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Women with mental disabilities held in Serbia’s institutions often suffer multiple forms of violence. A recent study by Mental Disability Rights Initiative-Serbia (MDRI-S) uncovered multiple forms of violence, including forced medical treatment such as the administration of contraceptives without informed consent, and forced abortions and sterilization.
The UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women is supporting a project run by MDRI-S, a not-for-profit organization that advocates for the rights of women with mental disabilities, with a small grant. MDRI-S is the first organization in Serbia bringing the lives and narratives of women with mental disabilities living in custodial institutions to the attention of the public. MDRI-S advocates for the deinstitutionalization of people with mental disabilities and for the model of living in residential assisted living centers, while at the same time it invests in improving conditions of women still living in custodial institutions by sensitizing service providers to women’s needs.
MDRI-S has brought together numerous policy makers from government, parliament and independent bodies such as the Ombudsman and Commissioner for Equality, to present the findings of their research and recommendations for change. MDRI-S has so far trained 60 service providers on how to address violence against women with mental disabilities in custodial institutions. By involving policy makers and service providers, MDRI-S is ensuring that those working directly with women with mental disabilities are sensitized to have the information needed to prevent abuse from occurring, and encourages policy makers to become advocates and actors for deinstitutionalization.
The ILO has embarked on a process towards the possible adoption of international labour standards on violence and harassment in the world of work. This is pursued through the International Labour Conference Standard Setting Committee on violence and harassment in the world of work, which is scheduled to meet on June 2018 and June 2019.
OCHA systematically advocates for the inclusion of gender and GBV in intergovernmental policy processes and in the normative frameworks for humanitarian action constituted by the humanitarian resolutions of the General Assembly and ECOSOC.
OCHA refers to and disseminates key guidelines of the IASC, such as the IASC GBV Guidelines. OCHA also participates in coordination mechanisms such as the GBV Area of Responsibility, and in global policy processes such as the global Call to Action on Protection from GBV in Emergencies and the Real Time Accountability Partnership.
OCHA formulates a time-bound Gender Policy Instruction every four years to strengthen the response to humanitarian crisis pivoted on a gender analysis and a framework that takes cognizance of the different needs, priorities, capacities, and voices of women and men of all ages and backgrounds. To guide gender equality programming, a Policy Instruction (2016-2020) was endorsed in June 2016, and OCHA has continued its implementation throughout 2017/18. This policy instruction constitutes a significant shift from a gender sensitive approach to a gender responsive approach that leverages the areas where OCHA has a comparative advantage and is pivoted on three key pillars: Accountability, Leadership and Investments in gender equality programming.
In 2017, UNDP launched the “Ending Gender-based Violence (GBV) and Achieving the SDGs” global project. This project aims to take violence prevention to scale by bringing new partners, strategies and sources of financing to the table. Over three years, it will: design, test and evaluate initiatives that will reduce GBV in select pilot sites; and develop new knowledge, skills and tools to reduce GBV in other contexts. Pilots will integrate GBV into broader UNDP sectoral programming (such as environment and livelihoods) and/or will focus around the principle of leaving no one behind.
All pilots will be implemented at the local level, but their lessons will be global. The project will translate evidence from the pilots into policy and advocacy tools, along with instruments such as new financing modalities.
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In Algeria, UN Women was the only UN agency invited to participate in a 2 days inter-ministerial workshop in February 2018, to design a new strategy on preventing and eliminating violence against women and girls. During the workshop attended by members from the National Commission on violence against women, UNW's technical contribution was vital to provide a framework for effective action and gather inputs from all the relevant sectors (Justice, Police, Health, Education, Social and Religious affairs etc.). The workshop resulted in the elaboration of a National Plan of Action currently awaiting final validation from the Ministry of National Solidarity, Family and Women's condition (MSNFCF). Building on the workshop's result, UN Women and the MSNFCF will join forces to elaborate in a collaborative manner, Algeria's 2019-2022 strategy on promoting, protecting and empowering women and girls in Algeria. The strategy's first pillar will be entirely dedicated to eliminating violence against women and girls in Algeria.
