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UN-Women included two new risk labels in its standardized online risk register that relate to SEA and SH respectively. They have been implemented since Q3 2019. As part of its guidance on the completion of annual risk assessments, since Q4 2019, a questionnaire in the form of a template has been included that is intended to encourage risk focal points/risk owners and relevant staff to consider what risks may apply to their particular office/risk entity. This questionnaire includes the two risk labels related to SEA and SH.
UN-Women designed a multi-phased awareness raising campaign for the updated policy on Prevention of Harassment, Sexual Harassment, Discrimination, and Abuse of Authority, with personnel rights and obligations at its center, to be implemented throughout the end of 2021.
In Bolivia, ahead of the 2020 elections UN-Women and UNDP provided institutional capacity strengthening to the Center for Attention and Monitoring of Cases of Harassment and Political Violence of the Supreme Electoral Tribunal and the Departmental Electoral Courts and enabled the production and dissemination of relevant information materials targeting women candidates and observers to report identified cases of violence and harassment both offline and online.
In Brazil, ahead of the 2020 local elections, UN-Women played a convening role for multi-stakeholder dialogue spaces on VAWP and supported the design and implementation of a national awareness campaign #ViolênciaNão – Pelos Direitos Políticos das Mulheres which included audio-visual materials, virtual dialogues (example of collaboration with the parliamentary Secretariat for Women: here )and active social media outreach (e.g., Instagram filters and WhatsApp stickers The campaigned enabled national awareness raising on VAWP, with a specific focus on intersectional forms of discrimination faced by Afro descendant, indigenous and young women, women with disabilities, and women from LGBTIQ groups. Representatives of the National Secretary of Policies for Women of the Ministry of Women (Secretaria Nacional de Políticas para as Mulheres - SNPM), Family and Human Rights, and the Ambassadors of the European Union and Sweden, joined UN-Women during the launch of the campaign.
In Cote d’Ivoire, UN-Women supported capacity building of Women Peace Mediators Network and their active role in early warning, conflict prevention, and mediation at community level. Within the early warning platform set up by UNDP, UN-Women and UNESCO over 500 peace mediators were trained and actively participated as early warning monitors in 14 regions. UN-Women equipped 200 of them with smartphones to enable timely information sharing.
UN Women East & Southern Africa Regional Office intensified the advocacy and awareness on the need for intense action against child marriage and other harmful practices across Africa as a result of the first East and Southern Africa regional multi-stakeholder knowledge seminars held in Kenya. During the seminars, the findings and recommendations from studies undertaken by ESARO thematic teams were presented. Studies covered:
- Technology Assisted Violence Against Women;
- Administrative Data for Monitoring and Reporting on SDGs;
- Ending Child Marriage in Africa” was held in Kenya.
Seminar participants called for intensified review of country policies on child marriage and ending violence against women and girls and made commitments for action through their organizations as well as lobbying other stakeholders in localizing the recommendations of the studies.
During the year 70 student leaders from 30 universities in Kenya committed to taking responsibility in remedying and ending tech-assisted violence against women and girls. UN Women developed a research paper and facilitated a knowledge seminar on protection of girls from tech violence with participation of 70 student leaders from 30 Universities across Kenya. The seminar highlighted several manifestations of tech-assisted violence against women and girls including revenge porn, cyber enticement, solicitation, online grooming, cyber harassment, cyber bulling and exposure to harmful online content. The seminar culminated into the signing of a pledge by all with the student leaders from Maseno, Kenyatta, Jomo Kenyatta and Moi Universities initiating diverse related interventions including a HeforShe club to address the issues of technological violence against women and girls. Technology-Assisted Violence Against Women and Girls is emerging as a global problem with serious implications for societies and economies around the world. Reports indicate that an incredible 73 per cent of women have been exposed to some form of violence online[1]. While technology is helping the women specifically youth in a number of ways, it is also becoming a challenge with increased incidents of hate speech (publishing a blasphemous libel), hacking (intercepting private communications), identity theft, online stalking (criminal harassment) and uttering threats.
A number of countries in ESAR such as Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Uganda, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Burundi have strengthened the multi-sectoral response and referral pathway in GBV cases by working closely with the law enforcement, health and social services actors.
Advocacy and Awareness on Ending Child Marriage and FGM in Africa : UN Women East & Southern Africa Regional Office in partnership with the country offices, UNFPA, UNICEF, African Union, CSOs established partnerships with the Traditional and Cultural Leaders in the Region in accelerated advocacy and initiatives on ending child marriage, FGM and Harmful practices. To this end, UN Women adopted an innovative approach in engaging traditional and cultural leaders on ending harmful practices to bring a transformational change in the lives of women and girls. UN Women facilitated sub-regional and regional consultations of Traditional and Cultural Leaders, in Nairobi-Kenya, Blantyre-Malawi, Lagos-Nigeria and Cairo-Egypt wherein high level commitments and resolutions were adopted by the Traditional Leaders calling for immediate end to Child Marriage and FGM. UN Women through leadership of H.E. President of Zambia and the African Union, facilitated a Platform for the Traditional Leaders from Africa Region to convene in the sidelines of the AU Summit and launch of the Council of Traditional Leaders (COTLA) on 11 February 2019 in Addis Ababa. The Traditional Leaders made the Addis Ababa Declaration calling for immediate end to Child Marriage and FGM and their commitment to work towards this goal through establishing regional, national and district level councils of traditional leaders. UN Women will continue the work with traditional leaders for a lasting impact in 2020 and beyond.
