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UNHCR continues its commitments to proactively contribute to numerous inter-agency coordination fora and initiatives, such as the Call to Action on Protection from Gender Based Violence in Emergencies and the Gender-based Violence Area of Responsibility (GBVAoR). Likewise, UNHCR is engaged in the UN Action against Sexual Violence in Conflict and the GBV Accountability Framework, to promote system-wide accountability to SGBV.
UNHCR is also an active member in the IASC Guidelines reference group; different AOR sub-working groups; the Energy in Emergencies Advisory Group and the GBVIMS Steering Committee and sub-working groups, among others.
UNHCR actively and systematically participates in the inter-agency standing committee (IASC) gender reference group (GRG).
UNHCR is involved and co-chairs working groups that align policies and meet minimum standards including the UN SEA Working Group, the High-Level Steering Group and IASC RG2. It has maintained close cooperation with the Office of the Special Coordinator on SEA and the UN Victim’s Rights Advocate. In the last quarter of 2019, UNHCR hosted an investigators conference as the Interim Chair of the CEB Task Force on SH and representing the HC in the current IASC Champion on Protection from SEA and SH.
Examples of advocacy-focused workshops in 2019 include:
• Design Thinking Lab on Violence at Work, held 14-15 February 2019 for ILO staff and academics, at the Turin-based ILO International Training Centre (ITC)
• ILO joined the 16 days against violence against women campaign 2019 by undertaking an awareness-raising social media campaign
Fact sheets and other policy briefs on relevant issues in 2019 include those published on:
• Sexual harassment and Gender Gaps at Work
• HIV-Related Violence and Harassment in the World of Work
• Domestic Violence and its Impact on the World of Work
• Violence and Harassment Against Persons with Disabilities in the World of Work
The ILO also developed different audiovisual items to promote Convention No. 190 as well as to raise awareness on the topic of violence against women.
ESCWA, in partnership with Westminster Foundation for Democracy and the Coalition for Arab women Parliamentarians organized a regional workshop to support National Women Machineries and National Statistical Offices and women parliamentarian in the Arab region in their efforts to address violence against women. Discussion topics included methods of costing violence against women and the differences between them. This workshop also created a platform for participants to discuss the approach to cost VAW, and which dimension a country should focus on, which relates to several factors including availability of data.
ESCWA, also organized an advanced training workshop to present a training manual on estimating the cost of violence in partnership with Westminster Foundation for Democracy and UNFPA. The guidelines are intended for government officials, programme managers and researchers seeking to estimate the cost of Domestic Violence in the Arab region.
ESCWA drafted brief to better inform policy in member States on “Technology as a Tool to make Cities Safe and Combat Violence against Women”. This brief reviewed successful experiences in adopting laws to criminalize sexual violence and harassment of women in public spaces and discussed how some countries are utilizing technology, particularly Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) to innovatively raise awareness and advocate for safe public spaces, report unsafe public spaces and track safety. The policy brief concludes with recommendations to Governments and relevant stakeholders in the Arab region on ways to use technology to address violence against women in public spaces and make cities safe for all.
ESCWA in partnership with Women against Violence Europe (WAVE), UNFPA and Abaad Resource Center for Gender Equality, examined shelter services in the Arab region. The publication: “Shelters for Women Survivors of Violence: Availability and Accessibility in the Arab Region” is based on a detailed questionnaire that was sent to providers of shelter services in the region and presents an analysis of the presence of shelters in the region, their number and geographic distribution as well as the services offered with them. The study concludes with a set of recommendations to ensure that shelter services are accessible and available for women survivors of violence. These included: 1) encouraging countries to expand the network of shelter services, 2) remove legal obstacles hindering women’s access to these services; 3) build the capacity of workers providing the services and 4) adhering to international standards in provision of shelters.
ESCWA also examined the provision of protection orders in the Arab region through a study “Beyond Boundaries: Utilizing Protection Orders to Cultivate a Holistic Response to Domestic Violence in the Arab Region” is based on a desk review on the availability of protection orders in existing legislation and an analysis on how whether these are in line with international standards such as the work of the Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women is Causes and Consequences, the General Recommendations of CEDAW and the Beijing Declaration and Platform of Action. The study concludes with summarizing the importance of a holistic, comprehensive and coordinated response to violence against women where states must facilitate access to civil and criminal protection orders for women survivors of violence.
To further the production of knowledge and policy recommendations for decision-makers, ESCWA published a policy brief on “The Due Diligence Standard, Violence against Women and Protection Orders in the Arab Region” that discusses protection orders as a part of the international framework on due diligence. It builds on the work of the Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women is Causes and Consequences that elaborate on the role of the state to prevent, protect, prosecute, punish and provide reparation in relation to domestic violence.
In 2019, DPPA continued to promote women’s participation in political and electoral processes including preventing electoral violence against women through electoral policy, programming and advocacy. In 2019, DPPA’s Electoral Assistance Division trained over 90 participants (around half of them women) from 30 Member States on election observation, gender and elections, media and elections, and prevention of electoral violence.
