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UNRWA prioritized addressing gender-based violence in 2009 and is developing a systematic multi-sectoral approach to gender-based violence, which includes services provision, prevention, working with community leaders and participation in national advocacy efforts. To increase victims’ access to services, UNRWA is developing referral systems in its fields of operations. In West Bank, a pilot intervention of a community protection referral was developed with the support of the BirZeit University for the referral system in 9 camps (Kalandia, Jalazone, Duheisheh, Aroub, Doura, Aida, Al Azeh, Aqbat Jaber, Ein Sultan). This intervention is based on a concept of community protection 'committees', comprised of UNRWA staff, as well as a number of key community members. The purpose of the committees is to coordinate referrals both internally to UNRWA, as well as to external resources. Hide

In Gaza, the Equality in Action programme, supported by UNRWA, continues the discussions that target men and women in the community, as well as religious leaders and UNRWA health staff, to raise awareness of the impact of violence against women. Hide

UNRWA is participating in the different UN taskforces aiming to build national strategies to end violence against women in Lebanon, Syria and the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt). In the latter specifically, UNRWA is addressing gender-based violence through its participation in the Gender Equality - Social, Political and Economic programme. Hide

In Gaza, West Bank, Syria, Jordan and Lebanon, UNRWA staff attended training in detecting and counselling victims of gender-based violence. The staff included nurses, midwifes, health counsellors, medical officers, education counsellors, lawyers and social workers. In West Bank, and with the support of the Birzeit University, 4 trainings took place to introduce the concepts of community protection. Hide

In Jordan, UNRWA and UNICEF supported the Ministry of Health in developing guidelines (pilot version) for medical and paramedical staff on addressing violence against women. UNRWA organized a workshop with practitioners from all over the region to develop lessons learned that were documented in the first issue of UNRWA Gender Series on referral systems for victims of violence. Hide

In Gaza, UNRWA is consolidating the services within the legal advice bureaus, while developing 5 ‘one-stop’ centres. In Syria, interventions have been consolidated in the ‘legal advice bureaus’ (LABs) in two areas (Yarmouk and Deraa) to add social interventions and counselling to the existing legal aid. A hotline service for victims was launched in May 2010. In Jordan, a national referral system exists and UNRWA is developing the capacities of the LABs to act as liaison mechanisms with the national structures (Family Protection Unit and Jordanian National Women Commission). In Lebanon, a referral system has been put in place in the Tyr region. Hide