during the first Regional Forum on Promoting the Implementation of the Istanbul Convention in the Western Balkans and Turkey. Convened by the Government of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, UN Women, the European Union, and the Council of Europe (CoE), in partnership with European Women’s Lobby, the regional forum reviewed progress in fulfillment of the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence, known as the Istanbul Convention. The forum took place within the framework of the EU-UN Women regional programme “Implementing Norms, Changing Minds".

https://eca.unwomen.org/en/digital-library/publications/2019/02/report-regional-forum-promoting-the-implementation-of-the-istanbul-convention

Report: Second Regional Forum Promoting the Implementation of the Istanbul Convention in the Western Balkans and Turkey

The report presents a summary of discussions and conclusions from the Second Regional Forum Promoting the Implementation of the Istanbul Convention in the Western Balkans and Turkey. Convened by the Government of Albania, UN Women, the European Union, and the Council of Europe, the Second Regional Forum reviewed progress in ending violence against women and girls and implementing the Istanbul Convention in the region. The forum took place on 9-10 October 2019 under the framework of the EU-UN Women regional programme "Implementing Norms, Changing Minds."

https://eca.unwomen.org/en/digital-library/publications/2020/02/second-regional-forum-report

Mid-term review of the ASEAN Regional Plan for Action on EVAW

UN Women supported the mid-term review of the implementation of the ASEAN Regional Plan of Action for Ending Violence against Women. UN Women provided financial and technical support to facilitate the review, to draw lessons learned and recommendations from the review, which will be reflected in the next workplan of the ASEAN Regional Plan of Action.

UN Women promulgated an update of its policy on the prevention of Harassment, Sexual Harassment, Discrimination, and Abuse of Authority in May 2020.  The policy has been revised to notably:

(i) clarify the purpose of the policy

(ii) incorporate elements of the CEB Task Force on Harassment Model Policy, including strengthened language on zero tolerance, victim-centred approach and updated definitions

(iii) update roles & responsibilities Three specific role-based guidance in relation to sexual harassment for supervisors, affected persons and alleged perpetrators were developed in conjunction, providing clear and concise information.

UN Women revised its Procedure for Selecting Programme Partners to include a SEA assessment of partners in accordance with the UN Protocol on Allegations of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse involving Implementing Partners, and the corresponding ST/SGB/2003/13 provisions. As part of the implementation of the revised procedure, a new Partner Agreement template for contracting programme partners was developed. The Partner Agreement includes, inter alia, an outline of the standard of care expected of programme partners relating to SEA; an undertaking by the programme partner that they accept the standards of conduct set out in ST/SGB/2003/13; an acknowledgement that SEA are strictly prohibited and that UN Women will apply a policy of zero tolerance with regard to SEA; and the requirement that the programme partner investigate and report any allegations of SEA to UN Women and that personnel whom they engaged have undertaken training on prevention and response to SEA (including access via a link to the United Nations SEA online training for all implementing partners).

On 21 December 2020, in Kazakhstan UN Women conveyed the consultations to validate the findings of the analysis of a compliance of Kazakhstan national legislation with CoE/Istanbul Convention and discuss perspectives of Kazakhstan to join the Convention. This is now being followed-up within the Spotlight Regional Programme for Central Asia.

Sensitization of local stakeholders to the Istanbul Convention is one of the objectives of the Spotlight Programme in Tajikistan. It's also a regular topic at various relevant occasions.

With the Initiative’s support, 50 countries strengthened their National Action Plans to eliminate violence against women and girls. National Action Plans can help ensure that policies are adequately funded and importantly implemented, leading to increased accountability, including in vulnerable and marginalized communities. Additionally, since Spotlight Initiative’s inception, 311 new sectoral strategies, plans, and programmes addressing VAWG have been developed across 13 countries. 

Examples of achievements in the development and implementation of policies to strengthen protections for women and girls include the following: 

• Malawi: Spotlight Initiative supported the development of the Gender and Anti-Sexual Harassment Policy in higher education. Adopted by 22 universities, the policy further institutionalizes response to sexual and gender-based violence and improves access to sexual and reproductive health and rights services in higher learning institutions. The policy outlines referral pathways available at individual institutions in cases of sexual assault or harassment, facilitates access to family planning and HIV services, and prohibits discrimination against women who are pregnant.  
• Zimbabwe: Similarly, Spotlight Initiative supported the development of the first-of-its-kind policy on combating sexual assault on college campuses across Zimbabwe. The policy provides a framework for higher education institutions to prevent and respond to cases of sexual violence, establishing reporting mechanisms and protections for survivors, and ensuring that institutional policies align with national laws on gender-based violence. 
• Papua New Guinea: Working with policymakers and others, Spotlight Initiative supported the launch of the Special Parliamentary Committee on Gender-Based Violence, leading to the first-ever public inquiry into GBV in the country. This process provided a direct avenue for civil society to engage with policymakers and resulted in national funding and dedicated budgets to operationalize the National GBV Secretariat. The inquiry also marked the first instance where the police and justice sector had to formally answer for inaction and impunity in GBV cases.  
• Philippines: Spotlight Initiative Safe and Fair programme supported the development of the Department of Migrant Workers Act (Republic Act No.11641 in the Philippines). The Act establishes a new department to regulate the recruitment and service provision of overseas migrant workers, regardless of their legal status, and provides reintegration and skills development for returning migrant workers. Importantly, the Act designates that gender focal points–with a specific remit to focus on ending violence against women and girls–be instituted in Philippine missions abroad, representing the first time a major labour migration law in the Philippines includes a specific provision to address violence against women and girls (regardless of the survivors’ legal status).  
• Niger: In 2021, Spotlight Initiative engaged National Assembly deputies in capacity-building on gender budgeting and gender mainstreaming. This led to a parliamentary resolution ensuring that gender is systematically considered in national plans, budgets, and policies. 
• Guyana: The Initiative supported the development of a new Family Violence Bill, which replaces the outdated Domestic Violence Act and significantly improves support for survivors through a more robust, survivor-centred response. A new harassment bill is also in development. 