UN Women HQ partnered with the Physicians for Human Rights in organizing a regional workshop on “Child Witnesses in SGBV Cases”, which was attended by around 24 experts from 8 countries mostly from the conflict and humanitarian context countries in Africa. ESARO represented UNW HQ in making a presentation on its work in EVAW focusing on harmful practices and protection of child witnesses. The training helped in sharing global practices including use of technology to assist child witnesses in SGBV cases, which have been adopted by some of the participant countries.
In Rwanda, UN Women, IOM, UNHCR, and UNICEF, supported the Government with capacity building and awareness raising activities, and facilitated the establishment of a Technical Committee which brought together representatives from relevant government institutions, increasing coordination and information sharing. Through UN agencies, a baseline study/research on trafficking in Rwanda has been conducted, several tools developed, including the legal framework guide for practitioners. The new law in combination with the increased capacity, awareness and coordination, has increased the attitude and the response towards trafficking in persons. It is envisioned to result in more identified cases, more prosecuted perpetrators and better support to victims.
In Somalia, UN Women worked closely with the Ministry of Women and Human Rights Development and other UN Agencies towards enactment of Human Rights Commission Law and National Disability Act. Both the laws aims at prevention of discrimination and promote gender equality as an instrument to achieve human rights. UN Women in close collaboration with UNFPA, UNDP and UNSOM is actively engaged in passage of the Sexual Offence Bill and FGM Bill. The Sexual Offence Bill has already been approved by the cabinet of ministers and awaits endorsement at the parliament. The FGM bill is in the final stages of drafting and soon will be presented to the cabinet of ministers. The Sexual Offences Bill (SOB) seeks to serve the purpose of combating sexual violence and consolidating laws of sexual offences, providing for punishment of perpetrators of sexual offenses, providing for procedural and evidential requirements during trial of sexual offenses and other related matters
In South Africa, UN Women worked closely with the women’s machinery, law enforcement and CSOs in organizing Trainings on essential services package and also a Pilot of Rapid Results Initiative to accelerate GBV services delivery in EC. UN Women SAMCO successfully implemented a joint programme on GBV in collaboration with other UN agencies buoyed by its role as chair of the Gender Theme Group. This contributed to significantly enhancing coordination of GBV Prevention and Response efforts in South Africa by all stakeholders. As a result there is improved integrated UN system, government and national multi-stakeholder capacity for responding to GBV in South Africa. UN Women SAMCO played a pivotal role in ensuring that there is better coordination of UN agencies work on gender-based violence. Through SAMCO's role as chair of the Gender Theme Group UN agencies managed to deliver as one in providing technical and financial support to the country through the Interim Steering Committee on GBV and Femicide that is chaired by the Presidency. There is better division of labor and sharing of information to avoid duplication but also ensure that gaps are minimized in terms of providing support to the government. A National Coordination Mechanism (National GBV Council) supported by draft legislation to mandate the establishment of this National Gender Based Violence Council are currently under consideration by the Cabinet to institutionalize the coordination mechanism of government, civil society, development partners, business sector, youth and other role players.
In Tanzania, UN Women supported the preparation of the strategic plan and implementation of the women’s land rights campaign, called Stand for Her Land, as well as high-level government participation in its November 21, 2019 launch event. This campaign is advocating for the removal of some provisions in the Customary Law Declaration Order of 1963 and the Land Policy of 1995 that continue to uphold property-right discrimination against women, despite the existence of progressive land laws in Tanzania. (The Local Customary Law (Declaration Order) of 1963 discriminates against women on property ownership, especially inheritance of land. Widows have no right of inheritance, nor rights of residence in the matrimonial home after death of their husbands. Sections in the Probate and Administration of Estates Act, Section 92(1) deny widows the right to inherit from their deceased husband’s estate and give daughters unequal share of the estate compared to sons).
In Uganda, Working with UN Women, Communication for Development Uganda (CDFU) started implementation of dialogue meetings to sensitize the communities against harmful practices and communications for behavioural change. Now that CDFU has a platform, they plan to continue sensitizing and testifying against Female Genital Mutilation because the dangers are known, and we should not keep quiet about them leading young girls into pain and suffering. CDFU condemns the practice of FGM and declare that we do not want young women to undergo this process that almost claimed Margaret’s life. CDFU is engaging media to educate and raise awareness around the ills of the practice of FGM. In collaboration with UN Women, CDFU also works has radio listening and action platforms (LAPS), whereby the organization buys radios for the community with pre-recorded messaging educating on these ills. Along with other UN Women partners who work in this area (such as Justice Centers and CEDOVIP), CDFU continue to sensitize against this harmful practice and amplify the voices of survivors.
