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In June 2020, DPO launched the first Handbook to support UN Field Missions in preventing and responding to conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV), building on the publication of the first UN Policy on this same topic a few months earlier. Both these documents were developed by DPO jointly with the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA), the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), and the Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict (OSRSG-SVC) and in consultation with representatives from the United Nations Action Network on Sexual Violence in Conflict and partners at United Nations Headquarters. These documents provide guidance for civilian, military, and police personnel deployed in UN Field Missions on how to prevent and respond to conflict-related sexual violence with a coordinated and survivor-centred approach. Since the release of the CRSV Policy and Handbook, DPO has been supporting their dissemination and implementation in the field.
Peacekeeping missions raise awareness on Sexual and Gender Based Violence through events/media campaigns during the 16 Days of Activism against Gender Based Violence.
Missions also worked to strengthen women’s participation in building a protective environment. In Central Africa Republic. 46.5% of the early warning mechanisms supported by MINUSCA compromised at least 30 per cent women; in Mali and Darfur, CRSV survivor networks were established; in Abyei UNISFA enhanced its early warning system by partnering with Abyei Women’s Association in identifying gender-specific triggers and events that have the potential to escalate the local conflict; in Darfur, Sudan, the 54 women-led protection networks established by UNAMID serve as unique examples of how women have helped prevent conflicts and contribute to building a protective environment. MINUSCA’s support included formation of 16 women’s situation rooms and a hotline to strengthen women’s protection during election. In DRC, MONUSCO supported women’s organizations to map security threats and hot spots for women and girls, which informed the interventions of security and defence forces and other protection actors.
Through public communications and reporting, peacekeeping operations contributed to raising awareness on conflict-related sexual violence and promoting prevention and the condemnation of harmful stigmatizing attitudes towards victims/survivors. For instance, in South Sudan, UNMISS and OHCHR published a joint public report on access to health for sexual violence survivors that increased attention to the lack of access to sexual and reproductive health. UNMISS and the Government subsequently launched a joint nationwide campaign against stigmatization of sexual violence survivors, which remains one of the key barriers to accessing healthcare. In Mali, for the International Day on the Elimination Against Sexual Violence in Conflict on 19 June 2020, the MINUSMA SRSG joined voices with heads of UN agencies, government representatives and diplomatic missions to publicly condemn CRSV on social media. During the 16 Days of Activism Campaign against Gender-Based Violence, the Deputy SRSG-Political Affairs took part in a live radio debate on the Mission’s efforts to eradicate CRSV.