As a result of the Initiative's contributions (noted above, and across its programmes): 

• Governments are increasingly allocating resources to address VAWG, ensuring that commitments translate into tangible action.  
• Institutions now have clearer mandates, protocols, and accountability mechanisms, improving response systems and survivor support.  
• Survivors of violence have greater access to justice, protection, and essential services, particularly in higher-risk environments such as campuses, workplaces, and informal sectors.  
• Civil society organizations and local actors are more empowered to advocate for systemic change, leading to stronger, community-driven approaches to VAWG prevention. 

By investing in and strengthening policy frameworks, the Initiative helped expand protections for women and girls and further institutionalize efforts to prevent and respond to VAWG into national and local governance structures. Cross-sectoral, well-resource commitments to end violence helps to ensure progress continues long after direct programme support concludes.  

Under the leadership of the Resident Coordinator (RC) and in line with the UN Reform, Spotlight Initiative leveraged UN agencies’ complementary expertise and streamlined backend processes to drive progress in efforts to end violence against women and girls. 

Across Spotlight programmes, UN Country Teams enhanced alignment, improved cost-effectiveness, and streamlined coordination by institutionalizing standing meetings, engaging in joint procurement, adopting the UN-wide Business Operations Strategy, and co-locating operations. These measures fostered more integrated programming and implementation, minimized duplication, and increased efficiency. 

The following examples highlight strengthened inter-agency collaboration across Spotlight programmes:

• In Samoa, the Resident Coordinator’s leadership fostered improved coordination among UN agencies, leveraging the agencies’ comparative advantages for strengthened programming to end violence against women and girls. As a result, the Initiative expanded its scope to better reach vulnerable populations, including the LGBTIQ+ community and persons living with disabilities. 
• Similarly, in Mozambique, under the leadership of the Resident Coordinator, the Initiative was able to successfully advocate for expanded reach to the conflict-affected province of Cabo Delgado. With improved coordination, Spotlight Initiative provided joint support to local government in Gaza and Manica. 
• In Mexico, the Resident Coordinator’s Office and Spotlight Initiative’s technical team streamlined inter-agency collaboration (to ensure more efficient delivery) and fostered constructive collaboration with key counterparts at the highest level of the Government, the EU Delegation, and the Civil Society Reference Group. Efficient inter-agency collaboration allowed the programme to more quickly identify risks, respond to challenges and deepen joint planning and joint interventions, improving coherence in programming. Through the complementary work of UN agencies under the Initiative, the programme was able to produce the “Statistical Framework for Measuring the Gender-Related Killing of Women and Girls (also referred to as ‘femicide/ feminicide’)”, which was approved in 2022 by the United Nations Statistical Commission. 
• In Haiti, challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic, an earthquake in August 2021, and a deteriorating security situation required multiple changes to the programme’s work plan and budget. With robust coordination among UN agencies, the Spotlight programme in Haiti effectively adjusted its risk management arrangements to ensure the continuity of interventions. Leveraging partnerships allowed for swift collective action by the UN, government, and civil society partners, helping to prevent (and better respond to) a potential increase in cases of violence against women and girls in the context of multiple crises.
• In Trinidad and Tobago, the Initiative promoted strong collaboration between the programme management unit and UN Women (the technical coherence lead of the programme). A Technical Coherence Matrix was collectively developed to support all UN agencies implementing the programme in performing a pre-evaluation of nearly 60 deliverables to ensure alignment with Spotlight Initiative objectives and guidelines, and UN Principles, standards, and global human rights conventions. This included establishing criteria for joint assessments of Terms of Reference, consultancies, and procurement, enhancing coordination among agencies. As a result, the initiative improved programme coherence, streamlined delivery, and accelerated the ability of the UN agencies implementing the Spotlight programme in Trinidad and Tobago to collectively deliver in a more coordinated, efficient, and effective manner.
• In El Salvador, by capitalizing on various RUNO’s existing operational tools and mechanisms (including the Harmonized Approach to Cash Transfers (HACT)), the Initiative was better able to streamline operational and backend processes, including fund transfers to the Government and other partners (by using tools like the business operations strategy, long-term agreements and requests for quotation). This fostered stronger coordination with national counterparts, and as such, the Initiative was better positioned to ensure a whole-of-society approach across diverse implementing partners in El Salvador, better preventing and responding to violence against women and girls. Implementing Spotlight Initiative’s comprehensive model, and “Working as One UN” was particularly helpful in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, as the Initiative was able to more seamlessly collaborate across stakeholders to revise acceleration plans and ensure targeted support to women and girls in a rapidly changing context.

Since its inception, Spotlight Initiative has helped to develop or strengthen 548 new laws and policies addressing VAWG at national, regional, and local levels. Across Spotlight countries, progress has been made to ensure that survivors are protected through formal, informal, and traditional legal structures.  

Examples of legislative development achievements include the following: 

• Liberia: Spotlight Initiative, in collaboration with OHCHR and civil society organizations, successfully advocated for the passage of the Domestic Violence Law and the drafting of the Female Genital Mutilation Bill. Awareness-raising sessions with government officials at national and local levels improved knowledge of the laws and supported its implementation.  
• Zimbabwe: The Initiative supported the inclusion of online violence provisions in the Data Protection act, the first of its kind in the country. The Act now criminalizes the use of information and communications technology (ICTs) for violence against women and children, establishing clear codes of conduct to address technology-facilitated violence. Additionally, the Initiative supported the Zimbabwe Gender Commission in launching the first National Inquiry on Sexual Exploitation and Abuse of Vulnerable & Marginalized Groups, strengthening institutional accountability.   
• Niger: Spotlight Initiative supported traditional justice reform by engaging the Sultan of Tibiri to appoint the first-ever female advisors in a traditional court. One advisor specifically addresses cases of violence against women and girls, while the other focuses on ending child marriage and supporting girls’ education. This landmark initiative enhances survivor access to justice and reduces barriers to reporting violence.  