In Kenya, Prevention of sexual harassment (SH) in the institutions of higher learning was strengthened through the partnership with Action Aid, University Student leaders, and Vunja Calabash and enhanced the demand for University leadership to address sexual harassment as a priority. An online campaign, petition and visibility in social media brought all actors together to advocate for SH prevention signed up by 11,000 students, which positioned some 5 key issues that the university leadership should address. Male engagement as a strategy for SGBV prevention led to partnership with boda boda and matatu welfare leaders where an agreed code of conduct was adopted, and the members consented to comply and abide by the bylaws. Community outreaches by men and cultural leaders has led to renouncement of harmful practices such as FGM and GBV through community declarations.
Advancing the Istanbul Convention implementation: The role of women's NGOs and networks in the Western Balkans and Turkey
This report provides an overview of the current situation regarding the implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (also known as the Istanbul Convention) in the Western Balkans and Turkey. It examines the impact of networking on advocacy efforts to promote the implementation of the Istanbul Convention, including the role of organizations that represent minority or disadvantaged groups of women. The report provides examples of good practice in advocacy and a summary of lessons learnt and benefits and challenges of networking partnerships. 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 Prevention Strategy
UN Women ROAP developed a Regional Strategy on VAW Prevention. The strategy outlines 12 priorities for prevention across the Asia-Pacific region. It is designed to support partners across government and civil society to design and implement evidence based VAW prevention programming, and to develop strategies for VAW prevention that suit each context.
#ThereIsHelpCampaign
UN Women collaborated with Twitter for the #ThereIsHelp Campaign during COVID to provide life-saving information to survivors of domestic violence. The campaign provided contact numbers for national helplines and shelters, and was launched in eight countries in the region, in local languages: India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand and Viet Nam.
Lives on the frontline: Reaching women migrant workers amid the COVID-19 pandemic
The series, composed of 16 stories of frontline service providers who are supporting women migrant workers, especially those who have experienced violence, aimed to increase awareness about ensuring the availability of quality services for women migrant workers during the pandemic. Each of frontline worker shared their on-the-ground experience of supporting women migrant workers, covering both countries of destination and origin.
Media-friendly glossary on migration Women migrant workers and ending violence against women (EVAW) edition
This glossary serves as a guide for journalists, researchers, trainers and other stakeholders who conduct trainings or write about women’s labor migration, and who write about violence against women in the context of migration. Language used in different communication materials and trainings puts forward specific positions and impressions, including at times perpetuating stereotypes.
In Albania:
-Through a series of online and offline workshops, 310 young people (86 boys, 228 girls) university and high school students, especially from rural areas, are better equipped to identify and combat harmful social norms, gender stereotypes and different forms of violence, especially in the digital world, to engage them as local actors of change in their local communities to identify and reject harmful norms that justify violence of any form against women and girls.
-A nationwide SMS campaign to encourage reporting of VAWG reached approximately 48,000 people and a further 3,500 were reached through distribution of awareness raising materials.
-13 journalists from visual and printed media participated in a one-day training organized by the three partners, with the aim to bring more attention to violence against women from marginalized communities (Roma women, women with disabilities and women from LGBT community). At the end of the training, participants prepared four articles which were published in different media outlets.
-The Bright Sky application - a new online supporting information programme for women survivors of DV and GBV - developed by Vodafone Albania in collaboration with MoHSP, Ministry Interior and UN Women support under the UNJP on EVAW was launched on 25 June 2021. The application was widely shared in social media through an awareness raising video with the contribution of survivors of violence and key representatives of these institutions.
-UN Women under the UNJP launched three videos with information on key service providers (the police, LCDV and women’s rights organizations) in addressing and managing cases of domestic violence reaching out more than 32,000 people on social media.
-Tirana municipality, with the support of UN Women has been broadcasting messages to raise awareness on violence against women and encourage reporting in the big screens at the Scanderbeg square in TiranaFunZone, during the European 2021 football matches.
-25 door to door meetings were organized with Roma women to share information on reporting violence against women and girls reaching around 200 women and girls.
-354 community members (247 women and girls, 107 men and boys) were informed on the services available for survivors of domestic violence and the mechanisms to report it.
-150 private companies, public institutions, media outlets, civil society organizations, sports associations, youth groups, universities, etc., ‘oranged ’ their virtual spaces during the 16 Days of Activism against Gender Based Violence
-In TOTAL #botaportokalli #BreziBarazise#16dite, UN Women Albania & violenceagainst women were mentioned 730times (1,2 million impressions)64 thousand impressions on Twitter
-Video ‘A second life’ reached 38 thousand views on UN Women Facebook & was broadcasted for twoweeks, prime time on Albanian Public TV.
- During the 16 Days of 2020 ANABEL media conducted a social media campaign that garnered a TOTAL of over 2,7 million social media interactions (Facebook, Instagram).The campaign included:
- Two surveys, two Q&A about VAW and the campaign, stories & other posts where more than 151,950 people participated
- “Love doesn’t hurt” miniseries on relationship abuse & first signs of VAW garnered 117,717 views (Instagram, YouTube, Facebook)
- Instagram Live event about EVAW in Albania, UN Women in the country and how to prevent and report violence, reaching out 19,3 thousand people.
