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Peacekeeping missions ensured that COVID-19 related re-orienting of mandate implementation, including contingency planning and programme criticality mapping, as well as support to national authorities and collaboration with UN Country Teams and AFP’s, is gender responsive.
Given the increasing levels of violence against women, especially domestic violence, all missions have expanded mitigation and prevention measures through awareness raising, collaboration with GBV sub-clusters and tracking and monitoring of GBV incidence. In Cyprus, the mission supported awareness raising on GBV, while in Darfur and Abyei, UNAMID and UNISFA respectively, supported women’s protection networks to disseminate protection and GBV related information to IDP settings as well as the community at large. UNIFIL increased awareness on GBV, including dissemination of referral guidelines. UNMIK with other partners increased GBV awareness and issued statements, and key messages including in women’s correction facilities. In DRC, the mission raised awareness on GBV and access to referral services.
Missions developed gender-responsive frameworks to inform Community Violence Reduction (CVR) programming and incorporate emerging threats to security related to COVID-19. UNMISS, MINUSCA, UNAMID mapped gender specific CVR priorities, including as a component of DDR/CVR programming. For example, MINUSCA expanded women’s economic options through innovative income generation activities. UNMISS and UNISFA focused on gender inclusive PoC responses.
The Monitoring, Analysis and Reporting Arrangements (MARA) Working Groups in peacekeeping settings served as collaborative platforms to document the impact of the pandemic and find solutions to ensure accessibility of services for survivors of sexual violence. In collaboration with the UNCT/HCT, to reduce reporting barriers for survivors, telephone hotlines were established in the DRC and South Sudan. For instance, in the DRC, the hotline enables information collection, the remote provision of psychosocial and legal support and referrals to appropriate legal and medical services.
UN-Women highlighted the importance of preventing SH during COVID-19 in multiple settings, including on health, care and domestic work as well as on public spaces and cyber harassment, through webinars with a total of 1820 participants from within and outside of the UN system.
#HeForShe at home campaign
To creatively address concerns about rising violence at home during COVID-19, and the increased burden of unpaid care work, UN Women in Asia and the Pacific joined forces with a community of influencers, activists and celebrities in Thailand to involve the public in the #HeForSheAtHome campaign. The campaign was designed to ease tensions at home using humor, and advocated for shared caring responsibilities to prevent family violence. The campaign reached approximately 46 million viewers and engaged more than 140 content producers across various social media platforms, with the core message that men can be more involved in caring roles at home.
Political Engagement Strategy in Asia and the Pacific
UN Women’s Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific has been instrumental in implementing the Secretary General's Political Engagement Strategy on Gender Based Violence (GBV), helping to highlight EVAW as a significant political issue on government agendas in the region. Along with country offices in Asia and the Pacific, the Regional Office supported states in the region include EVAW within their essential services. With leadership from the UN Resident Coordinators (RCs) and support from other UN agencies, ROAP has supported efforts in Afghanistan, Bangladesh and other countries in the region to adopt short- and long-term action areas identified within the Political Engagement Strategy.
Safety planning for violence against women during the COVID-19 pandemic
The Safety Plan was developed under the COVID-19 pandemic context when the ‘isolation measures’ could put women at further risk of violence. The Safety Plan provides a way to think about how to stay safe at home, in community and in workplace regardless of the migratory status of women. This is designed in a way to help women, especially women migrant workers, prepare for dangers if they are in an abusive situation of fear of violence or harassment. The Safety Plan is available in 9 languages.
Action Brief: A Guide for Action to Stem Increasing Violence Against Women amid the COVID-19 Pandemic in Asia and the Pacific
This is a guide for governments, aid agencies, service providers, businesses and other groups on what to do to protect women from violence during the pandemic and its associated array of lockdowns, movement restrictions, services closures, and other disease control measures.
In response to COVID-19, UN Women Albania:
- Supported the Ministry of Health and Social Protection in the adoption of Protocol “On the operation of public and non-public residential centres, providing shelter services to victims of domestic violence and human trafficking during the COVID-19 pandemic”, followed by a video broadcast on public TV and on social media to encourage reporting VAWG during the lockdown period, which reached 400,000 views.
- Supported the Sub-Parliamentary Committee on Gender Equality to identify interventions in the area of gender equality during COVID-19 pandemic and maintained ongoing communications with local and national institutions for managing the situation of violence against women and other groups, who were at higher risk of facing domestic violence due to the lockdown.
- Supported women’s rights CSOs to conduct monitoring of referral mechanisms in 11 municipalities, including a special reporting during COVID-19 health crisis.
- Trained 37 public and non-public service providers on provision of sheltering services during COVID-19 based on the approved protocol.
- Conducted 2 Rapid Gender Assessments to (i) measure the socio-economic impact of COVID-19 on women and men, including in the area of GBV; (ii) assess challenges and gaps of 6 women’s CSOs in offering services to survivors during COVID-19, resulting in adaptation of support to CSOs based on the situation.
- Supported 12 CSOs with 1,100 protective equipment units to continue service provision including accommodation in shelters during COVID-19
- Supported CSO service providers to offer direct services to approximately 400 women survivors of VAWG.
In response to the COVID 19, UN Women Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) provided immediate support to 8 Safe Houses in BiH covering their running costs, basic needs of survivors and children placed in the safe houses, and basic personal protection equipment. As a result, immediate support in the first months of the COVID 19 outbreak was provided to survivors of different forms of violence through more than 1500 SOS calls and 1300 persons through phone and online counselling. Comprehensive specialized support services within Safe Houses were provided to 176 women and children. In the months after initial response UN Women BiH has provided more structural support for improved accessibility and availability of specialized services to survivors of violence in all 8 Safe Houses in BiH. Safe Houses were able to provide additional 950 SOS calls, admit 380 women and children and provide 155 different services survivors of domestic.
