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UN Women, in collarboration with UNDP, provided 935 survivors of gender based violence and conflict related sexual violence with psychosocial support, legal assistance, and referrals as part of the Stop Rape Now United Nations Against Sexual Violence and Conflict fund. Many of these women were survivors of violence perpetrated by ISIS, and were able to register their cases with the Genocide Committee based in Dohuk, Iraq, contributing to documentaion of ISIS's crimes and providing them with access to justice. In the context of Security Council resolution (SCR) 2106 (2013), the UN agreed with the Government of Iraq a joint , (the “Joint Communiqué”) as a framework of cooperation to prevent and address conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) committed in the country on 23 September 2016. During 2017 and 2018, UN Women has been actively engaged in developing the Action Plan for implementation of the Communique and the Monitoring, Analysis and Reporting Arrangements (MARA) Mechanism, contributing to the systematic gathering of timely, accurate, reliable and objective information on CRSV against women, men, girls and boys in Iraq. UN Women also supported development of and participated in the SRSG on CRSV visit to Iraq in March 2018, reinforcing its work to combat GBV and support government response for survivors.
Under the UN Action- funded project, UN Women provided technical guidance to JNCW and its partner, NAMA Strategic Intelligence Solutions (contracted by NATO), as they conducted a Gender Audit of the Police, Civil Defense and Gendarmerie. The audit seeks to identify gaps and recommendations for securing the meaningful participation and leadership of women in all parts of the security sector. The audit’s findings will also support the identification of gaps that must be addressed within the security sector as it increases its capacity to respond to incidents of CRSV.The prime minister and cabinet endorsed the JONAP 1325 on 3 December 2017. Throughout the year, the JONAP 1325 benefitted from substantial engagement across all sectors, including consultations with civil society in the different governorates throughout Jordan. The final JONAP includes the following CRSV specific outputs: 3.3.2: “Instruments to monitor, document and report GBV and CRSV are created – linked to national structures and systems,” and 3.3.3: “Prosecutors, judges and the security sector are trained on how to handle GBV and CRSV, and promote access to safe reporting channels”
During the reporting period , UN Women lebanon succeeded to push forward progress on WPS through its leading role to develop the NAP 1325 for Lebanon. Substantive progress was achieved in terms of : a) conducting training sessions to the members of the national Council for Lebanese Women, Meetings with more than 17 focus groups representing Syrian, Palestinian and Iraqi refugees, in addition to meetings with religious leaders. The aim of the meetings is to enhance their knowledge on the UNRC 1325 themes and also collect information oin the challenges they are facing and their concerns. All these will feed in the formulation of UNCR 1325 NP for Lebanon. Furthermore, UN Women as leading UN agency, finalized the situation Analysis, held more than 5 meetings with other UN agencies and 3 meetings with the national counterpart. WPS addresses the 4 pillars which includes Prevention, Protection and Recovery for women within conflects.
UNV supports the deployment of UN Volunteers in conflict and post-conflict contexts, including peacekeeping missions. There, the UN Volunteers support the UN mandate implementation on the ground, including addressing sexual violence.
In all three Peacebuilding Fund’s Gender Promotion Initiatives, the UN Peacebuilding Support Office, UN-Women, and UN Volunteers have supported gender-responsive peacebuilding programming.
WFP has developed comprehensive protection and gender policies which outline that WFP programmes and interventions must not create, exacerbate or contribute to gender inequalities or discrimination, and must mitigate risks of gender-based violence (GBV). In line with these policies, WFP has developed protection and GBV guidance manuals, which specifically look at concerns of GBV associated with implementing food assistance programmes, including in conflict settings.
In 2018, WFP Ethics Office organised the roll-out of the “Guidance Note about the Prohibition on Engaging Prostitution Services”, aimed at helping employees understand WFP’s expectations of conduct as related to prostitution, considered a form of SEA.
WHO is implementing work to strengthen the institutionalisation of gender-based violence responses in WHO’s humanitarian work, ensuring the integration of violence against women (sexual violence and intimate partner violence) in the work of the health cluster at global and regional levels, and in selected countries.
The revised version of the Employment and Decent Work for Peace and Resilience Recommendation (No. 205) was adopted by the International Labour Conference in June 2017. In its Article 15, the Recommendation establishes that “In responding to discrimination arising from or exacerbated by conflicts or disasters and when taking measures for promoting peace, preventing crises, enabling recovery and building resilience, Members should…prevent and punish all forms of gender-based violence, including rape, sexual exploitation and harassment, and protect and support victims”
View MoreThe revised version of the Employment and Decent Work for Peace and Resilience Recommendation (No. 205) was adopted by the International Labour Conference in June 2017.