UN Women Bosnia and Herzegovina has supported various initiatives on changing attitudes towards VAW in local communities and in formal and informal educational settings. More than 1000 young people participated in the advanced trainings on GE and VAW in high schools and in the campaigns conducted as part of the “Be a Man club” activities across BIH. Six local communities across BiH are strengthened to apply a comprehensive approach to prevention of VAWG. More than 100 people and 67 religious leaders have improved knowledge and changed attitudes related to gender equality and VAWG because of local prevention initiatives.
Under UN Women Bosnia and Herzegovina leadership, an innovative global methodology for addressing sexual harassment in public space (Safe Cities, Safe public Spaces) was used to start the first ever programme targeting this specific issue in BiH. Banja Luka is the first city in BiH dedicated to work in partnership with UN Women on making public cities free from SH. Through MoU with the City administration, 28 representatives of entity and city institutions and local CSOs and media worked to develop a 5-year strategy on combating SH in public spaces, the implementation of which is currently ongoing with support from UN Women.
UN Women in North Macedonia supported CSO Macedonian Young Lawyers Association (MYLA) to sensitize and empower 240 students and 18 teachers from six high schools across North Macedonia to work as advocates against harmful gender stereotyping, gender-based violence and gender-based peer violence. One publicly accessible online platform was created where the students post and share all their work (E-Learning MYLA). In addition, UN Women supported CSOs Healthy Options Project Skopje (HOPS) and MYLA to strengthen capacities and increase knowledge for gender-sensitive reporting of VAW of 68 journalists and other media professionals working across North Macedonia. From the trained media professionals, 28 were supported to research and write VAW related stories. As a result, seven TV shows were produced, and 21 written stories published in diverse types of media (online platforms, online magazines, radio).
Contributing to changing the paradigm from perceiving victims/survivors of domestic violence as passive recipients of social protection to legally empowering them to act as active individuals seeking for justice and demanding the realization of their rights, UN Women Ukraine increased the awareness of 6,558 women from Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts on the rights of victims/survivors of gender-based violence, legal procedures, existing protection mechanisms and available services via online and offline trainings, information sharing through 33 safe virtual spaces (Facebook groups) and dissemination of tailored brochures on the rights of victims/survivors of gender-based violence.
To challenge the existing perceptions and believes around women’s and men’s, girls and boys roles in the family and the society UN Women Ukraine engaged 1,490 (1,023 women and 504 men) in open dialogues about the impact of the existing social construct on masculinity and femininity, the prevailing biased social norms and gender stereotypes as root causes of gender-based discrimination and violence, supporting them to act as agents of change and develop a different narrative, based on mutual respect and sharing of duties and responsibilities.
730 (476 women and 254 men) from 13 communities in the conflict-affected Eastern Ukraine tackled the existing gender inequalities in their communities and discussed the ways to promote gender equality and respectful relationships and prevent VAWG; 541 (513 women and 28 men) teachers and students raised their awareness on gender-based violence and promotion of respectful relationships during the interactive dialogues with teachers aimed at understanding the root causes of violence against women and girls, identification of VAWG at the workplace, prevention of gender-based violence in schools and promotion of gender equality and non-violent relations between students and teachers.
In Ukraine, as part of the 2020 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence Campaign: 4 Ukrainian Instagram bloggers engaged 199,573 followers in a dialogue on gender equality and the need to debunk gender-based stereotypes, promoting gender equality and respectful relationships among the young generation; 561 (313 young girls and 248 boys) young people from conflict-affected communities raised their awareness on the nature and forms of gender-based violence, dismantled existing gender stereotypes and learned about measures to protect oneself from gender-based violence during the “online marathon”; “New Scars” national campaign featuring five stories of domestic violence survivors reached 1.9 million individuals, while the “Did she provoke?” campaign aimed at dismantling gender stereotypes triggering GBV reached more than 1 million viewers.
In Moldova, as part of 16 Days Campaign, a set of tools and materials, over 250 sets of information cards, about Istanbul Convention were elaborated and distributed through social media and to participants of the events in the frames of “16 Days Against Gender-Based Violence” campaign (2020), including officials from Government and Parliament. In the same context 4 live thematic sessions with psychologists from the partner NGO have been conducted on UN Women Facebook page, to raise awareness about violence against women, domestic violence, healthy relationships, father’s role in ending violence against women and girls etc.The sessions had the reach of 66.920 persons, out of which 1234 have interacted with the speakers, 458 viewed and 430 reacted with comments, shared, etc.
A social media campaign to mark the 10-year anniversary of the Istanbul Convention (2021) was organised and consisted of:
As well, UN Women Moldova continues, under EVA project funded by the EU, to organize numerous activities to raise awareness to prevent and end violence against women and girls at the national and regional levels, such as the production of video materials, public events: to raise awareness among the general population of Cahul and Ungheni districts about family violence phenomenon and to supply helpful information in cases of family violence (2 videos' reportages from Cahul and Ungheni about social workers and other members of the multidisciplinary teams and their role in assisting survivors of domestic violence during the COVID pandemic); to increase public trust in the local authorities ready to offer support and assistance in case of domestic violence (video message from the mayor's from 12 communities); awareness on the need of a community-coordinated response to cases of sexual violence (video material for social media); 527 locals from Cahul and Ungheni, of which 185 girls and 86 boys, 231 women, and 25 men, raised their awareness on gender-based violence, available services for survivors, were educated about the culture of gender equality and empowerment of women in local decision-making processes, gender role stereotypes and positive gender norms within 14 public discussion and debates supported by the responsible partners (2021).&37 new communities were supported by UN Women CO to implement community-based preventive initiatives (mentoring programmes, round tables discussions, flash mobs, awareness raising events etc.) to promote positive social norms, respectful relationship, and gender equality.