Ukraine: Aimed at preventing gender-based violence against women and girls 1,200 brochures for perpetrators of domestic violence comprising information on criminalization of domestic violence, as well as educational information on increased domestic work imposed on women, especially during the Covid 19 pandemic lockdowns, promoting respectful relationships between intimate partners and household members were disseminated to men from 13 target communities in Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
53 staff (22 women, 31 men) of the National Police of Ukraine Departments in eastern oblasts of Ukraine, increased their knowledge on gender mainstreaming as a tool for effective integration of gender equality priorities into their work and on prevention and respond to GBV during COVID-19 pandemic.
In the response to the COVID-19, UN Women Moldova CO has conducted a rapid assessment of women’s needs, affected by gender-based violence and of the systemic response to cases of violence in the context of the Covid-19 crisis through a national NGO. Based on the needs highlighted by partner organizations, UN Women Moldova has provided essential online services through several national NGOs, to around 353 women and girls affected by violence, women's survivors of violence, 156 women migrants (including those affected by violence, or in substantial risk) for a 4-month period. In addition to this, essential products have been provided to 250 women survivors of violence beneficiaries of 15 institutions (shelters, organizations, etc.) and to 3,279 social assistants and social workers, from 36 Territorial structures of social assistance across the country, including the Transnistrian region. They have been assisted during emergency lockdown conditions and equipped with necessary items (food and hygiene products) and personal protection equipment (PPE) during COVID-19 outbreak.
In the context of Joint UN Programme „Strengthening the Republic of Moldova’s National Response to the COVID-19 Crisis”, funded by UN COVID-19 Response and Recovery Multi-Partner Trust Fund (UN COVID-19 MPTF), under UN Women CO component, 295 women survivors of violence, 41 indirect beneficiaries’ members of their families and 500 members of multidisciplinary teams in different regions of the country have been provided with essential products.
As part of COVID-19 Response and Recovery Window of the Moldova 2030 SDGs Partnership Fund (SDGPF) in 2021, over 3,000 women in vulnerable situations or part of vulnerable groups (unemployed due to COVID-19 pandemic, living with HIV, from vulnerable families, with disabilities, with more than 4 children, older people within extreme poverty, etc) from both banks of the Nistru river have been supported with essential products (food, hygienic products, PPEs).
PPE items were offered to multidisciplinary teams from Cahul and Ungheni districts to maintain their work/interventions to respond to violence against women and children in times of crisis. Around 1,200 social workers from 70 localities were enabled to provide continuous social assistance to the local population. More than 3,400 vulnerable women and children from Cahul and Ungheni were better able to maintain their well-being and increase their personal protection from COVID-19 by receiving direct support (food, hygiene packages, and PPE items).
Supported by UN Women Kosovo, around 550 women/DV survivors in the shelters were provided with supplies such as food and hygienic kits, bed linen and clothes to shelters. Technical equipment to shelters around Kosovo was also delivered ensuring that the attendance of online learning classes by children in the shelters is not disrupted. Women sheltered in quarantine facility were also provided hygiene packages, clothes, PPE prior to admission. UN Women directly contributed to these results through procuring and delivering these items jointly with UNFPA. Women business owners will be able to benefit from a 2 million Euro worth of grants for allocated by the government as part of its economic recovery package. UN Women contributed to these results by collecting operative data and evidence on the gendered impact of the pandemic in the Rapid Gender Assessment of the Situation and Needs of Women in the Context of COVID-19(RGA), conducted in March-April 2020 and Rapid assessment of the socio-economic impact of the crisis on Kosovan households conducted in April-June 2020. Needs of survivors from non-majority communities were addressed through support to the shelter in North Mitrovica in receiving essential services in North Mitrovica. All DV shelters in Kosovo received working tools including beehives, tailoring and hairdressing tools, baking ovens for the large-scale production of bread and other food items as well as technical equipment. The main aim of this undertaking was to enable income generation for the shelters, in order to foster their economic empowerment and independence in a sustainable fashion. At the same time, provision of these tools offers the opportunity for capacity building for survivors residing in these shelters, who by utilizing these tools gain the ability to use those skills for possible employment opportunities or business start-ups once they leave the shelter. With the average annual turn-over of women in shelters being approximately 600, it can be estimated that up to 600 women will directly and sustainably benefit from the provided equipment Kosovo public at large was informed about:
- The pandemic and key prevention measures;
- The impact of the pandemic on women and women economies;
- DV and GBV through the 16 days of activism campaign; and
- Promotion of Kosovo Police app which can be used to report cases of DV and GBV as well as other incidents and crimes (and which now allows the easy reporting of domestic violence through an updated direct button).
The total reach of the cumulative campaigns was over 300 000 people through UN Women Kosovo social media alone. UN Women contribution to all these results was provided through technical and advocacy support.
In Tajikistan, Under UN Women technical guidance, the UNCT members jointly with the Governmental structures (health/ women empowerment/ social protection/ emergency) created joint plans, including on awareness raising and prevention. The final SPT COVID-19 Action Plan’s measures and activities were presented and well aligned with the Government’s position and the COVID-19 request issued by state authorities (Ministry of Foreign Affairs of RT, CoWFA, MoH, CoES, CYA). The activities were incorporated, along with monitoring indicators ad targets, in the Integrated Socio-Economic Response Framework. The plan also covered awareness raising elements: Dissemination of information about COVID-19, VAWG, VAC, supporting awareness raising campaigns on TV, social media networks, radio broadcasting on COVID-19 and including on the impact on women and girls, general and user-friendly information (videos, leaflets) developed for dissemination among the population. Within the Spotlight Initiative UN Women developed gender-sensitive recommendations for preparedness to and during quarantine period. Recommendations included specific measures to address GBV, protect women health workers, etc. Recommendation were handed over to MFA and other GoT bodies. In this process, the Spotlight Initiative team participated in several meetings with Government officials and various coordination platforms to advocate for the rights of women and girls in the context of COVID-19.
