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OHCHR advised states on reforming laws and supported the formulation and implementation of laws to ensure compliance with international human rights standards. In 2015, OHCHR supported the elaboration and implementation of laws on sexual violence (in Afghanistan, Burundi, the Central African Republic, the Kurdistan region of Iraq, Nigeria), promoting victims’ and witnesses’ participation in peace processes and reconciliation (in Sudan, Darfur and the Central African Republic), and assisting victims of sexual violence (in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Guatemala, Sudan, Tunisia). In Moldova, OHCHR assisted in the development and implementation of a project seeking to revise the prosecutorial guidance for rape investigations to ensure they are free from harmful stereotypes and in line with international standards.Through joint United Nations programming, OHCHR supported the development of a draft regulation in Kosovo on the verification of status of victims of sexual violence that occurred during the conflict. Also, technical advice was provided in Guatemala on reparations for victims of sexual violence with a view to influence the new national reparation scheme.OHCHR further assisted States in developing or revising family laws and legislation on issues such as violence against women (in Belarus, the Gambia, Myanmar, Senegal, Tunisia and Yemen).

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In Vietnam, UNODC supported the revision of the penal code and penal procedure code, promoting the incorporation of relevant international standards and norms, especially concerning violence against women. Similarly, With UN Women, UNODC conducted a gap analysis of Viet Nam's Penal Code and Criminal Procedure Code providing research findings and key UN joint recommendations for strengthening effective responses to violence against women to the National Assembly.

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WHO conducts review and evidence-based advocacy with groups such as the Interparliamentary Union that works with parliamentarians on topics such as child, early and forced marriage and sexual reproductive health in order to get them more engaged in legislation related to this issue.  WHO conducted a review of legislation on child, early and forced marriage in the Asia-Pacific Region and also collaborated with the parliament of Bangladesh to develop legislation on child, early and forced marriage in 2015.

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In Mexico, UNODC supported mainstreaming national and international standards into local legislation regarding prevention, punishment and eradication of violence against women. The organization also provided 6 countries in West and Central Africa, North Africa and the Middle East and the Caucasus with legislative assistance to implement the Trafficking in Persons Protocol. Hide

In partnership with UN-WOMEN and the Norwegian Embassy in Beirut, the ESCWA Centre for Women (ECW) has jointly published a flagship publication entitled “Combating Domestic violence: Policies to Empower Women in the Arab Region”, in addition to a policy brief building on the main findings of this study. Hide

In 2013, twenty-one countries, with the support of UN Women, took the critical step in adopting laws, policies and plans that provide the authorizing environment for concrete action to be taken to prevent and respond to violence against women and girls. For example, in Bolivia, after 10 years of advocacy by the women’s movement and with the support of UN Women, the Comprehensive Law to Guarantee Women a Life Free of Violence was enacted, recognizing 16 forms of abuse, establishing new criminal offenses and making provision for comprehensive prevention and response measures. Hide

UNDP supported Governments to ratify (republic of Serbia) or implement, through national legal reforms (Albania) the Istanbul Convention (The Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence).UNDP supported the development or revision of laws and constitutions, including the new Constitution in Tunisia with ground-breaking provisions to ensure women’s equality, while explicitly committing to eliminate violence against women; the Constitution of Zimbambwe which removed clauses allowing the application of gender discriminatory customary laws; changes in Criminal Legislation of Albania, increasing sanctions against perpetrators of gender-based and domestic violence; a new law in Kyrgyzstan on social and legal defense and protection from family violence, in partnership with UN Women; the Law against the Trafficking in Human Beings and its Administrative Instructions in Kosovo; revision of laws on women’s access to land rights (especially upon divorce and widowhood) as well as the law on family and marriage, in cooperation with UN Women and UNAIDS (Vietnam); Law 82 on Femicide in Panama and establishment of the Specialized Prosecutors Office on VAW and the National Committee against VAW (CONVIMU); the Domestic Violence Bill to ensure the criminalization of domestic violence in Mauritius; and the draft Family Protection Bill of the Solomon Islands. UNDP also supported the Governments of the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) and Palau in costing the implementation of laws addressing domestic violence. In Zambia, it also supported the establishment of a multi-sectoral mechanism for the implementation of the Anti GBV Act. Hide

As of end 2013, 12 out of the 15 countries, where the UNFPA-UNICEF Joint Programme on Female Genital Mutilations/Cutting (FGM/C) operates, have developed a legislative framework which criminalizes FGM/C. Legislation has been recently adopted in Ethiopia, Kenya, Guinea and Guinea Bissau banning all forms of FGM/C. Hide

OHCHR supported the formulation and implementation of laws on violence against women in accordance with international human rights standards, including in Iraq and in Panama, where the law also established the specific crime of femicide (2013). In Afghanistan, it released a report on 8 December entitled A Way to Go: An Update on Implementation of the Law on Elimination of Violence against Women in Afghanistan, in which it reported limited results in its implementation. Hide

OHCHR supported the formulation and implementation of laws on violence against women in accordance with international standards in Afghanistan, Timor-Leste, the Kurdistan region of Iraq and Maldives. In Papua New Guinea, following sustained advocacy by OHCHR and its UN partners, the country’s Law Reform Commission proposed a repeal of the country's sorcery act. In January 2013, at the invitation of the Verma Committee in India, OHCHR made a submission on the review of the law relating to sexual assault, elaborating significant legal and policy elements that should be taken into account to prevent, punish and redress violence against women. Hide