In early 2018, UN Women Algeria played a strong coordinating role within the UN System in Algeria, by being the driving force behind the re-establishment of the Gender Themed Group (GTG). UNW currently shares the GTG presidency with UNFPA. An annual plan of action has been adopted by GTG members, with several actions implemented during Q1. Most notably, UNW partenered with UNICEF to host a documentary screening on the violence and discriminations faced by women in public spaces. The documentary entitled "HNA BARRA" was presented on the occasion of the IWD, and attended by the documentary director, Bahia Bencheikh El Fegoun.Palestine CO
As part of UN Women Palestine office efforts to institutionalize the work of the Specialized Public Prosecutors on VAW, UN Women provided technical support to the Public Prosecution to devleop responsive SoPs on investigating and litigating VAW, inluding the referral of cases to other service providers. The SOPs were revised and discussed with CSOs and Government partners and have been finalized and approved by the Attorney General. The SoPs aim at enhancing protection for women survivors and accountability for perpetrators of crimes against them. UN Women Palestine office initiated the creation of a joint platform for the Family and Juvenille Protection Unit (FJPU) at the police and at the Specialised Public Prosecution on VAW to discuss challenging issues and enhance cooperation between the two institutions when addressing VAW cases. Four successful monthly dialogue meetings were held during the reporting period and addressed highly contested issues by both institutions. UNW is following up closely with both instituions to facilitate the implementation of the dialogue meetings recommendations.
Jordan was part of the second group of Member States presenting its Voluntary National Review (VNR) to the High Level Political Forum in July 2017. In preparation of Jordan’s VNR, and within the framework of the coordinated action of the dedicated inter-agency focused group, UN Women provided technical support to the Jordanian National Commission for Women (JNCW) and the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation (MOPIC) in order to mainstream gender in the process. A dedicated policy paper has been prepared by JNCW outlining contextual trends on GEWE (including issues related to GBV) to be considered as well as presenting needs, opportunities and gaps in terms of legislative reforms and policy development. As a result of UN Women advocacy efforts, three additional action points in the Government-led road map for the SDGs were added, namely strengthening gender mainstreaming in the 2030 Agenda landing process, finalize the SDGs mapping in terms of national indicators (especially Goal 5), and enhance institutions’ capacity development. The VNR also included references to the needed amendements to Jordan's Penal Code provisions related to distriminatory provisions against women and girls.
UN Women organized two consultations on Gender Justice under the patronages of the Department for Women Empowerment and the High Council for Women Affairs in Baghdad and Erbil and in partnership with UNDP and UNFPA. The objective of the consultations was to discuss the law and its implementation to enhance gender justice and more equality between men and women. The consultations took place in Baghdad in November 2017 and December 2017 in Erbil, both attended by high level Governmental stakeholders, Non-Governmental stakeholders, legal aid providers and women activists.
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UN Women Egypt supported the National Council for Women to develop the National Strategy for Women’s Empowerment (NSWE). The NSWE complements Egypt’s Sustainable Development Strategy and is aligned with the goals and targets of the SDGs. It is based on an analysis of existing data regarding gender equality and informed by extensive consultations with diverse groups to understand the critical gaps and inequities that will be addressed under each of its pillars. The main pillars of the strategy focus on: (a) women’s leadership and political participation, (b) economic empowerment, (c) social empowerment, and (d) protection. Violence against Women and Girls is addressed in a comprehensive manner under the social empowerment pillar with indicators, baselines, and targets for the year 2020 and 2030. The NSWE was endorsed by the President of Egypt.
SUSTAINABLE AND INCLUSIVE URBAN PROSPERITY IN THE STATE OF ALAGOAS – UN-Habitat partnership with the government of Alagoas, Brazil, in which UN-Habitat is going to conduct a local safety diagnosis and public spaces use, with a special focus on women, and elaborate an urban safety and crime prevention strategy, giving a special focus on violence against women and on how to promote a culture of peace.
