Measures

UN Women drafted and submitted two Secretary-General’s reports on “Intensification of efforts to eliminate all forms of violence against women” (A/67/220), and “Trafficking in women and girls” (A/67/170). Technical inputs and expertise was also provided to the co-chairs of the General Assembly’s 67th Session on the resolutions on “Intensification of efforts to eliminate all forms of violence against women” (A/RES/67/144) and “Trafficking in women and girls” (A/RES/67/145), respectively, as well as to Member States more generally. Negotiations on the two resolutions were monitored throughout the GA 67th Session. Negotiations on the General Assembly’s resolution on “Intensification of global efforts for the elimination of female genital mutilations” (A/RES/67/146) were also monitored. Hide

The priority theme of the 57th Commission on the Status of Women CSW (2013) is Elimination and prevention of all forms of violence against women and girls. Several UN agencies have undertaken initiatives to mobilise on the topic, with UN Women leading the CSW process. UN Women, UNFPA, UNDP, UNICEF and WHO co-organized a first-ever Expert Group Meeting hosted in Bangkok with the support of ESCAP on prevention of violence against women in lead up to CSW. An on-line discussion on CSW 57th Session priority theme was organized from the 23rd July to the 3rd August 2012, with multiple stakeholders; and an Inter-agency consultation process for ongoing preparations for CSW 57th Session was established with UNDP, UN ESCAP, UNICEF, UNFPA, OHCHR, UNODC, ILO, WHO to ensure a coordinated UN System approach. Hide

In Latin America, OHCHR and UN Women, together with the Spanish Federation of Human Rights Organizations and the Carlos IIII University of Madrid supported the formulation of a regional Protocol for the investigation of Femicide. The protocol will assist in strengthening national capacities to investigate, prosecute, punish and redress femicide. The Protocol will be promoted through, inter alia, regional and international human rights mechanisms. In Kosovo, OHCHR supported the development of a national action plan on Security Council resolution 1325. Hide

UN Women supported new or amended anti-violence legislation in India, Maldives, Mexico, Pakistan, Sierra Leone, Uganda, and Viet Nam - on a range of forms, including sexual harassment in the workplace, domestic violence, femicide, acid violence, and sexual offences. In both Viet Nam and Uganda, elements of anti-violence legislation have been incorporated into larger Family Development and Justice, Law and Order strategies, respectively. Hide

UN Women has provided an array of support to implement laws and policies and improve access to services. Such support has included: formalization of multi-sectoral mechanisms with 13 departments led by the Ministry of Justice in Morocco; One-stop centres and shelters for survivors of violence in Afghanistan, Burundi, Ethiopia, DRC, Guatemala, Mozambique, OPT, Solomon Islands, Tanzania, Tunisia; increased police capacities to respond in Ethiopia, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Dominican Republic, Kenya, Thailand; and access to justice to end impunity in Argentina, Brazil, India, Kosovo, Lao PDR, Tanzania, Zimbabwe; institutionalization of national standards for sheltering services, sustainability of the Mehwar Centre and establishment of the comprehensive service centre -Al Hayat Centre in the State of Palestine; legal aid services in Zimbabwe; joint support with UNDP, UNICEF, UNFPA and PAHO to the Domestic Violence Office of the Supreme Court of Justice in Argentina; and at the request of the Bureau of Immigration and Naturalization, facilitated a capacity assessment for the deployment of female officers to the borders, support for an equal treatment and equal opportunity policy and together with the Liberia National Police developed a Gender Sensitive Basic Curriculum for Recruits. In Nepal, UN Women supported dissemination of standard operating procedures on violence against women for distric level police and supported the establishment of POURAKHI (an organisation of women migrant workers, now functional in 15 districts) who assist migrant workers who have faced abuse. Hide

Almost all UN agencies commemorated the International Women’s Day and the 16 Days of Activism against gender-based violence by organizing events to raise awareness on violence against women. ESCAP and UN Women co-organized the 2012 Asia-Pacific Regional Commemoration of International Women’s Day under the theme, “Youth voices UNiTE to End Violence Against Women and Girls”, an interactive event that enabled discussions among nearly 200 youths and other stakeholders. On 7 December 2012, ESCAP and UN Women also co-organized the Asia-Pacific Regional Commemoration of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, which featured high-level attendance from the Thai government, as well as introduction of new regional members of the United Nations Secretary-General’s Network of Men Leaders and a panel of mutli-stakeholder voices from across the region; publishing information sheets on violence against women and its health consequences (WHO).The Secretary General’s UNiTE Campaign, managed by UN Women, has gained momentum around the world. It uses a variety of means to raise awareness and secure commitments to take action to end VAW, including public pronouncements on the part of high-level officials, media outreach and events. In 2012 The Africa UNiTE Campaign - Kilimanjaro Climb hosted by Tanzania under the auspices of the President raised the issue of VAWG to the highest levels,resulting in strengthened national commitments throughout the Africa Region. At the national level, Tanzania is implementing its commitments through the newly created multi-sectoral committee on VAWG. And in Mozambique the UNiTE Campaign was expanded to the provincial level in a joint effort with the UNiTE Champion of Change and Men for Change. More than 800 secondary school students, teachers and school managers in Quelimane, Zambézia Province participated in debates towards zero tolerance against VAWG, particularly in the school environment. In the Pacific the campaign succeeded in securing the “Pacific Members of Parliament UNiTE statement” – the first of its kind in the region, tabled at the Pacific Island Forum Leaders meeting in the Cook Islands. Hide

In 2012, through the advocacy efforts of the UNFPA-UNICEF Joint Programme on FGM/C, 1,775 new communities publically declared their intention to abandon FGM/C, with Guinea Bissau becoming the 15th country where communities have announced their commitment to abandon. Since the establishment of the joint programme (2008), nearly 10,000 communities in 15 countries, representing about 8 million people have renounced the practice. Hide

UNICEF chaired the Inter-agency Coordination Group Against Trafficking in Persons during 2012, during which a discussion paper was commissioned on “The International Legal Frameworks concerning Trafficking in Persons.” UNICEF also provided inputs and support to various other international instruments and processes, including: the UN General Assembly Resolution A/RES/67/146 on “Intensification of Efforts to Eliminate Female Genital Mutilations”; the CRC and CEDAW committee’s development of a joint general comment/general recommendation; a specific section on the impact of small arms and light weapons on women within the UN Coordinated Action on Small Arms paper on the Impact of Poorly Regulated Arms Transfers (as part of the Arms Trade Treaty negotiations); and the drafting and adoption of the Human Rights Council Resolution on birth registration. Hide

In 2012, UNICEF commissioned the production of a handbook on Birth Registration for use by UNICEF staff; produced a technical guidance note on age assessment procedures in English, French and Spanish; assisted 38 countries (21 from sub-Saharan Africa) to complete a mapping of their child protection systems; developed together with an NGO working group on children without parental care, ‘Moving Forward: Implementing the ‘Guidelines for the Alternative Care of Children’, an implementation handbook; and made available the child-friendly and staff-friendly versions of the Guidelines for the Alternative Care of Children in French and Russian to complement the existing English, Spanish and Portuguese versions. Hide

UNICEF continued to support the work of the IASC Task Force on Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA), producing the Minimum Operating Standards on PSEA (MOS-PSEA) by UN and non-UN personnel and their accompanying guidelines. The DVD “To Serve with Pride” was also updated. Hide