In Kosovo, UN Women coordinated around 90 awareness raising events held mostly online due to COVID-19 restrictions.
UN Women Kosovo jointly with the EU Office in Kosovo/EU Special Representative, Tomáš Szunyog, UN Kosovo Team, UN Development Coordinator, UNDP Resident Representative, Maria Suokko and IOM Chief of Mission, called for robust and decisive action in response to this unprecedented crisis during the launch of the global “16 days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence” campaign in Gjakova Municipality.
The lightning of iconic buildings around the world in orange is a key part of the “16 Days of Activism” Campaign. The color orange symbolizes a bright future without violence against women and girls. On November 25th, throughout Kosovo, many buildings and cultural heritage monuments were lit up in orange, including the Assembly Building, Ministry of Justice, Cathedral in Pristina, European Union Office Building, the Bill Clinton Street and more.
UN Women Kosovo, in cooperation with the Embassy of Sweden, launched the global “He For She at Home” campaign. The campaign featured men, including well known figures, showing how they are being #HeForSheAtHome and balancing the burden of unpaid care work, which has only increased as a result of the pandemic. The campaign included photos from the Ambassador of Canada to Croatia and Kosovo, an epidemiologist, well known figures from TV media, Sports, Medicine, the UN Family and others.
In Tajikistan,
- UN Women invited the country's young bloggers to cooperate. Because blogging is now gaining a lot of popularity in the country and videos of bloggers are getting about 500,000 views. In addition to this video, a challenge was also launched online in support of the 16 Days Against Violence campaign #orangetheworldtj on Instagram. Popular Tajik instabloggers @foz1lov (72,000 followers) and @sabrina_nazri_official (625,000 followers) shot a one-minute video against domestic violence and with this launched the #orangetheworldtj challenge on Instagram as part of the 16 Days of Activism campaign. The video is aimed at fighting gender stereotypes and violence against women. In their posts and descriptions under the video, the bloggers urged young people to participate by making their own videos on issues related to gender-based violence, sharing how they understand and fight against gender inequality. The video had been viewed 250000 with 2000 comments made.
- 241 058 people reached by non-stigma, violence and discrimination messages towards women living with HIV through a social campaign designed with the support of 12 women living with HIV. According to the monitoring report from the official campaign website, accounts on Instagram and Facebook, the campaign created a great interest from general population. Messages of the campaign urge peoples to act with kindness, not stigma and discrimination, respect people living with HIV, and emphasize the importance of respecting the right to live life free from stigma and discrimination for all.
- 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 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.
- The COVID-19 response video was also produced by UN Women in cooperation with and spread among partners and Gender Thematic Group for further dissemination. The video on the social media page of the Gender Thematic Group (Facebook) had been viewed more than 18,000. This video promoted non-violent relationships in the family, reflected the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the lives of migrant workers and its impact on women from vulnerable groups in Tajikistan.
- People with HIV were also central in planning the activities. 241 058 people reached by non-stigma, violence 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.
UNDP implemented various activities for raising awareness and advocacy to prevent VAWG at both national and local level throughout the year. Through massive events, sessions and campaigns held in cooperation with national authorities and civil societies around the world, thousands of participants were provided with information on types of violence, prevention measures, as well as current laws and state programmes to prevent domestic violence.
UNDP Libya Co-organized a webinar on the topic of Violence Against Women in Elections aimed at bringing together the Libyan High National Election Commission (HNEC), civil society organizations and other stakeholders around a discussion on violence against women in elections and efforts to enhance women’s electoral participation. The webinar was an opportunity to raise awareness and interest in the efforts of election stakeholders to protect women’s electoral participation and discuss avenues for effective cooperation and collaboration between government and non-government entities towards accelerating progress for violence against women in elections.
UNDP India organised dialogues with civil society organisations to better understand ground reality from the context of different population groups. Along similar lines, the office advocated for the inclusion of Redress to GBV as an essential service.
UNFPA works largely in implementing prevention programmes that transform gender and social norms, as the root causes of gender-based violence. UNFPA, jointly with UNICEF, led the development of the social norms manual. UNFPA works on comprehensive sexuality education as a GBV prevention strategy in more than 95 countries. In December 2020, under the Spotlight Programme in the Pacific - comprising 11 island states - UNFPA launched the 2020 International Technical and Programmatic Guidance on Out-of-School Comprehensive Sexuality Education, which has created a momentum across the region at the highest possible levels of political and faith-based leadership. In June 2021, UNFPA and the Joint Learning Initiative on Faith and Local Communities organized a webinar with almost 300 attendees, on GBV prevention through CSE and the importance of engaging religious leaders and faith-based organizations.