UNLIREC contributed to an inter-agency programme funded by the Human Security Trust Fund in Peru on strengthening human security and community resilience by fostering peaceful coexistence. Under this programme, UNLIREC contributed to a course on gender in public policy, where the Regional Centre sensitized 76 participants on why and how to include a gender focus in policies on arms control, and prevention and reduction of armed violence.
UNLIREC also contributed to a project by UN Volunteers in Peru, Colombia, Honduras and Trinidad and Tobago called “Youth Volunteerism for Peacebuilding and Disarmament: Youth Measuring Community Security through Participatory Indicators”, in which youth volunteers developed community-based indicators measuring human security and progress towards the SDGs. Several of the indicators relate to violence against women and girls.
In March 2018, UNHCR recently released its Age, Gender, and Diversity (AGD) policy which aims to ensure that all persons of concern can enjoy their rights on an equal footing and participate meaningfully in the decisions that affect their lives, families, and communities. The policy outlines 10 core actions that UNHCR will take to apply an Age, Gender and Diversity approach in its work, including reaffirming UNHCR’s five Commitments to Refugee Women: They are 1) ensuring women and girls participate equally and meaningfully in all decision-making, community management and leadership structures, and committees of persons of concern, 2) are provided with individual registration and documentation, 3) have equal access to and control over management and provision of food, core-relief items, and cash-based interventions, 4) have equal access to economic opportunities, including decent work and quality education and health services and 5) have access to comprehensive SGBV prevention and response services.
These serve as concrete measures not only to UNHCR but also other humanitarian actors, to help accelerate progress on Sustainable Development Goals 4 and 5.
To address institutionalized violence faced by adolescent mothers in the education sector who face discrimination on the basis of early and unintended pregnancy, UNESCO supported several countries in Eastern and Southern Africa (South Africa, Malawi, Lesotho, Uganda, Tanzania, Swaziland) at various stages in the review and development of national policies on prevention and management of learner pregnancy and reintegration of school aged mothers. Support included the conduct of assessments and data review, through drafting of policy content and via national stakeholder consultations. Further support for Early and Unintended Pregnancy policy advocacy and implementation based on existing sector policies was provided in Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Support for China’s elaboration of its Family Violence law (adopted in 2016)
Gender-Sensitive Indicators for Media (GSIM): UNESCO helps Member States to adopt, review or strengthen legal frameworks on media from a gender equality perspective, to ensure inter alia prohibition of incitement to hatred and any form of gender-based stereotypes and violence within the media. Equally important is that media regulators and public service media carry out yearly assessments of the implementation of gender equality policy in media, and that media regulators effectively use accountability mechanisms in cases of violation of gender equality in media. UNESCO may also help Member States adapt GSIM to become national indicators, and regularly monitor and evaluate gender equality at national level, based on those indicators. For instance, 25 national broadcasters across Francophone Africa now have gender plans as do 2 national media regulators.
OHCHR is currently engaged in the development of the UN policy on conflict-related sexual violence for peace operations.
In Ukraine, OHCHR jointly with UN Women led the drafting and finalisation of the UN Country Team Submission to the CEDAW Committee. It also participated in the consultations organised CSOs shadow reports to the CEDAW Committee. The Office thereby participated in the confidential briefing of the CEDAW committee, which led to the insertion of some of their recommendations in the Committee concluding observations – followed by the dissemination of the recommendations.
In 2017, OHCHR supported the elaboration by the CEDAW of General recommendation No. 35 on gender-based violence against women, updating general recommendation No. 19, including through the active participation of the Special Rapporteur on violence against women. Support was also provided for the development of global compact for safe, orderly and regular migration envisaged in the New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants (A/71/1) of the General Assembly. Including during the Fifth Informal Thematic Session on “Smuggling of migrants, trafficking in persons and contemporary forms of slavery, held on 5 September 2017 in Vienna. Besides this, the SRVAW campaigned for the inclusion of the human rights aspects of possible victims of trafficking, especially women and children from among migrants and refugees, via high-level bilateral discussions.