Measures

At the conclusion of the recent ESCWA’s 6th Session of the Committee on Women, Member States unanimously adopted the “Kuwait Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women”, collectively condemning all forms of VAW and declaring their commitment to enhance joint and individual efforts to monitor, address and combat GBV. Hide

The ESCWA Centre for Women (ECW) completed a regional study and policy brief on “Multi-sectoral efforts and partnerships to address violence against women in the ESCWA Region”, in partnership with ABAAD, to examine services provided by the State and civil society institutions and enhance their role in protecting and rehabilitating survivors of VAW. Another study in 2013 focused on “Trafficking of women and children in the Arab Region: A regional perspective” to analyze State responses to trafficking in persons as manifested in national laws, action plans and strategies. Hide

A regional Expert Group Meeting on “Identification of legislative gaps for the full implementation of Security Council Resolution 1325 (2000) on Women, Peace and Security in the Arab Region”, was held by ESCWA, in partnership with ECA and IPU. Hide

ESCWA’s Centre for Women (ECW) launched its first edition of Situation Analysis on “Female refugees from Syria, in Iraq, Jordan and Lebanon” highlighting the vulnerability of women and girls to all forms of VAW in conflict settings. Hide

ESCWA’s Centre for Women (ECW) developed a comprehensive Database on National Legislations on VAW in the Arab Region drawing on close consultations with fourteen Member States. The Database is accessible to all Member States through ESCWA’s web portal, to be used and updated as a monitoring and reporting tool on any legislative developments relevant to VAW in the region. Participating countries received training on the usage of the Database supported with an analytical regional report that summarizes the findings of all collected data and proposes a framework for action oriented measures. Hide

Evidence from new studies in three countries on the impact of domestic violence in the workplace was presented by ILO during the 57th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW). More information is availbable at: http://www.ilo.org/gender/Events/WCMS_208336/lang--en/index.htm Hide

In November 2013, the second Gender Academy, supported by ILO, UN Women and the European Commission, was held at the International Training Centre of the International Labour Organization (ITC-ILO). The Academy examined policies and methods to respond to gender-based violence and risks at work. More information is available at: http://gender.itcilo.org/cms/ https://www.unwomen.org/lo/news/stories/2013/11/development-professionals-to-attend-ilo-gender-academy#sthash.4mn4Iy9X.dpufIn July 2013, ILO held a technical experts meeting for ILO constituents in Member States in the Pacific Islands sub-region on Gender and Decent Work which also addressed the topic of Ending violence against women in the Pacific. Other UN entities participated, including UN Women, UNDP, UNFPA, UNAIDS participated. Hide

ILO conducted several training sessions on: ILO Recommendation No. 200: The role of the judiciary in safeguarding HIV-related labour rights (Uganda); HIV, labour migration and violence against women (Togo); Gender Equality and VAW Workshop for Judges of the Caribbean (Barbados); gender equality, gender-based violence and “HIV and AIDS and the World of Work” for participants from government institutions, employers and workers organizations as well as the private sector (International Training Centre (ITC), Turin); international and national legal framework, including on VAW, for courts in East Africa (Tanzania). Addressing sexual harassment is part of the ILO Better Work programme's extensive supervisory skills training. Documents and information materials related to the impact of Better Work on women workers in garment factories in developing countries is continuously updated on a dedicated page on the programme's website, "Focus on Women": http://betterwork.org/global/?page_id=3550 Hide

The ILO Better Work programme has continued developing tools to prevent and address sexual harassment in garment factories following surveys with workers which revealed this issue being of significant concern. A factory kit with different awareness raising material directed to management, supervisors and garment workers has been developed and disseminated and piloting of factory-level training in has been conducted in Jordan. More information is available at: http://www.ilo.org/global/about-the-ilo/newsroom/features/WCMS_216898/lang--en/index.htm Hide

UNDP, in collaboration with N-Peace, organized training on Building Advocacy Skills for Effective Implementation of National Action Plan (NAP) on UN SCR 1325 and 1820. In Egypt, UNDP supported the Cairo Regional Center for Training on Conflict Resolution and Peacekeeping Center (CCCPA) in mainstreaming gender across its various training modules. It also provided training for police officers in Ivory Coast; supported investigation on alleged mass rapes and sensitized population in DRC. Hide