Rapid Gender Assessment
The report on “What Rapid Gender Assessment data says about the impact of COVID-19 on women’s and men’s lives and livelihood in Tajikistan” was prepared and published in three languages by UN Women in cooperation with Z-Analytics. The overall objective of the assessment was to assess COVID-19 impact on women, girls, men, and boys, and to compare gender issues and social norms during the outbreak period. Furthermore, the assessment aimed to increase preparedness and response efforts to the emergency created by COVID-19 and to provide a gendered insight on how the situation has affected women and men differently. The RGA assessment captured 1,500 respondents in total, both women and men above the age of 18 years. The assessment covered all regions of Tajikistan with total population 9,126.6 people. RGA data shows that, overall, 61 percent respondents received information through traditional media sources, such as television, radio, and newspapers. Furthermore, RGA data disaggregated by target regions demonstrate that in Dushanbe, a considerable number of respondents also received information through internet and social media (22 per cent) and from public announcements (3 percent). In GBAO, 19 percent of respondents received information from health workers which is high by 5–7 percentage points then DRS, Sogd and Khatlon and 11 percentage points higher than Dushanbe. Compared to other regions, more users in DRS, Sogd and Khatlon found mobile phones to be an efficient tool in getting information on COVID-19. In Sogd – where people were dependent on traditional media sources was still utilized by a considerable number of people compared to Dushanbe and DRS. Finally, in Khatlon, most respondents (62 per cent) received information on COVID-19 through traditional media sources, followed equally by internet and social media and health centers and family doctors. As indicated by RGA data in this report, the COVID-19 pandemic has negatively affected both women and men from urban and rural areas and among all age groups. Based on RGA results, several conclusions are drawn that summarize the results of the COVID-19 outbreak. Based on these conclusions, several recommendations for various stakeholders, including national authorities and international organizations, as well as the local civil society organizations (CSO) are forwarded.
Video messages
UN Women, UNICEF, UNFPA and UNDP jointly with the Committee on women and family affairs and the EU delegation developed positive transformative messages to the population: The messages in informational videos on promoting positive masculinity and challenging traditional norms among young people, men and women, which were part of the programmatic activities, were adopted to be more focused on men's involvement with care work at home in order to reduce the domestic burden on women, taking into account the increase in self-isolation during COVID-19 and its negative impact of GBV. The COVID-19 response video was also produced by UN Women in cooperation with CoWFA and spread among partners and Gender Thematic Group for further dissemination. The UN Women video on the social media page of the Gender Thematic Group (Facebook) had been viewed more than 18,000.
Informational leaflets
UN Women in consultation with STP RUNOS and Committee of Women and Family Affairs developed the content for the leaflet on COVID19 impact on women and girls. Family resilience during the pandemic (81,400 copies), which has been disseminated among 596,000 people to promote harmonious and non-violent environment in the families. In addition, UN Women produced COVID-19 related leaflets (COVID-19 and women's vulnerability). These leaflets were aimed to women from vulnerable groups and contained information on help centers and hotlines as well as statistics. Teenage volunteers shared brochures and DVDs (developed by UNICEF and the Ministry of Health and Human Services) on COVID-19 prevention in their communities.
Outreach campaigns
According to the report from the Red Crescent Society, a 5-month COVID-19 and EVAWG outreach campaign challenged gender stereotypes and the notion of equality and fair distribution of the housework during the pandemic through the leaflet on Impact of COVID19 on Women and Girls. How to sustain family Resilience During the Pandemic. A progress has been made in the framework of SPT COVID-19 Response Plan and 5-month outreach campaign, which increased awareness of 596,000 in 6 SPT target districts (Isfara, B. Gafurov, Rudaki, Vose, Hissar and Yovon) on COVID-19 safety measures, prevention on violence against women and girls, available VAWG service for SGBV survivors and promoting gender equality relations. Project staff of the Red Crescent Society held several meetings with the local authorities in 6 target districts to inform about the project initiatives and obtain their support in organizing outreach campaigns to remote communities and disseminated the information materials via 120 community volunteers.
Youth Involvement
UNICEF, UNDP and UN Women jointly with Youth Committee invested in awareness among youth and children, parenting and prevention of violence against a girl-child through the Peer Education Center of the Committee. WHO and UNCT cooperated with the state ministries on development and publishing the infographics and information for the population in multi-media (WHO website). 130,000 young people benefitted from online gender-sensitive awareness-raising and community mobilisation activities led by the newly established Communication Centre at the Committee on Youth and Sport Affairs. The Communication Centre engaged young volunteers in prevention and awareness-raising activities as part of its COVID-19 response measure. UN Women provided logistical support and several informational and educational materials for dissemination. Other partners included UNDP and UNICEF, who equipped the Center with furniture and other items.
Hotline
Rendering psychological and legal consultations from PSS hub and national hotline was done through the investment on ensuring a 24/7 support, so that women and girls across Tajikistan, both those at risk and those experiencing violence, could have wider access to this service. UN Women provided the hotline with the relevant information on location and availability of services.
COVID 19 and Women living with HIV
People with HIV were also central in planning the activities. 241,058 people reached by non-stigma and discrimination messages towards women living with HIV through a social media campaign designed with the support of 12 women living with HIV.
According to the monitoring report from the official campaign website, accounts on Instagram, Facebook and Odnoklassniki the campaign created a great interest from general population. Messages of the campaign urge peoples to commit to helping create and sustain communities that promote awareness, understanding, and acceptance of people with HIV and generated over 100840 people in Instagram, 111789 people on Facebook and 28429 people on Odnoklassniki.