UN-Women designed and facilitated a 3 half-day, scenario-based capacity building workshop specifically for its PSEA focal points from all regions. To additionally ensure alignment with the UN system wide PSEA strategy and its UNCT operationalization, UN-Women invited speakers from the Victims’ Rights Advocate, the UN Development Coordination Office, and the Office of the Special Coordinator for improving the UN response to SEA.

Scenario-based trainings for addressing SEA and SH were developed by UN Women to complement and contextualize the existing mandatory online training for both topics. The case scenarios used were specifically created for the UN-Women contexts to maximize relevance and relatability of the training. UN Women piloted the tow trainings in 4 country offices and is in the process of coordinating their rollout across the organization.

UN Women East and Southern Regional Office has organized a 4-day training for electoral management bodies, political parties, security institutions, and relevant women’s organizations who are major stakeholders in the conduct of elections, on Preventing Violence Against Women in Elections using the UN WOMEN Preventing VAWE in Elections Guide. The training aims to provide election stakeholders and relevant civil society organizations with in-depth knowledge on the nature and consequences of VAWE, and tools and good practices to prevent it and/or mitigate its consequences.

In Zimbabwe UN Women provided technical support and capacity building to key electoral stakeholders, including the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission and the Zimbabwe National Police, to enhance institutional capacities to monitor VAWP. These initiatives include development of knowledge, capacity building efforts, development of partnerships with political parties and key state actors, creating avenues for the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) to work with institutions such as the Zimbabwe Republic Police and civil society to address the problem. UN Women trained 80 (45 women and 35 men) members of the police service and supported the development of the police strategic document for police 2021 to 2025. The initiative equipped the police with skills to monitor VAWP.

At the East & Southern African regional level, to bring the global commitments to the field and to create an enabling safe, secure and equitable environment in line with the UN Secretary-Generals guidance, a Training of Trainers program on “Gender Parity” and “Prevention of Sexual Harassment, Sexual Exploitation and Abuse” was organized in partnership with UN Women HQ with participation by 42 participants from 12 countries in the region representing UN Women, UNPFA, UNHCR, IOM, ICAO and UNDSS in Mombasa, Kenya.  Following the training at least 5 countries have replicated the training in their countries and also took initiatives to establish and strengthen the PSEA task forces.

In Kenya, UN Women continued to play a key role in convening and leading stakeholders to demand accountability for ending violence against women and girls, while at the same time ensuring access to quality and essential services for survivors. As one of the key highlights, UN Women together with its’ partners convened a National GBV Conference in 2019 bringing together over 450 participants from across the country with the aim to harness accountability for GBV prevention and response. As a result of the Conference a communique with 27 recommendations articulating roles for each duty bearer was finalized.

Standardization of GBV training was improved through UN Women support in the development of the Safe Spaces and Applicability Manual[1], the GBV Service Providers Data Bank tools, and the Model Gender-Based Violence Recovery Centers Guidance Note. These tools are expected to provide a harmonized training curriculum for use by duty bearers while the guidance note will provide a framework for provision of GBV services within a multi-sectoral framework. The Harmonized GBV Training Manual[2] was also finalized. Further KCO led in the development of the “Implementation Guide for the Global Women’s Safety Framework”[3]. The guide to implementation provides a “how to” and a “step by step” guidance for tea chain producers who are keen to address sexual harassment. Prevention and response to GBV by the National Police Service was strengthened through KCO’s support in the development of a National Action Plan (NAP). The NAP provides for the creation of a special gender crimes unit within the policy system and provides opportunities for all actors to strengthen their partnership with the Police, by seeking to support different aspects of the action plan.

A number of capacity building and trainings were undertaken targeting law enforcement and other officials in the ESAR countries.  Most significantly, Malawi, Mozambique, Uganda and Zimbabwe also benefited from the Spotlight funding and undertook a number of initiatives aimed at training and capacity building of relevant actors in addressing VAW, HP and promotion of SRHR.

Roll-out of RESPECT

Together with the Prevention Collaborative and WHO, UN Women rolled out the RESPECT framework and Implementation Package in Bangladesh, India and Nepal in early 2021. The workshop series was attended by representatives from UN entities, civil society, academic and governments and resulted in national workplace to take forward initiatives to prevent VAW.

Webinar series on the use of technology for remote service provision to support survivors of violence

Frontline service providers who have been utilizing technology to deliver services to women migrant workers shared their lessons learned and tips to use technology safely especially in the context of COVID-19. The three sessions facilitated linkages between violence against women services and technologies by adapting remote methods used in service delivery to meet the survivor-centered principles of privacy, confidentiality and security. Two technical briefs were launched during the webinar: “Safe Technology for the Provision of Services to Women Migrant Workers at Risk of or Subject to Violence” and “Remote Service Provision for Women Migrant Workers at Risk or Subject to Violence” with the Action Cards: 10 Things to Know About Violence against Women Migrant Workers.

Responsible Representation and Reporting of VAW/VAC

The new Guidelines on Responsible representation and reporting of violence against women and violence against children, developed by UN Women, UNFPA and UNICEF, provide recommendations to media professionals  to ensure that media coverage does not contribute to harm. This document offers guidance on interviewing survivors of violence, applying an intersectional and survivor-centered approach to reporting, avoiding victim-blaming or stereotyping, and using gender-responsive language. This guideline emerged from conversations within the regional UNITE Working Group during COVID-19.

Webinar Series on Violence against Women and Girls Data Collection and Use

The webinar series was organized to engage VAWG professionals, national statistics offices and service providers to deepen and exchange practices regarding the collection, analysis and use of data on violence against women with a specific focus on administrative data. The webinar series explored the main types of VAWG data – prevalence, costing data – and strengthen reporting on VAWG-related indicators. The webinar was based on the ASEAN Regional Guidelines on Violence against Women and Girls Data Collection and Use.