UNFPA prevention efforts take an inclusive approach by engaging with men and boys and promoting positive masculinities that challenge gender inequality in 107 countries. Similarly, UNFPA implements gender-transformative programmes in 114 regional and country offices across all regions.
UNFPA GBV prevention efforts are guided by the RESPECT framework, co-produced with WHO and UN Women in 2019.
UNFPA, in partnership with other UN agencies and organisations, supports more than 20 countries to implement programmes aimed at eliminating and ending harmful practices.
The Ending Female Genital Mutilation Programme applies a gender-transformative approach to eliminate FGM, through which since 2008 30,182 communities, representing 42.4 million people, have publicly declared the abandonment of the practice, while 35.9 million people have participated in education, sensitization, and social mobilization sessions; and 69.6 million listeners have been reached through radio and TV programmes that promote the elimination of FGM.
The Global Programme to End Child Marriage since 2016 has empowered 7.2 million adolescent girls; provided education support to 500,000 adolescent girls; reached 4.2 million individuals through community dialogue and 31 million through media campaigns; assisted 24,000 facilities to implement adolescent girl-friendly health and protection services; and, enabled 22,000 schools to strengthen adolescent girl-friendly education.
UNFPA is also widely engaged in advocacy efforts and awareness-raising through online and offline activities. UNFPA is partnering with the Center for Women’s Global Leadership to advance the 16 Days Campaign, with a renewed focus on shifting from 16 days of activism to 365 days of accountability. And in advancing the GBV Disruptor initiative and the social media campaign - #IAmAGBVDisruptor.
Following the Generation Equality Forum in 2021, where UNFPA led the Action Coalition on Bodily Autonomy and Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights, a number of commitments were made to advance bodily autonomy, eliminate harmful practices and end GBV, including to empower women and girls in all of their diversity to make autonomous decisions about their bodies, sexuality and reproduction; and to end child marriage and female genital mutilation by scaling up what works. UNFPA also participates in the Gender-based violence action coalition and it’s committed to strengthen availability of and capacity to use data for ending GBV; to strengthen multi-stakeholder services to support victims and survivors of gender-based violence; and to strengthen prevention of gender-based violence.
UNHCR's GBV Policy institutionalizes the commitment to strengthening its advocacy and effective partnership with governments, diversifying partnerships with women refugee-led organizations, supporting localization, contributing to the establishment of GVB inter-agency coordination and combatting unequal gender norms that normalize and legitimize violence against women and girls.
Prevention programming and awareness-raising initiatives are implemented by UNHCR's operations with the aim of addressing all aspects of prevention, including through transforming systems and harmful social norms. Models such as SASA!, EMAP (Engaging Men through Accountable Practice) and ZTVA (Zero Tolerance Village Alliance) have been rolled-out in numerous field operations.
UNHCR has global partnerships with Raising Voices and International Rescue Committee with a focus to increase the capacity of staff working on prevention programming.
UNHCR will partner with Voice Amplified to undertake a project focused on mentoring WLOs on assessment design and data collection to conduct their own analysis of the refugee women and girl priorities and perspectives. This will be coupled with a mentoring initiative to increase WLOs access to funding through donor relations and resource mobilization opportunities. Participants will be included in a global knowledge hub to allow for networking and to further sustain their advocacy and funding opportunities beyond the project lifespan.
UNODC supported countries in awareness-raising and advocacy for ending violence against women, including:
UNODC established the GLO.ACT Women's Network of Regional Champions against Trafficking in Persons and Migrant Smuggling, composed of female and male gender champions from Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq and Pakistan.
UNODC supported ICAT events to promote CEDAW General Recommendation 38 and advocate for survivor-centered approaches to address human trafficking and the non-punishment of trafficking victims.
During the course of the Strategic Plan 2016-2020, the UN Trust Fund invested USD47 million in projects that solely or partly focused on preventing violence against women and girls.
To disseminate the expertise and knowledge of civil society and women's rights organizations, the UN Trust Fund worked with grantee organizations and researchers to create a series of briefings on preventing violence against women. The organizations' practice-based insights are invaluable to planning, designing and funding interventions aimed at ending violence against women and girls.
The main objectives of the knowledge products are to:
The findings identified 10 key pathways to prevent violence against women and girls. Each theme will be explored in conversations with 10 grantees, resulting in a detailed report per theme published on a rolling basis in starting July 2021 and 2022.
DPPA tracks and annually reports to the Security Council on its implementation of the WPS agenda and separately tracks implementation of conflict-related sexual violence commitments by DPPA field missions. For 2020, DPPA will be updating our 15 WPS Commitments in October in time for the 20th Anniversary of UNSCR 1325. DPPA also monitors progress and reports on an annual basis on WPS expected accomplishments and targets contained in the Results Framework. In 2019, DPPA also conducted a Lessons Learned Study on DPPA Liaison Presences, which integrates gender, youth and human rights considerations.
ESCWA finalized a study on the role of ICTs in achieving Goal 5. This includes the role of ICTs in addressing targets 5.2 and 5.3 focused on combating Violence against Women. The study includes a stock taking of existing initiatives in the region and good practices that are suitable for adaptation from the international to the regional context.