In its Article 15, the Recommendation establishes that “In responding to discrimination arising from or exacerbated by conflicts or disasters and when taking measures for promoting peace, preventing crises, enabling recovery and building resilience, Members should…prevent and punish all forms of gender-based violence, including rape, sexual exploitation and harassment, and protect and support victims”
In 2015, as a follow-up to OCHA’s “Keep Her Safe” commitments, the CERF secretariat incorporated a dedicated self-assessment indicator on whether sexual and gender-based violence has been considered and/or mainstreamed in project design. This data is recorded in the CERF’s Grant Management System Database for tracking and analysis purpose. This marker helps CERF determine the amount of money that goes to GBV-related issues.
As the Global CCCM Cluster lead agency for natural disasters, and in line with the objectives of the global Call to Action, IOM is working to ensure that proper prevention and mitigation measures are in place to reduce the likelihood of GBV taking place in camps and camp-like settings in crises . At the global level, IOM continues to mainstream GBV prevention and mitigation through a range of activities, including the deployment of RRAs. In 2017, IOM deployed RRA to 15 emergency operations to support the GBV mainstreaming activities in humanitarian crisis. RRAs ensured the integration of GBV considerations into programmatic and cluster responses. RRAs have also looked at longer term capacities to pursue efforts in-country, encouraging the appointment of GBV focal points in emergency response teams, and supporting the recruitment of dedicated staff to coordinate GBV mainstreaming activities in countries facing high GBV risks - including in Nigeria, South-Sudan and Bangladesh. IOM also undertook safety mapping and audits in conflict settings to help identify and address immediate GBV risks in conflict settings. The organization adopted programmes based on these findings, for example, it designed and implemented a project for the provision of fuel efficient stoves in South Sudan.
IOM also works to fight impunity, facilitate access to justice and promote accountability. IOM advocates the inclusion of sexual crimes committed against women and girls during conflicts into large-scale victims’ reparations programmes and policies. The organization is currently expanding support on access to care and justice for conflict-related sexual violence survivors in Sri Lanka and Central African Republic.
In 2016 and 2017 FAO continued its work on energy access and environment with an emphasis on protracted displacement. For example, in Syria, thanks to an EU-funded FAO project on strengthening the resilience to food insecurity, crisis-affected households can now benefit from the installation of biogas digesters. These digesters provide vulnerable household with an affordable and eco-friendly fuel source and help improve women's livelihoods by relieving them of the chore of collecting fuelwood. Through Danish funding, FAO provided direct and time-sensitive support to crisis-affected populations in the form of emergency livelihood kits in South Sudan. As of 2017, FAO has distributed more than 30 000 fuel-efficient stoves in camps, improvised settlements and host communities. The project also included training to ease the pressure on natural resources as well as to help protect women from the risk of sexual and Gender Based Violence (GBV) associated with woodfuel collection. In Nigeria, FAO is implementing a project funded by Norway where the host community and internally displaced people (IDPs) work together to produce fuel-efficient stoves to be distributed to the communities, which again helps to reduce the need for firewood collection.
ESCWA, in partnership with UNFPA, UNHCR, OCHA, and the International Committee for the Red Cross, participated in a Consultation Meeting for the Committee on Protection of Arab Women during Armed Conflicts organized by the League of Arab States and UN Women. During the meeting, participants agreed on establishing an Arab Emergency Committee. ESCWA discussed the role of institutions working for women’s rights in times of stability and conflict and advocated for a wider adoption of a National Action Plan on women, peace and security in the Arab region.
A project implemented by Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) with funding from the UN Trust Fund in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Kenya is working to address gaps in the medical-legal process in order to improve responses to sexual violence against women and girls. The programme has been actively engaged in the two countries, both of which have endured widespread, conflict-related sexual violence and were being investigated for mass crimes by the International Criminal Court.
In December 2017, the Kavumu Case was concluded with the conviction of 11 men for crimes against humanity for the rape of 37 toddlers and young girls over a three-year period in the village of Kavumu, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This was a landmark case because a sitting government official was stripped of his immunity and was found guilty for crimes that he and his armed militia committed and because it was the first time that survivors/witnesses were afforded innovative means of protection in court in the country. PHR helped to coordinate the investigation and provided technical assistance to clinicians and police investigators that led to the arrests of militia members.