Women living with HIV got aware on consequences of COVID-19 impact on women living with HIV and supported by UN Women by distributing 7000 items of the leaflets on “What people living with HIV should know about COVID-19” that provided information to women on how to protect themselves, and how to respond to stigma and discrimination during the COVID-19 pandemic. 300 women living with HIV from Dushanbe, Sughd and Districts under Central Government Jurisdiction were equipped with key protective gear and sanitizers.
The Government of the Republic of Tajikistan, Development partners, Donors, International organizations, UN Agencies, and civil society organizations have been better informed and make evidence-based decisions to address the needs of women living with HIV on COVID-19 context.
According to the multi-stakeholder group consist of active NGOs working in the field of HIV and AIDS, representatives of National Aids Center, representatives of the development agencies, international organizations, HIV networks, including women leaders, gender experts and Tajikistan Network of women living with HIV members, developed recommendations which have been incorporated in National Response plan and addressed immediate needs of WLWH.
UN Women made a significant contribution through identifying the key actors, members of the group and coordination of the multi stakeholder group further activities. UN Women contributed to this through hiring a National Consultant to serve as Senior peer counsellor and monitor and advise other peer counsellors. The consultant engaged with the government and other key stakeholders and monitored the progress of COVID-19 prevention and response actions, especially for women living with HIV. This virtual network of peer counsellors, consisted of 10 members, eight of them have been trained in psychosocial support and peer-counselling in individual and group consultations.
A new Viber group of peer counselors has been created that enables members to pose questions and receive immediate support from others. According to the final report of the local consultant, over 486 consultations on various issues in the context of COVID-19 and DV have been provided by the peer counsellors to WLWH from different regions. Voice notes and videos are regularly shared on sanitation techniques, social distancing, health care facilities contact details such as doctors, hotlines, and more.
This group of peer counsellors revealed that the number of cases of domestic violence has significantly increased among women living with HIV in Tajikistan during the pandemic. Women received online information on HIV treatment or how to access VAW services and support centers they received a comprehensive advice and guidance on services, made available by SPT in Tajikistan.
Due to the significant increase in the number of cases of domestic violence among women living with HIV, as revealed by the group of peer counselors, a mobile application has been developed for people living with HIV to simplify medical information and treatment, to address the urgent needs and connect women to VAW services.
According to the feedback of women engaged in the testing, the application allows people living with HIV to access timely and necessary medical services. The interactive map shows location of medical centers and nongovernmental organizations supporting people living with HIV.
UN Women provided technical guidance and IT support through the local company. The application design is based on the experiences of its developers and HIV activists. For people living with HIV, the app will act as a personal electronic patient card. It will allow the users to stay in touch with doctors online, setting up reminders about when to take medication and schedule appointments. A help button contains links to hotlines on HIV treatment and prevention and psychological and legal support for women.
No estás Sola or "You are not alone" in English is an intervention of the Ministry of Women and Vulnerable Populations (MIMP) and UNDP, with the support of the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation that was born in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and seeks to generate synergies between the public and private sectors, through the strengthening of a community sensitized and committed to the prevention of violence against women, gender equality and positive masculinities. The objective of the intervention is to bring care services closer to women victims of gender-based violence, or at risk of being so; as well as to promote a culture of equality and positive masculinities, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, through the dissemination of prevention messages against this type of violence.
UNDP Country Offices in Lao PDR, Bhutan, Myanmar, Ukraine and many others are cooperating with local governments, UN agencies and others in communications and community outreach efforts to ensure that accurate information on COVID-19 and its disproportionate impacts on women are disseminated and that women are aware of the various support services available should they require assistance
UNFPA has demonstrated capacity to adapt to the new circumstances derived from the COVID- 19 pandemic. Almost all UNFPA offices, that is 99% of offices in 108 countries, have adapted their GBV interventions to this new context.
Prevention and response services had to be moved to the online space and an increase in GBV, as well as additional threats and forms of violence have been reported across the world. UNFPA has effectively responded to these new challenges and the lessons learned will be applied to future regional and global challenges. For example, in Latin America, UNFPA created a regional Community of Practice for Essential Services to respond to violence in the context of COVID-19. In 2021, reports on the impact of COVID-19 on gender equality and GBV were published in Asia Pacific (“COVID-19 and Violence against Women: The evidence behind the talk”) and East and Southern Africa (“Impact of COVID-19 on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment in East and Southern Africa”). These publications gather data on GBV during the pandemic which show an increase in reporting of VAW, including technology-facilitated violence.
DPO continued to strengthen coordination and coherence on the prevention and response to conflict-related sexual violence across the UN system through active participation in the UN Action Against Sexual Violence in Conflict network and its activities. Most specifically, since November 2020, DPO has notably been leading on an activity to assess the operationalization of the Monitoring, Analysis and Reporting Arrangements on CRSV (MARA) in coordination with OHCHR, OSRSG-SVC, DPPA, UNFPA and UNICEF. The MARA serves as the evidence base for all prevention and response activities, both at country level and at the level of the Security Council. This evaluation will notably lead to the update of existing guidance on the MARA with a view to strengthen its implementation and impact.
UN Women continued to actively participate in the UN system-wide SEA Working Group PSEA WG, which is being coordinated by the Office of the Special Coordinator on improving the UN response to SEA. Using its technical expertise and experience, UN Women provided input to all WG deliverables, which inter-alia include the Fact sheet on the Secretary-General's initiatives to prevent and respond to SEA, the Secretary-General's Report on Special measures for PSEA, the annual PSEA action plan, and the annual PSEA survey.
Together with UNFPA, IOM, and UNICEF, UN Women co-lead the inter-agency PSEA focal point training, held in March 2021 for the Senegal inter-agency PSEA network.
UN Women actively engaged in the development of the key performance indicators for the prevention of sexual harassment and sexual exploitation and abuse for the monitoring framework of the 2020 QCPR.