Addressing Violence and Harassment in the World of Work: Women migrant workers in ASEAN

A training tool to complement the ILO-UN Women “Handbook: Addressing violence and harassment against women in the world of work” was developed to be used in trainings on the continuum of violence faced by women and women migrant workers. The tool specifically targets CSOs and key government stakeholders. This tool focuses on addressing violence and harassment against women in the world of work, featuring examples from ASEAN and highlighting specific risks related to women migrant workers.

With UN Women Albania Support: 

1. Capacities of 231 service providers increased in ensuring familiarity and use of changes to legal framework on GBV.
2. Capacities of 71 service providers from 4 municipalities of the country were increased to address cases of VAWG from vulnerable communities such as Roma women, women with disabilities, women from LGBTQI+ community. 
3. There is better coordination among actors of the referral mechanisms which address cases of violence against women was ensured through workshops in the municipalities of Prrenjas, Peqin, Cerrik, Belsh, Gramsh and Elbasan with a total of 69 CCR members. 
4. Staff of 27 administrative units of Tirana increased capacities to respond to violence against women and girls through 11 capacity building sessions. 

With UN Women Bosnia and Herzegovina support extensive number of trainings was conducted resulting in: more than 190 individuals have better knowledge on gender equality and GBV including sexual harassment in public space; 21 teacher and 35 high school students have capacities to conduct advanced prevention activities in high schools; and 15 religious' leaders across BiH have in depth knowledge on violence against women and how this can be prevented; and finally, more than 20 media professionals have increased knowledge on responsible reporting on GBV.

As a result of UN Women Ukraine support: 36 (12 men and 24 women) representatives of local authorities and local legal aid providers from Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts increase their knowledge on applying a survivor-centred approach when developing policies and implementing services for gender-based violence victims/survivors; 37 persons (35 women and 2 men), Deputy Heads of communities and Heads of Social Protection Departments from target communities of Donetsk oblast and Luhansk oblast increased their knowledge on the international and national legal frameworks on the prevention and counteraction of domestic and gender-based violence, on effective coordination and referral aimed at ensuring quality protection and a coordinated response, through a two-day training; UN Women jointly with the Ministry of Internal Affairs and National Police of Ukraine developed the “Guidelines for police on prevention and response to domestic violence in Ukraine”; 60 (51 women, 9 men) of media representatives from Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts increased their knowledge on gender-sensitive and human rights-based reporting.

Pursuing the goal to increase police capacity to hold domestic violence offenders accountable and better protect the safety of victims and their children, UN Women Moldova CO supported various capacity building and as a result:  

1. 16 police officers, including 6 women and 10 men, representing different regions from Moldova are certified trainers and have knowledge and skills to deliver EVAW trainings for law enforcement officials, as part of the team of national trainers within Center for Integrated Application of Legislation (CIPAL) (2020).
2. In 2021, UN Women CO is supporting a comprehensive capacity building in partnership with the General Inspectorate of Police, the General Directorate of Criminal Investigation, and the National Inspectorate of Public Security for the up 400 police officers. As result of the first phase - 8 two-day training activities 182 police officers, 93 from criminal investigative and 89 public security division, 75 women and 107 men from 36 different regions of the country acquired relevant knowledge and skills to respond promptly and in accordance with the provision of national law to cases of domestic violence. 

In addition to that, to support the establishment of a specialist service for victims of sexual violence in Cahul and Ungheni, over 41 law enforcement representatives and medical staff, psychologists, and social assistants have acquired new knowledge and skills for a better response to cases of sexual violence to trauma-oriented approach and coordination of efforts of all specialists involved in response to cases of sexual violence.

In Tajikistan – series of training for WLWH have been conducted to build their leadership skills and adopt transformational leadership approach in advocating for the life free of violence and discrimination. Service providers in SPT pilot districts have been trained in localized case-management system.

25 participants, most of whom are lawyers of human rights organizations or individual practicing lawyers with more than 10 years of experience (68% of participants), have been trained and increased their knowledge and skills on International standards and procedures for the protection of women and girls from gender-based violence and procedures for filing complaints with CEDAW and other UN convention bodies on an online training which was held for lawyers and advocates in Dushanbe and Khujand.

Over 80 of experts, general public, community and beneficiaries in Tajikistan have strengthened their knowledge and understanding on mechanisms of legal protection and assessment of physical and psychological injuries resulting from violence and mechanisms of legal protection and medical documentation from impunity.

In the frames of the 16 Days campaign, the local UN Women partner,  NGO Human Right Center, received technical and logistical support from UN Women to conduct two webinars "Mechanisms of Legal Protection and Assessment of Physical and Psychological Injuries Resulting from Violence" (November 25th) and "Mechanisms of Legal Protection and Medical Documentation from Impunity" (December 1st). 

According to the report, in total, 84 women, girls, lawyers, health specialists, psychologists, etc. participated in the webinars and increased their knowledge and understanding on the topics and the ways to address violence and related issues. Notably, representatives of WLWH, one of the most marginalized and discriminated group of the Tajik society, have also participated in the webinars. UN Women contributed to this by supporting local NGO Human Rights Center in preparation of those webinars by provision relevant information and data. Several local gender activists and advocates contributed to the webinars by leading thematic sessions and answering questions from participants.

After launching the COVID-19 and EVAWG outreach campaign, the Red Crescent Society in Tajikistan encountered several challenges in capacity building and training of volunteers in EVAWG realm due to social distancing modalities and health-related issues which caused constant turnover of NGO staff and volunteers. The duration of the project was only 5 months and UN Women tried to come up with innovative, promising, and effective service delivery modalities, especially in conveying outreach and VAWG essentials to the volunteers, who have been mainly trained in disaster response and emergency. As a solution to face-to-face training, UN Women developed a digital tutorial for community volunteers and NGOs on outreach essentials, communication skills with the victims of violence and further referral of these victims to the local VAWG service providers. The digital tutorial was adapted to the mobile version and disseminated among volunteers. Volunteers had hands-on guidelines on communication modalities, identification of VAWG cases and referral mechanism in their mobile phones, which they used in a daily work in remote districts. According to the Red Crescent Society and NGOs, work efficiency and coverage have increased as newcomers among volunteers used the tutorial instead of face-to-face induction training.