ESCWA, in partnership with UNFPA, UNICEF, UN Women, and the National University of Ireland, Galway, developed a model to cost the economic impact of child marriage in the Arab region. The model was further dev
ESCWA in partnership with the Irish mission in NY and the Ministry of Women’s Affairs in Palestine implemented the household survey which includes questions specifically aimed at collecting data pertaining to costing VAW in Palestine. Currently, data is being analyzed and the launch of the related study is planned to take place in 2020.
ESCWA, in partnership with the League of Arab States and UN Women, organized a regional workshop which brought together representatives of National Women Machineries, National Statistics Offices and National Human Rights Institutes in the Arab countries as key stakeholders to assist them in the process of the adaptation, implementation, and follow-up and review of SDG 5 at the national level. This workshop facilitated a dialogue on a consolidated vision to accelerate the achievement of SDG 5 using a human rights and evidence-based approach. It showcased the importance of using ICTs as a means to promote women’s rights including the right of a life free of violence and achieve SDG 5 and to support the means of implementation of other SDGs and related targets.
ESCWA participated in the 13th Inter-Agency and Expert Group on Gender Statistics (IAEG-GS) in the Arab Countries. The meeting brought together gender statisticians and experts from the international, regional and national institutions that are IAEG-GS members. The meeting took stock and provided feedback, from a gender perspective, on the methodological work being undertaken by UNSD and the Expert Group on Innovative and Effective Ways to Collect Time-Use Statistics, in line with international standards. It also discussed and reviewed the on-going work of the IAEG-GS Advisory Group on Strengthening Administrative Systems to Close Gender Data Gaps. Also, it reviewed on-going national, regional and global initiatives to improve evidence for gender-relevant policies, including the development and implementation of international methods and standards and discussed progress towards gender equality at the national, regional and global levels, in particular in the context of Beijing+25.
ESCWA organized a training workshop aimed at improving technical capabilities in using gender statistics to monitor SDG gender indicators and in disseminating, communicating and using statistics and indicators. The workshop assisted researchers in their efforts to mainstream gender into their national statistical system, which will result in improved availability and use of gender statistics at the national, regional and international levels for better evidence-based gender policies.S5
UN-Women organized an Expert Group Meeting (EGM) on Data & Violence Against Women in Politics (VAWP) December 4-5, 2019 in New York. More than 40 experts attended the meeting, including academics, gender equality advocates, Members of Parliament (MPs), representatives of Electoral Management Bodies (EMBs), Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and International Organizations (IOs), as well as UN agencies. The EGM complemented ongoing efforts to address VAWP. It was a follow-up activity of the Violence against women in politics: Expert Group Meeting organized by UN Women, the Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights (OHCHR) and the UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences in collaboration with partners in March 2018. Although VAWP has captured global attention, comparative data on VAWP remains unavailable. Globally accepted indicators and data collection methods to measure the incidents or prevalence of VAWP do not yet exist. This EGM helped map existing knowledge tools, databases, and surveys as sources of data on VAWP. Academics and practitioners also exchanged on lessons learned, experiences and good practices in VAWP data collection.
UN-Women and UNDP co-published a programming guide, “Preventing violence against women in elections” in December 2017. The guide seeks to identify the specific components of violence against women in elections, including types, tactics, victims and perpetrators, and presents options for policy and programming responses based on current good practices. It also provides examples of definitions and methods from all regions that may prompt ideas for actions according to each country’s national context. This guide is intended for those best positioned to prevent and mitigate violence against women in elections, including national electoral stakeholders, international organizations such as UNDP, UN Women and other UN agencies, as well as those providing programming support on electoral assistance, women’s political participation, human rights monitoring and ending violence against women. It will also be a resource for members and especially leaders of political parties, electoral management bodies, civil society organizations, women’s groups and gender equality activists.
In 2019, the Guide was translated and made available in additional languages, including Georgian, Albanian -- the guide is available here.
UN Women ESARO in partnership with UNW HQ organized a training on “VAW Prevalence Data” was organized for UN Women, Government Ministries of Gender and Statistics, UNFPA and WHO participants in Mombasa, Kenya. A total of 38 participants attended from 11 countries in the region. Following the training at least 4 country offices initiated the “VAW Prevalence Data” program in Ethiopia, Rwanda, Uganda and Tanzania. Having focused data on VAW will help the policy makers and development partners in having targeted interventions in creating a safe VAW free environment for women and girls.
In Tanzania, UN Women played a key role in conducting the Social Institution and Gender Index (SIGI) Tanzania survey by providing technical support on sampling, budgeting, conducting the main survey and reporting writing. The survey will produce the gender data related to discriminatory laws through the collection of consistent, high quality data. One such study is a gender analysis of customary justice systems to ensure that evidence is generated for advocacy at national level to support advocacy calling for the review of customary laws. The findings of the survey will be available in 2020.
In Kenya, UN Women supported in the establishment of the county-based network of S/GBV survivors and through the launch of the S/GBV case data collection mobile application. KCO piloted the use of the mobile application to test its efficacy as a response to the challenges of S/GBV data collection at community level.