With UN partners including OHCHR, DPPA, UNDP and DCO, UN Women advocated for UN key messages about Violence against Women in politics for the UN system, endorsed by the Executive Committee in 2020 and available to inform UN Leaders' advocacy efforts on this issue.
Almost all the countries in the ESA region have functional GBV Working Groups led by UNFPA and the PSEA Task Forces led by UN Women and the UNRCO.
To bring the global commitments to the field and to create an enabling safe, secure and equitable environment in line with the UN Secretary-Generals guidance, a Training of Trainers program on "Gender Parity" and "Prevention of Sexual Harassment, Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA)" was organized in partnership with UN Women HQ with participation by 42 participants from 12 countries in the region representing UN Women, UNPFA, UNHCR, IOM, ICAO and UNDSS in Mombasa, Kenya. Following the training at least 5 countries have replicated the training in their countries and also took initiatives to establish and strengthen the PSEA task forces.
In Burundi, UN Women supported the development of UNCT gender strategy which serves as a frame of reference for in planning process within UNS in Burundi.
To support Secretary-General's Campaign UNiTE to End Violence against Women, UN Women (ROAP) organised and supported multiple regional events including Regional Curated Dialogue (link) organised in the form a TV style talk show, multi country study on Online Violence against Women in Asia (link), study on the linkages between violence against women and violence against children jointly produced with UNICEF and UNFPA (link) , Guidelines on Responsible Representation and Reporting of Violence Against Women and Children also jointly produced with UNICEF and UNFPA (link), 16 stories from frontline service providers, and social media campaigns (link) and a virtual event with the World Design Organization showcasing innovation and youth-focused approaches to prevent VAWG. The estimated reach of the 16 days of campaign events and messaging was around 94,250 with 65,273 direct engagement through likes, comments, and shares.
Generation Equality and 2020 Information Note
The year 2020 is a pivotal year for advancing gender equality worldwide, as the global community takes stock of progress made for women's rights since the adoption of the Beijing Platform for Action. This information note explores UN Women's upcoming actions throughout 2020 including its multigenerational campaign: “Generation Equality: Realizing Women’s Rights for an Equal Future”, Generation Equality Forums and Action Coalitions.
Trough GTG (Gender Thematic Group), UN Women Moldova CO a) lead the joint UN effort in supporting the government to implement the existing normative commitments (implementation of CEDAW CO, UPR, Beijing +25 national report); b) strengthen joint advocacy for improved normative framework and ratification of the Istanbul Convention on VAW as per CEDAW Committee Recommendations and of ILO Convention no. 190 on Violence and sexual harassment at the workplace; d) use corporate tools such as SWAP Gender Scorecard recommendations and CCA updates to strengthen GEWE as well as UN Women Moldova is co-chairing the PSEA (Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse) Task Force.
In 2020, UN Women Kosovo collaborated with UNFPA and UNDP to conduct two Rapid Socio-Economic Impact Assessments (SEIAs) of the impact of the pandemic on health, financial and emotional well-being of people, including the impact on women. Findings showed that 59% of the respondents felt that domestic violence had increased since the begin of the pandemic and that gender progress may be stalling. The Security and Gender Group chaired by UN Women Kosovo allowed quick mobilization of UN family and International Community to respond to COVID's differentiated as impact on women and this was well recognized by international community in Kosovo Several joint statements and activities including more than 100 activities during 16 days were coordinated and organized aiming to call on government to adopt measures to address the economics effect of the COVID19 pandemic on women and girls and on ending violence against women. Efforts continued also in 2021, through regular meetings of the SGG and GTG.In Tajikistan, UN Women chairs GTG and coordinates work of UNCT, partners (government, national and international) in implementation of the UNiTE campaign since its launch. UN Women oversights implementation of UN TF projects and serves as the technical advisor to the PSEA interagency team. UN Women is a member of REACT Humanitarian Response team and internal UNCT Humanitarian Team. UN Women is the technical coherence lead at the Spotlight Programme Tajikistan. In Albania UN Women CO:
1- Conducted a Gender Responsive mapping of the linkages between social inclusion and vulnerabilities at local level, in the framework of the Global SDG Fund-supported UNJP on Improving Municipal Social Protection, implemented jointly with UNDP, UNICEF, and WHO. This sets the foundation for identifying and piloting social services for vulnerable women in existing municipalities through existing social care plants and in coordination with the Social Fund administered by the MoHSP.
2- Within the framework of Leave No One Behind UNJP with UNDP, UNICEF, and UNFPA, gender responsive budgeting processes were strengthened at the local level, prioritising interventions that combat violence against women and girls, in conjunction with the EVAW JP. As a result, main municipalities in Albania are increasing their capacities in: (i) applying gender responsive budgeting (GRB) within Medium Term Budget Programme (MTBP 2021-2023) ensuring that needs of vulnerable women and girls, including survivors of violence are incorporated in policies and related budgets associated with municipal social care services; and (ii) developing socio-economic schemes/plans for reintegration of women survivors of violence.
3- Led and coordinated with other UN agencies in Albania towards a successful 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence Campaign, which saw engagement and direct contribution of the private sector towards women survivors, as well as increased visibility through awareness raising efforts.
4- On International Day of the Girl (11 October) UN Women partnered with UNFPA and UNICEF under the global theme "My voice, our equal future" and invited everyone to write a short inspirational letter to a GIRL under 18 years old. 13 letters were received, and later snapshots of main message and quotes were shared through infographics on social media. An activity around the initiative was organized in 'Mersin Duqi' high school in Ibe village. Students shared the letters they had prepared and discussed gender equality and girl's rights.
