Measures

The World Bank “The Measuring Empowerment in Four Countries” programme is piloting a mixed-method (qualitative and quantitative) approach to measuring empowerment in different contexts. The study is being implemented in Ghana, Ethiopia, Jamaica, and Bangladesh. The study focuses on the empowerment of women, and the questionnaire that is administered to women only includes questions on domestic violence and violence against women outside of the home. In Bangladesh, the partner for the implementation of the programme was the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics. Hide

DAW, now part of UN Women, was responsible for the preparation, and now supports the follow-up to the 2006 Secretary-General’s in-depth study on all forms of violence against women (A/61/122/Add. 1 and Corr.1). Hide

UNIFEM, now part of UN Women, facilitates the strengthening of knowledge bases by supporting efforts to improve the generation and use of data, including through supporting research studies and the creation of databases on violence against women, to build more effective institutions and improve the access of women survivors to services. Hide

A regional training workshop conducted by DAW, now part of UN Women, in Bangkok, Thailand, 2006 on follow-up to concluding comments of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, included violence against women as one of the three areas of focus. DAW also has a programme of support to countries emerging from conflict (Sierra Leone, Liberia, Haiti and Afghanistan) to enhance their capacity for implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and the Beijing Platform for Action. Violence against women is regularly addressed under the framework of this programme. Hide

In its programming to end violence against women, UNIFEM, now part of UN Women, works to support and build the capacity of duty bearers to fulfil their responsibilities to promote and protect women’s human rights, including the right to be free from violence, with primary focus on the judiciary, law enforcement officials, parliamentarians, government ministries, legal practitioners, and departments of statistics. Hide

DAW, now part of UN Women, convenes training activities and workshops on women’s human rights for government officials, judicial officers and representatives of civil society, at national and regional level. For example, DAW has convened judicial colloquia on the application of international human rights law at the domestic level in Santiago, Chile, 2005, Nassau, The Bahamas, 2004, Arusha, Tanzania, 2003, Bangkok, Thailand, 2002 and Vienna, Austria, 1999, which have also addressed the issue of violence against women. Events such as the foregoing serve to highlight legislative and judicial approaches in addressing violence against women, provide opportunities for exchanging experiences and enhancing cooperation among different stakeholders in efforts to eliminate violence against women. Hide

As part of its work on women, peace and security, OSAGI, now part of UN Women, carries out research and analysis on gender-based violence against women in armed conflict, especially with a view to preparing reports for the Security Council. In collaboration with the Inter-Agency Network on Women and Gender Equality (IANWGE), OSAGI coordinated the preparation of the Secretary-General's Study on Women, Peace and Security (2002), which also covers violence against women. Hide

OSAGI, now part of UN Women, prepares regular annual reports of the Secretary-General on progress in the implementation of Security Council resolution 1325 (2000), which also addresses the question of violence against women. It coordinated the preparation, and now supports the implementation of a United Nations system-wide action plan for the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000). The plan includes steps to prevent and respond to gender-based violence against women in armed conflict. Hide

The Special Adviser on Gender Issues raises the question of violence against women in various forums, meetings and during missions, and brings serious and massive violations of women’s human rights to the attention of the Secretary-General of the United Nations. OSAGI , now part of UN Women, developed a Leaders’ Advocacy Kit to combat gender-based violence, in collaboration with several entities of the United Nations system. Hide

DAW, now part of UN Women, made available information on violence against women through its website, especially in relation to the Secretary-General’s in-depth study on violence against women and its follow-up, provided briefings on the work of the United Nations in the field of violence against women, and organized panel discussions and other outreach activities. DAW widely disseminated the Secretary-General’s study, including at the national level to national machineries for the advancement of women and to United Nations resident coordinators/ representatives. DAW had organized several panels on violence against women, including a panel to launch the study in October 2006; a panel discussion on “Galvanizing action towards ending violence against women” to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, November 2006; and an interactive panel on "Elimination of all forms of violence against women: follow up to the Secretary-General’s in-depth study at national and international levels", during the 51st session of the Commission on the Status of Women, March 2007. Hide