15 professional lawyers, members of the Tajik Bar Associations enhanced their knowledge in mainstreaming gender in justice sector, criminal, and civil cases, considering a human rights-based approach and consequences of HIV/AIDS.

UN Women Tajikistan strengthened the capacity of NGO staff and volunteers through trainings on VAWG case management and referral mechanism, supporting 12-hour operation of 12 NGO staff for remote consultations and developed information materials on VAWG support services in 6 target districts (Isfara, B. Gafurov, Vose, Rudaki, Gissar and Yavan).

Women human rights defenders have long been at the forefront of efforts to combat violence against women and girls globally, often at great personal risk. Spotlight programmes have worked to support their effort including in Latin America (through the Initiative’s Latin America Regional Programme).

Latin America remains one of the most dangerous regions in the world for human rights defenders, with women disproportionately targeted for threats, harassment, and violence. Despite these risks, women human rights defenders continue to advocate for justice, accountability, and systemic change. Prior to 2021, however, there were no concrete international guidelines for investigating threats against women human rights defenders–leaving them without adequate legal protection and allowing impunity to persist. 

To address this gap, Spotlight Initiative’s Latin America Regional Programme supported the finalization of the Esperance Protocol (Protocolo La Esperanza), which is the first-ever international framework for the rigorous criminal investigation of violence against women human rights defenders. Developed through broad-based consultations with over 100 defenders and in collaboration with more than 20 civil society organizations, the Protocol offers public policy guidelines to ensure systematic and gender-sensitive investigations. It also emphasizes the critical role of women human rights defenders in strengthening democracy and advancing human rights. 

The adoption of the Esperanza Protocol has marked a turning point. For the first time, states have a dedicated tool to guide investigations and strengthen institutional responses to violence against women human rights defenders. The Protocol has also amplified the voices of feminist movements and civil society organizations, offering them a mechanism to hold governments accountable for addressing threats and ensuring justice. Full implementation will however be critical, requiring sustained commitment from states to combat impunity and build institutional trust. 

UN Women integrated the key performance indicators for the prevention of sexual misconduct from the 2020 QCPR monitoring framework into the Integrated Results and Resources Framework (IRRF) of its Strategic Plan 2022-2025. Using those indicators, UN Women will provide regular updates on its continued efforts on preventing SEA and SH within the Strategic Plan reporting framework.

Following the recommendations of the EGM on Data and VAWP held in December 2019, UN-Women has embarked on developing harmonized survey-based data collection tools that can be used across countries to generate comparable data. As a first step, in 2020, country projects on measuring violence against women office holders (members in parliament and local government) and election candidates were developed in Georgia and Nepal. The fieldwork, data sets, and methodological lessons learned in the two countries, as well as surveys in the Arab Region are expected by the end of 2021.

In Chile, within the framework of the constitutional reform process, and to support mitigation of negative perceptions of women’s political leaders, UN-Women has embarked on a systematic analysis and monitoring of hate speech and online violence against women in politics within the framework of the constitutional process. Initial efforts included real-time monitoring and analysis of 100 million websites and more than 1 billion public data publications through Big Data (Brandwatch Consumer Research). Additionally, UN-Women focused on identifying negative social media content and raise awareness on its negative impact not only on women with an active role in politics but also on the advancement of a public agenda with a gender perspective. The data generated will continue informing policy-oriented advocacy strategies to position gender equality issues in the new constitution (report available here: Link).

In Ecuador, UN Women in partnership with Fundación ESQUEL published a qualitative study on cyber violence experience by women in politics during the 2019 elections ( Available here). This study complements study on Study Violence Against Women in Politics Ecuador  conducted  with Fundación ESQUEL and published in 2019 (available here).

UN Women ESARO in partnership with UNW HQ organized a training on “VAW Prevalence Data” was organized for UN Women, Government Ministries of Gender and Statistics, UNFPA and WHO participants in Mombasa, Kenya.  A total of 38 participants attended from 11 countries in the region.  Following the training at least 4 country offices initiated the “VAW Prevalence Data” program in Ethiopia, Rwanda, Uganda and Tanzania.  Having focused data on VAW will help the policy makers and development partners in having targeted interventions in creating a safe VAW free environment for women and girls.

In Tanzania, UN Women played a key role in conducting the Social Institution and Gender Index (SIGI) Tanzania survey by providing technical support on sampling, budgeting, conducting the main survey and reporting writing. The survey will produce the gender data related to discriminatory laws through the collection of consistent, high quality data. One such study is a gender analysis of customary justice systems to ensure that evidence is generated for advocacy at national level to support advocacy calling for the review of customary laws. The findings of the survey will be available in 2020.

In Kenya, UN Women supported in the establishment of the county-based network of S/GBV survivors and through the launch of the S/GBV case data collection mobile application. KCO piloted the use of the mobile application to test its efficacy as a response to the challenges of S/GBV data collection at community level.

