Oct 2009 - Feb 2010 | UN ACTION

UN Action presented seminars on Security Council resolutions 1820/1888 and on sexual violence for UNHCR and WHO staff, in Geneva. A briefing for a range of donors and civil society partners on the UN response to the new Security Council frameworks was presented in December 2009 in Geneva, hosted by the Norwegian Mission. In October 2009, UN Action presented a “webinar” on Security Council resolutions 1820 and 1888, hosted by UNFPA, for UNFPA field staff. A briefing for Peacebuilding Support Office (PBSO) staff was held in January 2010. At the request of the DSRSG of MINURCAT, UN Action undertook a technical assessment mission to Chad, in November 2009, to better understand the UN system’s response to conflict-related sexual violence and to explore options for strategic support. The assessment team held consultations with representatives from a range of UN agencies. Strategic support is being provided to MINURCAT and the UNCT to develop a Comprehensive Strategy on Gender-based Violence – Including Sexual Violence, for Eastern Chad. In January 2010, UN Action in collaboration with UNDP engaged a Senior Advisor in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to oversee implementation of the Comprehensive Strategy on Combating Sexual Violence in DRC.At the request of the RC/HC, UN Action fielded an inter-agency mission to Cote d’Ivoire, in January 2010, to assess options for support to the UN’s response to gender-based violence, including sexual violence, and to review the draft National Strategy on Sexual and Gender-Based Violence.UNDP, OHCHR and DPKO worked under UN Action auspices to develop a joint concept note for a rapidly-deployable Team of Experts on rule of law, as mandated by Security Council resolution 1888, to help address impunity for sexual violence. The UN Action Resource Management Committee approved two funding proposals to support UN system-wide action at country level:(1) Establishing a system to track allocations and expenditures on sexual violence programmes through UN managed financing mechanisms (e.g. CAPs, CERF, CHFs, PBSO, MDTFs) and other sexual violence related funding modalities as part of a broader effort to track gender related allocations; and(2) Training of humanitarian actors to facilitate the roll-out of the Standard Operating Procedures Guide on addressing gender-based violence in humanitarian settings.UN Action convened inter-agency meetings to assist Member States in the framing of Security Council resolution 1888, adopted on 30 September 2009.Under its knowledge-building pillar, the UN Action Resource Management Committee approved a funding proposal submitted to UN Action’s Multi-Donor Trust Fund to map examples of positive interactions with non-State actors, with a view to developing preventative diplomacy strategies and guidance on addressing sexual violence with non-State armed groups.UN Action continued to support the Secretary-General’s campaign UNiTE to End Violence against Women, through regular participation in the inter-agency working. UN Action promoted a global online photo drive during the 16 Days of Activism against GBV 2009 and in collaboration with DPI, it presented its images, as a photo montage, at the launch of the Secretary-General's Network of Men Leaders in November 2009.UN Action mobilized new media/social networking tools to amplify the Stop Rape Now campaign (www.facebook.com/unaction; www.twitter.com/unaction). A Public Service Announcement (PSA) has been developed for broadcast and online distribution, with support from OCHA, UNIFEM and DPI, to popularize the “Stop Rape Now” message.In collaboration with the UN Division for the Advancement of Women, UN Action contributed the “Feature Item” on sexual violence in conflict settings for the October 2009 issue of Words to Action: Newsletter on violence against women, issued by the UN Division for the Advancement of Women.