In collaboration with UN Women, the ILO published the Handbook “Addressing violence and harassment against women in the world of work” on March 2019. This manual, launched on the occasion of the annual session of the UN Committee on the Status of Women, provides a glimpse into emerging good practices to address violence and harassment against women in the world of work, by governments, employers and workers and their organizations, and civil society.
During 2019, the ILO has been involved in the Spotlight Projects in Argentina, Zimbabwe and Timor Leste, as well as in the Safe and Fair Project in the ASEAN Region, therefore joining efforts with UN entities and other actors to end violence against women.
In the framework of the WeEmpower Project, the ILO is elaborating illustrative good practices for businesses and policy makers including covering the topic of violence and harassment (V&H) against women and a guidance note for business on this theme.
In June 2019, Under-Secretary-General DiCarlo issued a new Women, Peace and Security policy to strengthen DPPA’s implementation on WPS issues. One of the five priorities for DPPA’s implementation of the WPS Agenda is preventing and addressing conflict-related sexual violence as a priority for peace. In 2019 DPPA also introduced a new gender marker methodology for 2020 projects to ensure that all XB-funded projects contribute to advancing DPPA’s WPS Policy and ensure a more consistent reporting across Divisions. For 2020, a 15% benchmark for WPS was set and surpassed for all of DPPA’s extra budgetary funding.
ESCWA organizes annually an Arab Forum for Sustainable Development (AFSD) which bring together policy makers and regional stakeholders to discuss the various themes on the SDG agenda. The outcomes of the AFSD are then shared with the High-Level Political Forum. In April 2019, ESCWA in partnership with other United Nations agencies organized two sessions, which addressed among other issues violence against women. In addition, ESCWA partnered with National Women Machineries and other United nations agencies in organizing side events during the 63rd session of the Commission on the Status of Women in 2019. This included a side event with Jordan and Tunisia on “Adopting the SDGs to the Local Context” including Goal 5 and its targets on combating violence against women, a side event with the United Nations Population (UNFPA) on the “Guidelines to Estimate the Economic Cost of Domestic Violence in the Arab Region”, a side event with UN Women, the League of Arab States, the National Commission for Lebanese Women (NCLW), the Jordanian National Commission for Women (JNCW) on “Women, Peace and Security National Action Plans on the Arab Region: Lebanon and Jordan”, and a side event with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), UN Women and UNFPA on “Gender Justice and the Law: Implications of Inequality before the Law for Social Protection and Women’s Empowerment.
On 21 June 2019 in Geneva, the International Labour Conference adopted the Violence and Harassment in the World of Work Convention (No. 190) and its accompanying Recommendation (No. 206), which are the first-ever international standards on this topic. The Conference also adopted the ILO Centenary Declaration for the Future or Work, expressing a clear commitment to a world of work that is free from violence and harassment.
The study on “Prospects for Ending Child Marriage in Africa: Implications on Legislation, Policy, Culture & Interventions” undertook mapping of the legislative frameworks in 10 countries in Africa, which is also guiding the countries in strengthening the EVAW and Child Marriage legislations. Another important area the ESARO is supporting is the framing of bye-laws to harmonize the national laws with the customary laws in line with the international conventions. At least in 5 countries such initiatives are ongoing, these include, Malawi, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Liberia.
A study on “Mapping of Discrimination Faced by Women with Disabilities in ESAR” also highlighted the various forms of discrimination and violence faced by women with disabilities and will help advocacy with member states on enactment of legislation and policy in the 6 study countries of Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, South Africa, Tanzania and Zimbabwe.
Report: Regional Forum Promoting the Implementation of the Istanbul Convention in the Western Balkans and Turkey
This report presents a summary of the discussions held during the first Regional Forum on Promoting the Implementation of the Istanbul Convention in the Western Balkans and Turkey. Convened by the Government of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, UN Women, the European Union, and the Council of Europe (CoE), in partnership with European Women’s Lobby, the regional forum reviewed progress in fulfillment of the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence, known as the Istanbul Convention. The forum took place within the framework of the EU-UN Women regional programme “Implementing Norms, Changing Minds". The report is available here.
Report: Second Reginal Forum Promoting the Implementation of the Istanbul Convention in the Western Balkans and Turkey
The report presents a summary of discussions and conclusions from the Second Regional Forum Promoting the Implementation of the Istanbul Convention in the Western Balkans and Turkey. Convened by the Government of Albania, UN Women, the European Union, and the Council of Europe, the Second Regional Forum reviewed progress in ending violence against women and girls and implementing the Istanbul Convention in the region. The forum took place on 9-10 October 2019 under the framework of the EU-UN Women regional programme “Implementing Norms, Changing Minds.” The report is available here.
Throughout 2019, UNHCR has drafted and consulted on the upcoming UNHCR Policy on the Prevention, Risk Mitigation, and Response to Sexual and Gender-Based Violence, which will be launched in 2020. The Policy institutionalizes UNHCR’s work on SGBV and consolidates the progress made by UNHCR and partners to prevent, mitigate and respond to SGBV. The Policy aims at pursuing that the risk of SGBV is reduced for all persons of concern and at all survivors to access quality services in a timely and equitable manner.