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In Sudan, the Human Rights Section of UNAMID organized workshops addressing sexual gender-based violence in West Darfur; it has developed and install billboards related to sexual gender-based violence around South Darfur; it has produced leaflets on the mandate, role and services of the Family and Child Protection Units; and it has trained State actors on human rights and criminal investigation procedures. Hide

The Joint Human Rights Office of MONUSCO (Democratic Republic of Congo - DRC) issued special reports on sexual violence notably in the DRC. It is also implementing a program to increase access to justice for victims and witnesses, including through technical and financial assistance to local non-governmental organizations to enable them to provide free legal advice to victims of sexual violence, as well as support to prosecutors and judicial investigators. Hide

In Haiti, the eight regional offices of the Human Rights Section of MINUSTAH conducted several sensitizations activities on international human rights instruments for the protection and promotion of the rights of women, the Haitian legal procedures for the prosecution of sexual crimes and the protection of women’s rights in the event of natural disasters. Hide

Human Rights Sections of Peace Keeping Operations continue to implement activities related to sexual gender-based violence. Hide

The Human Rights Section of MINUSTAH in Haiti participated in a workshop organized by the Direction départementale du Ministère à la condition feminine et aux droits de la femme, aimed at sensitizing the local population on sexual gender- based violence. The Human Rights Section together with the UNIFEM and IOM organized training for 20 UNPOL team leaders concerning the protection and response to the widespread occurrence of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) within IDP camps. In light of the increased incidence of sexual and domestic violence, the Human Rights Section in Jacmel, together with the Ministry for Women, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the United Nations Joint Programme on HIV/AIDS (ONUSIDA), participated in a sensitization workshop at the Pinchinat Camp. The Human Rights Section stressed the importance of victims of sexual violence obtaining a medical certificate and denouncing the authors of these violations, in order to reduce their recurrence through accountability. Hide

The United Nations Integrated Peace Building Office in Sierra Leone (UNIPSIL), with the larger UN community, and in collaboration with the Ministry of Social Welfare, Gender and Children’s Affairs engaged women’s groups, through an interactive session during the Global Open Day consultations on issues of women’s peace and security. The women spoke about concerns related to violence against women and girls. The UN Family continues to work jointly in strengthening capacity of respective gender focal points in responding to issues relating to violence against women through training workshops. Hide

In DRC, the MONUSCO Sexual Violence Unit (Office of the DSRSG-Ro) created an inter-section forum on data collection and sharing with the aim to find a solution with respect to the collection of reliable data on sexual violence. Led by the UN Joint Human Rights Office, a common MONUSCO database was developed, in order to provide more accurate data on sexual violence cases, collected by the Mission’s Military and Civilian Sections. Another project, aimed at increasing and better managing available information on perpetrators of serious human rights violations, is the Profiling Exercise of MONUSCO Human Rights Division, jointly carried out by MONUSCO, UNDP and OHCHR. The project focuses on members of the Congolese security services, especially those in the upper echelons or ranks, with a special focus on their human rights records. The Profiling Team has created a database which will link commanders to serious human rights violations (including sexual violence but not exclusively), clarify current and former command structures of security services and armed groups and serve as the basis for creating detailed profiles of such individuals. This database is still being developed and data is being entered. The database will be fully operational in February 2011. OHCHR is carrying out a mapping of major violations of human rights and humanitarian law, including sexual violence, committed in the DRC from 1993 to 2003. OHCHR’s Mapping Report will be released on 1 October with the objective to enable the Government of the DRC to identify appropriate transitional justice mechanisms to deal with the legacy of these violations. Hide

In June 2008, DPKO/DFS developed Guidelines for integrating gender perspectives into the work of United Nations Police in peacekeeping missions and a checklist of gender equality considerations in addressing sexual and gender-based violence. In August 2008, DPKO/DFS briefed Heads of military components of peace-keeping operations during their annual meeting on Security Council resolution 1820 (2008) and the role of the military in its implementation. Hide

In February 2008, DPKO/DFS sent a Code Cable to all DPKO/DFS Field Offices on improved and systematic reporting on sexual violence to the Security Council, as had been requested during the 2007 open debate on resolution 1325 (2000). A further Code Cable was sent in June 2008, following the adoption of Security Council resolution 1820 (2008). Hide

The DPKO/DFS Policy Directive on Gender Equality in United Nations Peacekeeping Operations (November 2006) highlights DPKO/DFS obligation and commitment to address and prevent sexual and gender-based violence against women in post-conflict contexts, including sexual exploitation and abuse committed by civilian and uniformed personnel. Hide