2018 Public Perceptions of Gender Equality and Violence Against Women in the Western Balkans and Turkey
The infosheets present the key findings of a baseline survey conducted in selected communities of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo (Under UNSCR 1244), North Macedonia, Serbia and Turkey. The infosheets provide insight of current and dominant attitudes and perceptions (and the factors that influence them) toward gender equality and violence against women at community level. The inforsheet is available here.
Sexual Harassment and other Forms of Gender based Violence in Urban Spaces in Albania
This study looks at the different dimensions of sexual harassment and other forms of gender based violence against Albanian women and girls in urban public spaces particularly in the cities of Shkodra and Korça. It focuses primarily on women and girls’ perceptions of safety and the impact this issue has on their lives, as well as the forms of violence they experience and what strategies they have at their disposal to cope with the violence. The report also contains general and specific recommendations for each of the municipalities involved in the study in order to improve the conditions and take the necessary measures and actions to turn the studied areas into safe areas for women, girls, boys and men. All findings presented in this report are a result of: 500 survey interviews in the two municipalities (Shkodra and Korça), two Focus Group Discussions with 16 participants and two Structured Observations. The study is available here.
Analysis of the Cost of Domestic Violence: Estimating the Cost of Multi-sectoral Response at the Local Level in Bosnia and Herzegovina
With the ratification of the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (Istanbul Convention), Bosnia and Herzegovina committed to establishing, developing or enhancing a wide range of general and specialist services for survivors of domestic violence. While the country has a satisfactory legislative framework, which prescribes the obligation to prevent and protect women from different forms of violence, survivors are still faced with various obstacles to accessing a number of services including health, social, and legal support.
With this analysis, UN Women seeks to support national efforts in informed planning and decision-making by providing an estimate of current allocations of existing services that are rendered in response to domestic violence at the local level. Furthermore, the analysis defines recommendations for enhanced financing of basic and specialized services and multi-sectoral approach in line with the requirements of the Istanbul Convention. The significance of the first such analysis in the country is the estimated value of survivors' direct and opportunity costs of domestic violence. The study employed qualitative and quantitative methods of analysis, and included data collected from questionnaires targeting relevant institutions and beneficiaries. The analysis is available here.
Review of the Multi-sector Approach to Domestic Violence at the Local Level in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Coordination is a central element of the response to domestic violence and violence against women and is crucial both to the victims or survivors and the institutions that respond. This report reviews the viability of applying this approach to the establishment and functioning of multi-sector referral mechanisms at the local level in Bosnia and Herzegovina as the central element of the multi-sector response. The review includes the analysis of the most relevant international and domestic legislation, guidelines and standards on applying a multi-sector response to domestic violence and violence against women in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Furthermore, in-depth information on the multi-sector referral mechanisms was collected in six selected locations through semi-structured interviews conducted with the relevant representatives of the multi-sector teams, gender mechanisms and non-governmental organizations. The gathered information highlighted the three main aspects of an effective and coordinated multi-sector response: 1) the capacities of the multi-sector referral mechanisms, 2) the quality of the service provided by the multi-sector referral mechanisms and 3) their sustainability beyond the duration of the projects through which they were established. The review is available here.
Data collection ‘by and for’ minoritized women
Collecting data and conducting research on all forms of violence against women and girls (VAWG) is critical in order to design relevant policies and measures needed to protect and support women and to eliminate VAWG. This policy brief examines the lack of data on violence against minoritized women and highlights the importance of utilizing an intersectional approach to data collection and engaging ‘by and for’ in the data collection process. The policy brief is available here.
Regional report on discrimination of Roma women in the area of healthcare, child marriages and support and protection in cases of domestic violence
The Regional Report examines the violence and discrimination faced by Roma women in the areas of health care, child marriage, and institutional protection and support in cases of domestic violence. Based on survey findings in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia.
The report reveals shocking levels of violence against Roma women, as well as the prevalence of discrimination that prevents Roma women from accessing services and institutional protection in cases of violence. These patterns of violence and discrimination are examined vis-à-vis states' obligations to comply with anti-discrimination and anti-violence frameworks, such as national legislation, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), and the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (the Istanbul Convention). This report was developed under the EU-UN Women regional programme 'Ending violence against women in the Western Balkans and Turkey: Implementing Norms, Changing Minds'. The report is available here.
The development and implementation of the ALIV(H)E Framework is one of the initiatives led by the UNAIDS Secretariat in collaboration with civil society organisations. The Framework provides step-by-step approaches to developing effective programmes, including monitoring and evaluation of violence against women and HIV in 2019. In Morocco UNAIDS supported the LEARN MENA project that aims to build the capacity of women living with HIV and to produce strategic information to gender-based violence and HIV programmes, including a country orientation workshop on the approach of the ALIV(H)E Framework; and conducted a Gender Assessment.
In Zimbabwe and Malawi 2019 UNAIDS has supported the launch of national situation rooms through the 2gether4SRHR programme. UNAIDS has been working closely to help select the specific indicators and connecting data in the country to their situation room. In countries with existing data collection systems, the situation rooms create mechanisms to collect data separated by age and sex and at the local level, to ensure good Internet connectivity and that have qualified local staff are best placed to establish their own situation rooms. At the Zimbabwe launch the first SGBV-related dashboard was presented and in Malawi there is an increased interest in collecting data related to SGBV-SRHR.