5- Advocated for a standalone gender outcome in the new UNSDCF. UN Women's leadership on the United Nations Country Team (UNCT) System-Wide Action Plan (SWAP) Gender Equality Scorecard conducted in 2019 and the Country Gender Equality Brief supported solid gender analysis in the new Common Country Analysis (CCA) and resulted in positioning a stand-alone gender equality outcome level result in the development of the new UNSDCF. UN Women ensured knowledge sharing among Gender Theme Results Group (GTRG) members about best approaches to strengthen gender mainstreaming in the programming cycle and actively engaged in UNCT discussions on strategic priorities and comparative advantages.
In response to the UN Secretary General’s Campaign for ending violence against women, UNDP country offices organized a series of awareness raising events, such as webinars and discussions, as well as publishing Op-Eds.
UNDP with other UN agencies actively participated in the global campaign for the ’16 Days of Activism against violence against women and girls’ 2020. A video and thematic sheets were produced to raise awareness against violence against women and girls. The thematic sheets covered the impact of COVID-19 on violence, childhood, migration, refugees, health, rural women and access to employment.
Under the lead of UN Women and in partnership with other UN agencies, UNDP participated in the celebration of International Women's Day 2021. A number of inspiring women were interviewed to share their journeys and success stories while raising awareness on a number of issues, including gender-based violence.
Under the UN/EU Spotlight initiatives, UNDP in partnership with local governments and communities have strengthened national programmes and increased policy coordination and multi-stakeholder cooperation to address violence against women and girls.
With the support and advice from Senior/Women’s Protection Advisers, personnel in peacekeeping operations facilitate victims/survivors’ access to protection and support services notably through information-sharing about services, referrals and special assistance projects. For instance, as part of an engagement process with armed groups who had abducted hundreds of women and girls in 2018 in Western Equatoria, UNMISS worked with a local faith-based organization to ensure access to medical care, trauma-healing support and livelihood trainings for 80 women and girls in order to support their recovery and transition into civilian life. Building on this initiative, UNMISS/OHCHR supported an additional 40 former abductees in accessing livelihood opportunities, leadership programs and psycho-social support tailored to their needs. Dialogues were also held with their families, communities and local authorities on stigma prevention and prevention and response to sexual violence. UNMISS adopted a survivor-centered approach throughout these efforts by ensuring respect to survivors’ views and decisions and working to enhance availability of assistance services as well as effective rehabilitation programs to empower survivors to start gaining greater control over their lives. MINUSMA partnered with a local women’s rights organization to implement a project in Bamako and Mopti that helped to prevent risks of gender-based and sexual violence related to the pandemic through sensitization sessions and provided dozens of survivors with access to a safe shelter and care services.
UN Women initiated the implementation of the United Nations Protocol on the Provision of Assistance to Victims of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse through its regional and country prevention of SEA focal points, while ensuring maximum coordination with UN Country Teams efforts in country locations.
In Brazil UN Women provided technical assistance to government institutions to set up VAWP monitoring and case referral mechanisms. With UN-Women’s technical support, the national call center for women in a situation of violence (Ligue 180) managed by the National Secretary of Policies for Women of the Ministry of Women (Secretaria Nacional de Políticas para as Mulheres - SNPM) added a dedicated channel to receive reports on VAWP and assist with a referral mechanism to the Public Electoral Ministry (Ministério Público Eleitoral – MPE). UN-Women ensured country wide dissemination of this new resource for women candidates, through the national campaign on VAWP.
In Central African Republic (CAR), UN-Women, UNDP and MINUSCA supported women's organizations through the African Women Leadership Network (AWLN) CAR Chapter, to set up situation rooms to promote a more inclusive and peaceful election. Through this mechanism, 210 monitors were trained and deployed in all 16 prefectures in the country to conduct violence prevention initiatives and collect data. In addition, UN Women, in partnership with UN Police and the Ministry of Internal Security, UN-Women established a “hotline 1325” which served as an early warning and early response mechanism used primarily by women candidates. This initiative was well received by key national stakeholders including CSOs, government partners and donors who highlighted its significant contribution to preventing and reporting VAWE.
Ending Child Marriage and Rescue and Second Chance Education for Girls in Malawi, Zambia, Mozambique, Uganda, Zimbabwe and Tanzania: UN Women through engagement of traditional leaders, CSOs and government departments advocated for ending child marriage, FGM and other harmful practices. Thousands of potential efforts for child marriage were prevented and many marriages that took place were annulled in these countries. For example, in Malawi 41% of the 2871 girls engaged under child marriage interventions in Salima, Dedza and Karonga are now able to claim their right to make vital decisions about their sexual health and well-being, re-enroll into primary and secondary education and reignite prospects of living a life without increased risk of violence, abuse, child marriages, ill health or early death. This was achieved through interventions in school clubs, awareness campaigns, capacity building sessions on GBV/SRHR and business management/entrepreneurship skills. This follows an extensive HeForShe campaign implemented by the Malawi Country Office in collaborations with UNFPA, Ministry of Gender, District Councils, Traditional leaders and HeForShe champions. A total of 4249 early child marriages have been annulled and 2871 number of girls re-enrolled into primary and secondary schools between 2017-2019.
In Mozambique, Rapariga Biz is a joint program, implemented in Nampula and Zambezia provinces by UNFPA, UN Women, UNICEF and UNESCO. It aims to improve the sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) of 1,085,447 girls and young women in Mozambique who live in the provinces of Nampula or Zambezia. These provinces are amongst the ones in the country with highest poverty levels in Mozambique, where women and young girls are burdened with a high level of discrimination and are at high risk of child marriage, early pregnancy, maternal mortality, obstetric fistula, violence and HIV. After training, the girls individually or organized in groups benefited from support (startup kits, tips on their business, etc.) to start their business. Silvia Daniel (22)[2], Albertina Martinho (20), Argentina Arnaldo (21), Telma Mauricio (18) and Neusa Joaquim (18) are some of the beneficiaries which who besides different trainings, that benefitted, they were also selected for poultry farming.