2018 Public Perceptions of Gender Equality and Violence Against Women in the Western Balkans and Turkey

The infosheets present the key findings of a baseline survey conducted in selected communities of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo (Under UNSCR 1244), North Macedonia, Serbia and Turkey. The infosheets provide insight of current and dominant attitudes and perceptions (and the factors that influence them) toward gender equality and violence against women at community level.

https://eca.unwomen.org/en/digital-library/publications/2019/05/2018-public-perceptions-of-ge-and-vaw-in-the-western-balkans-and-turkey

Sexual Harassment and other Forms of Gender based Violence in Urban Spaces in Albania

This study looks at the different dimensions of sexual harassment and other forms of gender based violence against Albanian women and girls in urban public spaces particularly in the cities of Shkodra and Korça. It focuses primarily on women and girls’ perceptions of safety and the impact this issue has on their lives, as well as the forms of violence they experience and what strategies they have at their disposal to cope with the violence. The report also contains general and specific recommendations for each of the municipalities involved in the study in order to improve the conditions and take the necessary measures and actions to turn the studied areas into safe areas for women, girls, boys and men. All findings presented in this report are a result of: 500 survey interviews in the two municipalities (Shkodra and Korça), two Focus Group Discussions with 16 participants and two Structured Observations.

https://eca.unwomen.org/en/digital-library/publications/2019/05/sexual-harassment-gender-based-violence-in-albania

Analysis of the Cost of Domestic Violence: Estimating the Cost of Multi-sectoral Response at the Local Level in Bosnia and Herzegovina

With the ratification of the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (Istanbul Convention), Bosnia and Herzegovina committed to establishing, developing or enhancing a wide range of general and specialist services for survivors of domestic violence. While the country has a satisfactory legislative framework, which prescribes the obligation to prevent and protect women from different forms of violence, survivors are still faced with various obstacles to accessing a number of services including health, social, and legal support.  With this analysis, UN Women seeks to support national efforts in informed planning and decision-making by providing an estimate of current allocations of existing services that are rendered in response to domestic violence at the local level. Furthermore, the analysis defines recommendations for enhanced financing of basic and specialized services and multi-sectoral approach in line with the requirements of the Istanbul Convention. The significance of the first such analysis in the country is the estimated value of survivors' direct and opportunity costs of domestic violence. The study employed qualitative and quantitative methods of analysis, and included data collected from questionnaires targeting relevant institutions and beneficiaries.

https://eca.unwomen.org/en/digital-library/publications/2019/05/analysis-of-the-cost-of-domestic-violence-bosnia-herzegovina

Review of the Multi-sector Approach to Domestic Violence at the Local Level in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Coordination is a central element of the response to domestic violence and violence against women and is crucial both to the victims or survivors and the institutions that respond. This report reviews the viability of applying this approach to the establishment and functioning of multi-sector referral mechanisms at the local level in Bosnia and Herzegovina as the central element of the multi-sector response. The review includes the analysis of the most relevant international and domestic legislation, guidelines and standards on applying a multi-sector response to domestic violence and violence against women in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Furthermore, in-depth information on the multi-sector referral mechanisms was collected in six selected locations through semi-structured interviews conducted with the relevant representatives of the multi-sector teams, gender mechanisms and non-governmental organizations. The gathered information highlighted the three main aspects of an effective and coordinated multi-sector response:

1) The capacities of the multi-sector referral mechanisms,

2) The quality of the service provided by the multi-sector referral mechanisms and

3) Their sustainability beyond the duration of the projects through which they were established.

https://eca.unwomen.org/en/digital-library/publications/2019/05/review-of-the-multi-sector-approach

Data collection ‘by and for’ minoritized women

Collecting data and conducting research on all forms of violence against women and girls (VAWG) is critical in order to design relevant policies and measures needed to protect and support women and to eliminate VAWG. This policy brief examines the lack of data on violence against minoritized women and highlights the importance of utilizing an intersectional approach to data collection and engaging ‘by and for’ in the data collection process.

https://eca.unwomen.org/en/digital-library/publications/2019/10/data-collection-by-and-for-minoritized-women

Regional report on discrimination of Roma women in the area of healthcare, child marriages and support and protection in cases of domestic violence

The Regional Report examines the violence and discrimination faced by Roma women in the areas of health care, child marriage, and institutional protection and support in cases of domestic violence. Based on survey findings in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia. The report reveals shocking levels of violence against Roma women, as well as the prevalence of discrimination that prevents Roma women from accessing services and institutional protection in cases of violence. These patterns of violence and discrimination are examined vis-à-vis states' obligations to comply with anti-discrimination and anti-violence frameworks, such as national legislation, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), and the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (the Istanbul Convention). This report was developed under the EU-UN Women regional programme 'Ending violence against women in the Western Balkans and Turkey: Implementing Norms, Changing Minds'.

https://eca.unwomen.org/en/digital-library/publications/2019/10/regional-report-on-discrimination-of-roma-women

Making Progress in Prevention Possible

Developed by UN Women and the Equality Institute, this regional framework to monitor progress on VAW prevention responds to the increasing recognition of the importance of gender sensitive data to guide and monitor evidence-based policies and to the need for a prevention monitoring framework contextualized to the Asia-Pacific region. The purpose of this framework is to guide policymakers and practitioners through the key components for building a prevention framework, and to illustrate how to measure change in the short, medium and long term, using an intersectional and whole-of-population approach.

Big Data Study

In COVID-19 and Violence Against Women: The evidence behind the talk, UN Women, in partnership with UNFPA and Quilt AI, conducted analysis of social media big data in eight countries: Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nepal, Thailand, the Philippines and Singapore. The analysis explored COVID-19 and online perceptions and concerns on violence against women across Asia and the Pacific. It identified trends from discourse data generated across social media platforms and search engines to inform programming and campaigns on EVAW.

ICT-related VAWG

With the growing reach of the Internet, the rapid spread of information and communications technologies (ICTs) and the wide diffusion of social media, new forms of violence against women and girls have emerged online. UN Women’s multi-country study on Online violence against women in Asia focused on five Asian countries – India, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippines and the Republic of Korea – and investigated forms of online violence, legislation and policies governing digital spaces, and how to prevent and respond to this type of violence. The study found that ICT-related violence is common in all five countries and that women and girls are at higher risks of violence in digital spaces: offline violence against women and girls is replicated online.

VAW VAC Study

UN Women, in partnership with UNFPA and UNICEF, undertook a study on the intersections of Violence against Women and Violence against Children in Cambodia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, and Viet Nam. Based on the country studies, the regional report explores opportunities and challenges for collaborative and integrative approaches that meet the specific needs and rights of both women and children.

