Search
In Peru, the organization Red Nacional de Promoción de la Mujer is implementing a project in the regions of Ayacucho and Huánuco aimed at reducing gender-based violence against older women who were victims of conflict-related violence in the 1980s and 1990s. The project has empowered more than 487 women, of whom 44 per cent were over 60 years of age, by increasing their awareness of their rights. Through peer-to-peer exchange workshops, the grantee reached more than 210 older women from various organizations and 286 men and other women, including students and youth groups. The grantee adopted a holistic approach to developing participatory needs assessments, awareness-raising and training workshops and communications campaigns, all focusing on rights, interculturality, gender and aging. The project was also aimed at raising awareness among local officials and advocating for gender- and age-sensitive public policies. As a direct result of the project’s implementation, older women are now part of community surveillance committees and the municipalities’ round table on poverty reduction. In addition, four emblematic cases of violations of women’s rights were reviewed and, to date, one case has been decided in favour of the survivor; the remaining three are pending decisions.
During the reporting period UNRWA staff in all 5 fields of operations identified 4,987 GBV survivors and provided 98% of them with assistance. The services provided were in majority psychological support and legal counselling.
South Sudan Country Office
Monitoring &Evaluation and Emergency team held a GBV workshop on how WFP can adapt its work to address issues raised by the 16-days campaign.
In Myanmar, UNODC strengthened the capacity of the police to provide survivor-centered responses, effective investigation and inter-agency coordination among the criminal justice system to better respond to gender-based violence. The Office supported the Union Attorney General’s Office in the prosecution of cases involving violence against women and children through a training curriculum and accompanying materials piloted at two initial trainings of trainers.
In Nepal, UNODC undertook a study about women in the criminal justice system, with a focus on women criminal justice professionals, violence against women and women alleged offenders and prisoners.
In the State of Palestine, UNODC and other UN agencies launched a joint project to support the forensic science laboratory in analyzing evidence on sexual and gender-based violence cases, to sensitize criminal justice personnel and improve cooperation among the stakeholders involved in handling SGBV cases.
Half of the projects funded by the United Nations Voluntary Trust Fund for Victims of Trafficking in 2018 explicitly provided direct protection and assistance to victims trafficked in a situation of armed conflict or fleeing conflict identified within mass refugee and migration movements.
UNODC published a thematic paper on countering trafficking in persons, including the exploitation of women and girls, in conflict situations.
UN Women undertakes several measures to address sexual violence in conflict situations related to the UN Women workforce such as:
- Message of prohibition of sexual misconduct and SEA and importance of reporting repeatedly communicated by ED.
- Since February 2017, UN Women has provided training to personnel in over 20 field offices and HQ sections.
- Launch of UN Women’s initiative “Take a Stand” in 2016, which provides guidance not only on how to report cases but also on services available to the affected staff member – from telecommuting, to salary advances, to advanced leave requests, and assisting in facilitating their access to safe and secure spaces.
- Established a network of focal points on SEA in headquarters and its Regional Offices from whom staff can request guidance on reporting allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse.
- Ensuring that where there are ANY allegations of SEA or other sexual misconduct committed by UN Women personnel or partners, they are promptly referred for investigation.
- Ensuring that alleged victims are referred to the appropriate service providers for protection, medical care and support.
- Collaborating with the Secretary-General’s Victims’ Rights Advocate Ms. Jane Connors on sexual exploitation and abuse and victims’ assistance.
2. OCHA participate in the Inter-Agency Network on Women and Gender Equality: Task Force on Violence against Women.
3. OCHA is an active member of the United Nations Actions against Sexual Violence in Conflict network.
5. OCHA actively supports the roll-out of the IASC Gender Handbook in Humanitarian Action, and supports the development and roll-out of inter-agency tools, such as the IASC Gender Handbook. OCHA initiated and continues to guide the IASC Gender Standby Capacity Project (GenCap).
6. OCHA actively supports the IASC processes related to PSEA. OCHA participates in the network of IASC Senior Focal Points on PSEA and is also part of the IASC Task Team on Accountability to Affected Populations and Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse.
DRC
Strengthening of community prevention mechanisms with vigilance committees; sensitization of the military and police on their role in civil protection. Action to repress the perpetrators of sexual violence with emblematic trials of certain senior military officers. Actions carried out by the office of the Personal Representative of the Head of State in charge of combating sexual violence with the support of partners, in particular UN Women and UNFPA.
CAMEROON
UNW CAMEROON sept up women cohesion space to provide holistance assistance to GBV survivors. In humanitarian settings, awareness raising activities in different forms reached a great number of women, men, girls and boys including traditional and religious leaders who maintain significant influence over social norms and behaviours at the community level, on gender-based violence, girls' education, importance of women's economic empowerment, early/forced marriage and other relevant issues. These community outreach activities were not only prevention measures but also served as a first step to inform the population on available GBV services and to encourage them to report cases in the social environment that traditionally silences the survivors of violence.
LIBERIA
Liberia is not in a conflict situation at the moment. However, measures are available as part of disaster response strategy.
NIGER
The Diffa region is prey to the interventions of the boko Haram nebula. To support displaced, returned and refugee women, high-impact activities were implemented, including three hundred and fifty income-generating activities in the camps, the provision of more than 1,000 domestic gas kits to enable women not to leave the camps to search for firewood, Equipping health centres in three camps to care for survivors of violence, the three cohesion spaces, gender training for the FDS, GBV and gender mainstreaming in security activities, and the five gender units within the law enforcement services. All these activities benefited more than 5,000 people.
NIGERIA
UN Women supported the state ministries of women affairs and social development in the focus states to commemorate the 16 days of activism on violence against women;
The National Advisory Committee on the implementation of the National Action Plan was inaugurated by the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development with support from Un Women and the State Action Plans on UNSCR 1325 was launched n Adamawa Gombe and Plateau state in the period
The HeforShe campaign was launched in three state and male traditional and community leaders were recognized for integrating women in traditional councils and local community leadership committees.
A simplified NAP has been developed to facilitate uptake by the public and the costing for the implementation is underway
Plateau Peacebuilding Agency’s Strategic Plan has been drafted with support from UN Women and state partners
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.
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.