In Uganda, The establishment of Nakapiripiriti Satellite Legal Aid Clinic in Karamoja by ULS, supported by UN Women brought happiness to number of widows in accessing legal aid and protection services.
The value of intersectionality in understanding violence against women and girls
This policy brief explores the concept of intersectionality as a tool to analyze and understand the intersection of gender with other inequalities/oppressions (e.g., sexuality, gender identity, ethnicity, indigeneity, immigration status, disability) in the context of violence against women and girls (VAWG). The report examines the impact of intersecting oppressions on the ability of survivors of VAWG to access services and obtain justice, as well as the importance of ‘by and for’ organizations in addressing the needs of marginalized women who face violence.
Mapping of Sexual Violence Services in the Western Balkans and Turkey
The Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence - also known as the Istanbul Convention - calls for adequate and accessible specialized support services for victims of sexual violence. However, in the Western Balkans and Turkey, despite the ratification of the Istanbul Convention, these standards have yet to be met. Services for victims of sexual violence are often missing, and where they do exist, they tend to be poorly implemented due to a lack of government funding and support. This mapping report identifies the existing services in the region, examines their implementation, and highlights the gaps in service provision. This publication was produced under the framework of the EU-UN Women regional programme on ending violence against women in the Western Balkans and Turkey, "Implementing Norms, Changing Minds," funded by the European Union.
Regional Service Directory for Women Migrant Workers Subject to Violence in the ASEAN region
The service directory enables referrals of women, especially women migrant workers who are survivors of violence, by sharing information on available violence against women (VAW) specialized service providers across the region. The list includes the leading organizations providing support to survivors of violence against women migrant workers in Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Viet Nam. Services featured in the directory include the health, police/justice, social, labour sectors and hotlines and shelters, and they are a core set of critical essential services responding to the needs of women migrant workers subject to violence in the ASEAN region.
Training Package for Prosecutors working on cases of VAW
Building on the Trial of Rape study and UN Women's broader work to strengthen Essential Services for survivors of VAW in the Asia Pacific region, UN Women together with Global Rights for Women developed a training manual for persecutors working on cases of VAWG. The purpose of this Training Package is to build the capacity of prosecutors on providing quality and holistic responses to survivors of violence, and to better understand survivor’s perspectives and address their needs. The goal is that gender-transformative, trauma informed and survivor-centered approaches are utilized in prosecution and that gender biases are addressed, to ensure that the legal system supports survivors of violence against women in a respectful and empowering way.
Handbook on Gender-Responsive Police Services
In April 2021, the UN Women Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific organized a webinar with countries across the region to introduce this handbook.
In Albania:
- 204 counselling sessions were organized by psychologists and 112 women and girls have been supported through counselling sessions in 6 municipalities of the Region of Elbasan (Gramsh, Peqin, Prrenjas, Belsh, Cerrik, Librazhd). (UN Women)
- 43 legal counselling sessions were organized in the Region of Elbasan (Gramsh, Peqin, Prrenjas, Belsh, Cerrik, Librazhd), with a total of 7 women represented in court, 7 women were issued IPOs and 8 women supported to report to the police. -315 women and girls and 57 men and boys benefited from Empowerment through Self-Defense training from trainers certified previously from ToTs organized by Aikido Albania.
- 71 women and 173 children in the municipalities of Tirana, Elbasan and Vlora are already provided with services based on their needs and as per the tailored plan of reintegration including psychological counselling, legal assistance, medical assistance, basic needs such support with food and hygienic packages, counselling and support for employment, financial support for housing rent, support for economic empowerment.
As a continuation of UN Women Bosnia and Herzegovina’s work on building and standardizing the multisectoral approach to service provision, 13 local protocols on cooperation between service providers (police, justice, social protection, health care, CSOs) have been revised/developed in line with the Istanbul Convention. A total of 11 multisectoral teams have been strengthened/established and 3 cantonal coordination bodies for combating domestic violence. UN Women supported the Safe network (network of shelters) to raise capacities of local service providers in 7 regions for safety risk assessment and survivor-centred informing of rights and duties.
In Canton Tuzla, Bosnia, and Herzegovina, with support from UN Women, police officers have improved their behaviour when it comes to response to cases of domestic violence. In comparison with the rate of proposed protection measures from 2018/2019 - 20%, thanks to the UN Women-supported behaviour impact intervention the rate of proposed measures has increased to 60% in the first three months of 2021. Using the so-called COMBI (Communications for Behavioural Impact) methodology, introduced by UN Women, a targeted campaign coordinated with the Ministry of Interior, included 1600 police officers from 13 municipalities in Tuzla Canton. It was aimed at increasing the rate of proposed protection measures in cases of domestic violence (restraining order, eviction of perpetrator from home, mandatory psychosocial treatment etc.). The campaign was designed to overcome the identified individual, institutional, and procedural behavioural barriers when it comes to responding to DV.
In North Macedonia, UN Women supported CSO Health Education and Research Association (HERA) to strengthen the capacities on the provision of counselling and psycho-social support of 18 providers (CSOs and Centres for Social Work) of general and specialist services to victims of VAW and DV in compliance with CEDAW and the Istanbul Convention. In addition, three local multi-sectorial groups for survivors of violence were established in Strumica, Stip and Veles to ensure regular collaboration and quality of services provided to the survivors of violence.
A series of recommendations on ensuring a uniform application of the international and national standards in the field of gender-based violence have been developed because of the mobilization for coordinated action of 91 (29 women and 62 men) police officers, prosecutors, judges, lawyers, and legal aid providers from Donetsk oblast. This round of workshops was organized by UN Women Ukraine jointly with the Ministry of Internal Affairs and National Police of Ukraine to strengthen the capacity of justice sector actors to implement effectively the gender-based violence legislation and apply a survivor-centred approach.