Decision tree: Data collection on Violence Against Women Migrant Workers

This decision tree helps organizations working on violence against women migrant workers decide when and how to best collect data on women migrant worker’s experiences of violence and their access and use of relevant services. These organizations include service providers, policymakers, national statistical offices, and development partner agencies. This decision tree guides data collectors through the various considerations, viable options, and alternative data sources for obtaining information without jeopardizing participants’ safety or the data’s integrity. The decision tree explores three types of data: prevalence data, administrative data and qualitative data. It was adapted from the Decision Tree: Data collection on violence against women and COVID-19, by UN Women, UNFPA/kNOwVAWdata and WHO.

UN Women Albania supported an analysis of the Albanian legislation in the area of violence against women and girls in politics and a media monitoring of the 2021 parliamentary elections, which identifies possible areas/provisions that could be amended to address VAWE.

UN Women Bosnia and Herzegovina supported development of a first ever Baseline Study on Criminal Justice Protection, Legal and Social Position of Victims of Sexual Violence in BiH. Findings and policy recommendations from the Study provides clear directions for further engagement in improving social and institutional response to sexual violence. The scoping study on sexual harassment in public spaces in Banja Luka was conducted. The findings on the gaps and challenges in legal and institutional frameworks as well the attitudes around SH against women and girls were used for development of a 5-year strategy for addressing SH in public space in Banja Luka.

To generate data on the sexual harassment (SH) and other forms of sexual violence against women and girls (SVAWG) in public spaces UN Women conducted a comprehensive assessment of the risks and experiences of sexual violence encountered by women in conflict-affected Novoaydar and Zolote, Luhansk oblast and Soledar and Toretsk, Donetsk oblasts. This UN Women Multi-site Scoping Study on sexual harassment and other forms of sexual violence against women and girls in public spaces in Eastern Ukraine includes the findings of the Safety Audits of public spaces, as well as the results of online surveys and focus group discussions conducted with women from these communities.

With the expert support provided by UN Women Ukraine 11 Safety Audits of public spaces were conducted by grass root women’s groups in Luhansk and Donetsk oblasts, generating data for the ongoing policymaking aimed at strengthening the investment in gender-responsive urban planning and public infrastructure.

To assess the access of victims/survivors of domestic violence to civil court protection measures and generate evidence for the need to build the capacity of local authorities, law enforcement and judiciary on enhancing the access to justice of victims/survivors of domestic violence through survivor-centred planning, budgeting and coordination UN Women Ukraine conducted an “Assessment of civil court decisions on the issuance of protection orders against domestic violence perpetrators.”

To measure progress on transforming the beliefs and attitudes of women and men on gender norms, power relations and gender-based discrimination and violence in three Ukrainian conflict-affected regions UN Women conducted the “Interim survey of public perceptions and attitudes towards gender-based violence against women in Donetsk, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia  oblasts..”

UN Women Ukraine in partnership with Internews Ukraine has conducted a content analysis of the regional and local media in 7 target regions based on quantitative and qualitative analysis of gender-sensitive stories produced by local and regional media.

In Moldova, UN Women CO supported capacity building activities so that over 73 specialists, including two men and 70 women from 35 social assistance territorial units have enhanced skills and are fully equipped on collecting administrative data on EVAW, by applying improved Annual Statistical Survey n.9 “Domestic Violence”.

An integrated and unified database for cases of domestic violence was developed with UN Women, Kosovo office support. The database in hosted and managed by the Office of the National Coordinator against Domestic Violence/Deputy Minister of Justice and enable the monitoring and prosecution of domestic violence cases in Kosovo, and ensure accountability, by obliging relevant institutions to feed the database with the necessary information from central and local levels.

In Tajikistan: The publication Men and Women in Tajikistan has most up-to-date, sex-disaggregated and comparable data (over time and across the major regions of the country), particularly important for measuring differences in the situation of women and men (i.e. gender gaps), in line with Beijing PoA priority areas and 14 SDGs identified as relevant to Tajikistan. As stated in the National Statistics Development Strategy (2019), “CEDAW convention, Beijing Platform for Action, and SDGs are major catalysts for the collection, analysis and use of sex-disaggregated data and gender statistics”; gender and other variables become a priority in order to fully measure and address gender inequalities, and ensure gender equality by 2030. 

UN Women contributed to this provision technical assistance and support in data collection, analysis, and presentation in the publication.

The major partner was the State Statistical Agency under the President of the Republic of Tajikistan and Ministry of Economic Development and Trade, who lead the process from the GoT side.

Access to survivor-centred, rights-based essential services is fundamental to addressing gender-based violence and breaking cycles of harm. Quality services not only provide immediate support to survivors but also reinforce prevention, protection, and justice mechanisms. The Initiative has worked to improve the availability, accessibility, and responsiveness of essential services, ensuring that women and girls–particularly those from marginalized communities–receive the support they need.  

Since its inception, the Initiative helped 5.7 million women and girls gain knowledge of available services in their communities. Close to 3 million women and girls have accessed gender-based violence services, including psychosocial support, emergency shelter, medical care, legal aid, and long-term recovery assistance. Strengthening justice sector responses has also been a key focus, with conviction rates for gender-based violence doubling across 13 countries since 2019, resulting in over 13,000 convictions.  

Improving service delivery requires investment in frontline responders. More than 100,000 government service providers have been trained to deliver high-quality, coordinated essential services. This training has helped integrate response to violence against women and girls across multiple sectors, ensuring that survivors receive comprehensive survivor-centred care.  

