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UNFPA country programmes, working with a number of partners, undertook various technical assistance and training activities, including: (i) development of manuals, protocols, guidelines and curriculum on gender based violence in Rwanda, Botswana, Uganda, Albania, and China; (ii) training of service providers in Cote D’Ivoire, Mongolia, Nepal, South Africa, and Zambia. Other training and capacity development initiatives in gender-based violence were supported by UNFPA in several countries such as Swaziland, Cambodia, Sudan, Turkey, Romania and Nicaragua. Hide

UNFPA – via its Country Offices - was involved in implementing various components of Security Council resolutions 1325 and 1820 in humanitarian settings, including programming to address the needs of survivors of gender-based violence. Hide

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, UNDP worked with local authorities and traditional leaders to set up systems to prevent domestic and sexual violence. Hide

UNIFEM, now part of UN Women, as part of UN Action, contributed to the organization of a high-level colloquium on conflict-related sexual violence and peace negotiations, which shared its conclusions at a United Kingdom-hosted Security Council Arria formula meeting related to the Secretary-General’s report on Security Council Resolution 1820. UNIFEM continued to support activities to improve government and community police responses to sexual and gender-based violence in Darfur (with UNAMID). Hide

In Liberia, under the United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) for Liberia 2008-2012, the WFP Country Office is midway through the first stage of a UN Joint Programme to reduce SBGV. Hide

In Darfur, UNV volunteers mobilized a paralegal aid network comprised of attorneys, professors and speakers to volunteer their services. They provide seminars and training to internally displaced persons (IDPs), community members, women and men, youth, and traditional community leaders on gender-based violence, and how to best provide support to survivors and families. Volunteer attorneys also accompany UNDP on field missions with the Mobile Legal Aid Clinics to provide legal assistance to survivors. Hide

In collaboration with the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), DAW, now part of UN Women, organized an expert group meeting on legislation on harmful practices, which took place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from 26 to 28 May 2009. The report of the meeting will supplement the model framework for legislation with specific recommendations and commentaries in relation to legislation on the forms of violence against women referred to as “harmful practices”, including child and forced marriage, female genital mutilation, and so-called “honour” crimes.DAW released the Handbook for legislation on violence against women (2009). The Handbook, intends to provide all stakeholders with detailed guidance to support the adoption and effective implementation of legislation which prevents violence against women, punishes perpetrators, and ensures the rights of survivors everywhere. It is hoped that the Handbook will be of use to government officials, parliamentarians, civil society, staff of United Nations entities and other actors in their efforts at ensuring that a solid legal basis is in place for tackling the scourge of violence against women. DAW also uploaded three videos on its website containing discussions on legislation on violence against women.On 4 March 2009, during the fifty-third session of the Commission on the Status of Women, DAW organized a joint dialogue of the Commission on the Status of Women and the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice on “Addressing violence against women through legal reform”. Hide