In Moldova, UN Women CO works with 24 partner communities from Cahul and Ungheni to support capacity building of multidisciplinary teams to respond effectively to cases of violence against women and children; develop and implement gender-responsive budgeting and establish specialist services for women survivors of gender-based violence (including for survivors of sexual violence) in Cahul and Ungheni.
36 professionals (22 females and 14 males) of local public authorities, health sector, forensic service, social protection, justice, and police sectors co-designed a prospective approach/model towards the development of a specialized service for the victims of sexual violence, in line with international standards and local realities from Cahul and Ungheni district.
To boost the capacities of local civil society, nine CSOs from Cahul and Ungheni were selected and currently undertake a six-month institutional capacity-building exercise in the framework of a Small Grants scheme. At least eight committed local CSOs will be involved as of November 2021 in intensive training, mentorship, and guidance for developing and implementing activities promoting zero tolerance to violence at the regional level.11 CSO’s active in preventing and combating violence against women benefited from exchange of experiences on survivor-oriented approach to provision of services through the support of network of survivors of violence, in close cooperation with a partner CSOs from Romania. The latter builds on the ground-breaking work supported by UN Women on women survivors – positive champions in Moldova and aims at establishing such network in the country.
Four women survivors of violence supported by UN Women CO as positive champions and change makers, continue to hold peer-to-peer sessions for women survivors/potential victims of violence, informing on women’s rights and available support services.
Joint statements issued by the UN-Women Kosovo led multi-stakeholder Security and Gender Group, calling upon central and local institutions to allocate funding to domestic violence shelters In the 2020 budget, resulted in the Parliamentary Committee on Budget and Finance recommending an increase of funding to Kosovo’s shelters, which will allow for more sustainable year-round funding of shelters. Three additional joint statements were issued in 2021 condemning femicide and sexual harassment against women and girls.
139 service providers including staff from seven Kosovo shelters for protection of domestic violence survivors and local coordination mechanisms against DV were trained on strategies on recognizing trauma and handling of cases and have also participated in a three days’ workshop in April, organized under the auspices of Shelter “Liria” in the framework of the EVAW Programme. The workshop aim was to discuss networking efforts as well as engage in a strategic planning workshop to identify needs, activities and future steps in order to enhance their effective delivery of services to victims of domestic violence as well as draft an action plan for shelter networking. The proposed strategy and action plan is a five year proposed plan that has been drafted in close consultations with the participants with validated results proposed after the workshop with all relevant actors engaged.
State actors and civil society organizations in Kazakhstan have enhanced capacity to deliver quality services in prevention and response to VAW through developed SOPs for provision of services for GBV survivors with integration of measures to address the special needs of persons with disabilities (PwD) subjected to violence. The special needs of PwD were integrated into the existing SOPs as well as in the clinical protocol on “Gender based Violence” approved by the Ministry of Health of Kazakhstan with support from UNFPA as well as on an OSCE-developed Guide for police inspectors endorsed by the Ministry of internal Affairs also in 2020.
As mentioned above, in Tajikistan:
UN Women built new partnership experience with the Red Crescent Society of Tajikistan, mobilizing technical skills and experience with communities of NGOs with a solid presence in 6 target districts and supplied 168,000 information materials on Impact of COVID19 on Women and Girls. How to sustain family Resilience During the Pandemic; Available VAWG Services and Localized SGBV Referral Pathway along with sanitary and hygiene items for staff SLI project and HIV projects; built women leadership skills to combat stigma and discrimination and improving women’s legal literacy. Awareness-raising activities on HIV related rights and laws for women living with HIV conducted through media community mobilization, education, and peer outreach.
3400 women and girls who faced violence and abuse, benefitted from localized national SGBV case management referral mechanism in six rural pilot districts (Isfara, B. Gafurov, Vose, Rudaki, Hissar and Yavan) and the capital Dushanbe.
The practical scheme with the brief extracts from the related laws, pathways of interaction between the engaged members of the case management mechanisms, contact information on the related state bodies, departments, services and CSOs, that were functioning on prevention of violence against women and girls (by mandate/ and/or having run their own shelter/ women’s center). The developed brochures, booklets and visual materials were made in a user-friendly language and style, with a lot of coloured infographics, and were disseminated broadly among communities by 120 volunteers. Noteworthy, the RCS emphasized project’s further sustainability will be supported by further capacity building of active volunteers in EVAWG realm through a digital tutorial and integration of GBV/VAWG response component in the USAID Tuberculosis project implemented by RCS.
State facilitated localization of VAW case management referral mechanism: NGO-run victim support centres, state health, law enforcement, human rights, social services, other key stakeholders in the 6 target districts and Dushanbe formed a new integrated support scheme, where COVID-19 response facilities became an integral part. UN Women experts made the design of the latter referral system, localized it in each pilot district, conducted on-job training to service providers.
UNDP has implemented various actions to improve access to justice for women who suffered violence especially during the COVID-19 lockdowns.
The Tunisian office supported coordination between the designated emergency “hotline” and specialized police units responding to alerts of domestic violence and provided the specialized units with adequate protection gear and training.
The pilot initiative "Rukni", started by UNDP Jordan, provided digital phone booth for GBV survivors and women at risk to ensure them to have a better understanding of how to reach hotline services, COVID-19 applications and e-services.
UNDP Maldives supported civil society organizations to provide pro bono legal aid services to DV/GBV survivors. In Bangladesh, UNDP facilitated the process to create linkage between the victim/survivors and National Human Rights Commission to ensure better protection, support and services. unit of NHRC.
In Moldova, with the support of the Republic of Korea, UNDP responded positively to the Executive Committee of ATU Gagauzia and provided help to set-up a service for the survivors of domestic violence in the region. Based on the cooperation with the Executive Committee of Gagauzia, the first regional Center for survivors of domestic violence was created and is functional as of November 2020.