• In Mali, outreach efforts led by non-governmental organization (NGO) partners expanded access to services, directly reaching 217,959 individuals across nearly 360 communities. Community engagement was a key drive of success, with 025 community leaders trained to identify and report cases of violence, participate in initiatives promoting gender equality, and advocate against all forms of violence. These efforts strengthened local accountability structures and helped establish community-led response mechanisms to prevent and address gender-based violence.  
• In El Salvador, Spotlight Initiative expanded GBV service provision ensuring access to high-quality services for trans women. The Initiative provided unprecedented, targeted support to transwomen, and the LGBTI community more broadly, by helping to establish a specialized clinic delivering medical and psychological services to the trans population in-country. The clinic was successfully registered in the public health system - institutionalizing services and promoting sustainability - and officially recognised as a transgender health and sexual medicine clinic. This helped improve service provision for transwomen and generate new partnerships to support traditionally underserved communities. 
• In Jamaica, the Initiative complemented ongoing efforts to establish Domestic Violence Intervention Centres (DVICs). Applying a survivor-centred approach, these centres expand access to high-quality recovery services for women and girls, particularly in rural areas, and improved long-term recovery outcomes.  The establishment of DVICs, an ongoing effort of the Jamaica Constabulary Force, helps government agencies improve essential service delivery for GBV survivors, including reproductive and health services, counseling, immediate care, referrals, and access to justice. DVICs offer a safe space for women and girls to seek support without fear of judgment or reprisal. 

A number of initiatives were undertaken by UN Women country offices through the support of RO and other partner agencies in undertaking advocacy and awareness on addressing sexual violence in conflict situations. 

Through the ICGLR Program support and as part of the Domestication of the Protocol on the Prevention and Punishment of Sexual Violence Against Women and Children in the ICGLR member states, a total of 9 countries out of the 12 ICGLR Member States that have established the special court, special sessions and special procedures as mechanisms to fast track SGBV cases within the region. For example, in 2018 Uganda established a special session as a strategy to clear SGBV case back log and they were able to clear a total of 788 cases surpassing the target of 650 set for one month. Countries that do not have any mechanisms to fast track SGBV cases are Tanzania, Central African Republic and Angola. Sudan however implemented special procedures for cases involving children for the period between 2014- 2016.

UN Women also participated and provided briefing to the HQ DPA high level missions and advocacy initiatives towards developing strategies for addressing PVE, CVE with focus on prevention of sexual violence in conflict situations.

The Strategy for Prevention of and Response to the Conflict Related Sexual Violence in Ukraine

The present strategy provides guidance and recommendations on how governmental institutions of Ukraine, civil society organizations, international organizations and UN system can join efforts to effectively prevent and respond to CRSV. The document has a narrative part, which sets out the general context, mandate and scope of the strategy, implementation mechanism, coordination mechanism and tools. Second part of the document is a roadmap matrix that suggests specific objectives, actions for specific actors to carry out to accomplish those objectives, leading to a more targeted approach. The strategy is currently being developed at the initiative of government of Ukraine, applicable to whole of Ukraine.

https://eca.unwomen.org/en/digital-library/publications/2019/04/the-strategy-for-prevention-of-and-response-to-the-conflict-related-sexual-violence-in-ukraine

On 20 May 2021, the Parliament of Ukraine adopted the Draft Law No. 2689 “On Amendments to Legislative Acts of Ukraine on Implementation of Provisions of International Criminal Law and Humanitarian Law” updating Ukraine’s Criminal Code with a full catalogue of war crimes and crimes against humanity, which include, inter alia, sexual violence.

The Second National Action Plan on UNSCR 1325 (NAP 1325) was developed and adopted on 28 October 2020. UN Women provided expert support to ensure the alignment of the NAP 1325 with UNSCR Resolutions on Women, Peace and Security and with UN SG Call to Action – Women Transforming Peace and Security, issued on the 20th anniversary of UN SCR 1325.

To implement the first and the second NAP 1325, the List of Early Warning Indicators (EWI) in Ukraine has been drafted based on the UN Matrix and in consultations with the Government Commissioner of Gender Equality Policy, national and local authorities, CSOs and OHCHR, and with expert support of UN Women Ukraine. In September 2021, the List of EWI is expected to be validated by relevant stakeholders to be further institutionalized by the Government for effective prevention and combatting CRSV.

A training module for district police officers on the concept and prevention of Conflict Related Sexual Violence through community policing was developed by UN Women. The training module will be further piloted through the organization of 4 trainings for police from the conflict-affected Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts.

In Tajikistan, the WPS agenda, especially role and needs of young women and girls, were discussed by participants of the UN Women supported National Forum “Modern approaches to PVE among youth” in February 2020. Over 250 young people (30% of them- women and girls) and 50 officials discussed emerging PVE risks and policies and programmes to reduce them. As a result, young women and girls enhanced their participation for networking and collaboration between young people across the country and youth they learnt innovative forms of youth empowerment in decision-making. The Forum opened new avenues for dialog between youth and decision-makers on WPS and empowered young women girls to contribute to the PVE processes.

As a part of celebration of 20th anniversary of SCR 1325, UN Women conducted special information campaign for pos. pulation. In the frames of the campaign UN Women jointly with CoWFA developed and broadcasted on the National TV a video Women in Peace Processes. The video dedicated to the 20th anniversary of SCR 1325 and brought various views and opinions on the importance of the SCR 1325 and NAPs in Tajikistan’s peacebuilding and development processes. Partnership with UN Women and UN Women’s projects on the topic have been reflected in the video. Additionally, UN Women interviewed Ms. Bozgul Dodkhudoeva, the only women in the National Reconciliation Commission (1997-2000). M Dodkhudoeva’s extended interview on the civil war and post-war processes was posted in local press; the part of the interview on Beijing conference and other important global women’s processes - on the ECA website. Three thematic articles (on SCR1325, women’s role in peacebuilding, and on Tajik-Kyrgyz cross-border cooperation on peace between women) were published in AsiaPlus – the most popular media-resource in Tajikistan and among Tajik citizens abroad.  

Women-peacemakers of the Tajikistan’s civil war were vocal in the Generation Equality campaign. One of the UN Women events with the Embassy of France highlighted the WPS agenda.