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As part of the African Gender and Development Index, Phase II, the ECA is supporting 17 countries (Algeria, Botswana, Burundi, Cote d’ Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, The Gambia, Kenya, Malawi, Mali, Morocco, Namibia, Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Senegal, Togo and Zambia) to collect data on domestic violence, harmful practices, rape, sexual harassment and trafficking in women. Countries are also tracking government progress in ratifying relevant international conventions; designing and implementing policies and strategies; and in meeting reporting obligations on violence against women. Hide

The ECA Series of Meetings on Gender Statistics held in Ghana in November 2011 followed the workshop and included a session on the role of statistical data and indicators to inform policy and actions to prevent, sanction and eradicate violence against women. Hide

ECA produced a synthesis report of studies conducted in Cameroon, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda and Zambia which provides an overview of violence against women (VAW) in each country, the scale and prevalence of different forms of VAW, its causes and consequences. It also identifies gaps in knowledge and data collection and gives particular attention to good practices in addressing VAW. Hide

The African Women’s Rights Observatory (AWRO), launched by the ECA in 2007, was presented at the 7th session of the Committee on Women and Development (CWD), held in May, 2011. The 44 member states present during the session commended the initiative and moreover, have committed to appoint focal persons in order to provide data on a timely basis. Hide

ECA’s African Centre for Gender and Social Development supported the Sixth African Development Forum (ADF) on Gender Equality, Women’s Empowerment and Ending Violence Against Women in Africa, held in October 2008. Participants from Member States, research institutions, academia, civil society, donor communities and other stakeholders discussed, among other topics, ways for tackling violence against women. The ADF adopted a Consensus Statement with and Plan of Action with 3 pillars, one of which is on violence against women. (see: http://www.uneca.org/adfvi/ConsensusStatement.asp). In follow-up to the ADF Consensus Statement and Plan of Action, ECA is designing a methodology to collect data on violence against women. Hide

ECA, in partnership with the African Union (AU) and development partners, has set up the Network on Gender-Based Violence/Violence against Women (GBV/VAW), in Addis Ababa. Its members include Regional Economic Communities, the Swedish, Finnish, Danish and South African Embassies, United Nations agencies and civil society organizations. The Network is undertaking the following activities: review global and regional legal commitments on GBV/VAW and analyse obligations by States; review and recommend for strengthening AU reporting frameworks to facilitate monitoring progress and improve performance in implementation of commitments; compile good practices in addressing GBV/VAW in Africa. Hide

ECA’s African Center for Gender and Social Development (ACGSD/UNECA), in collaboration with UNDP regional gender programme for Africa, developed the African Women’s Rights Observatory (AWRO) website. Violence against women is one of the three thematic areas covered by the AWRO. The AWRO was officially launched on 28 August 2008, at the Conference of Ministers of Gender and Women’s Affairs in Addis Abba. Hide

To raise awareness on human rights issues and specifically on violence against women, ECA launched in April 2007, with the collaboration of the UNDP Regional Gender Programme, the African Women’s Rights Observatory (AWRO). The AWRO is expected to contribute to strengthening of tracking and monitoring protection/violations of women’s rights, including violence against women, in African countries. Hide

ECA supported 12 countries to undertake field studies using the African Gender and Development Index. The 12 pilot countries (Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Egypt, Ghana, Madagascar, Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania, Tunisia and Uganda) have collected qualitative data on domestic violence, harmful practices, rape, sexual harassment and trafficking in women. They assessed the extent to which governments have ratified international conventions, met all reporting requirements, passed national laws, developed plans with specific targets, set institutional mechanisms, allocated sufficient financial and human resources, undertaken research, collaborated with civil society organizations, disseminated information and set monitoring and evaluation mechanisms for each type of violence against women. The project has been extended during 2007 to five countries, Cape Verde, Senegal, the Gambia, Namibia, and Botswana. Hide