Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean
Background
As the regional arm of the United Nations in Latin America and the Caribbean, the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC/CEPAL) contributes to the economic and social development of Member States in the region, coordinating actions directed towards this end, and reinforcing economic relationships among the countries and with the other nations of the world. In the last decade, the mainstreaming of a gender perspective in its projects and programmes has increasingly become a clear part of its mandate.Policy framework
ECLAC’s mandate and policy framework in the area of violence against women derive from the Regional Programme of Action for the Women of Latin America and the Caribbean (1994), confirmed by the Lima Consensus, adopted by the Eighth Regional Conference on Women in Latin America and the Caribbean (2000), and the Mexico Consensus, adopted by the Ninth Regional Conference (2004).ECLAC’s mandate and policy framework in the area of violence against women has been further strengthened by the recommendations of the Quito Consensus, adopted by the tenth session of the Regional Conference on Women in Latin America and the Caribbean (August 2007) and the bi-annual meetings of its Presiding Officers of the Regional Conference. At their forty-second meeting (Santiago, Chile 4-5 December 2008), the Presiding Officers and other member countries reported on measures being taken in their respective countries to eliminate gender-based violence, particularly at the institutional level as well as through the media and campaigns to unit with men against violence.12 In their final agreement, they “condemn(ed) violence against women, in all its forms, including violence in conflict situations, request(ed) the support of international cooperation to strengthen efforts to eradicate such violence, and ask(ed) that specific budgets be approved to support national action plans for the prevention and punishment of gender-based violence and the provision of care to people affected by it” (par. 26 and 27).
At their forty-third meeting (Port of Spain, 7-8 July 2009), the Presiding Officers of the Regional Conference on Women in Latin America and the Caribbean reiterated their support to the attainment of the objectives of the Secretary-General’s Campaign to end violence against women and participate actively in the launch of the campaign in Latin America and the Caribbean in 2009
Areas of Focus
ECLAC addresses all forms and manifestations of violence against women. It undertakes research and policy development and the identification of good practice examples; it implements operational activities and contributes to awareness-raising and outreach on these issues. ECLAC aims to strengthen the capacity of countries in the region to produce knowledge on gender-based violence, including the measurement of its incidence and trends.Resources
Lorena Fríes y Victoria Hurtado (2010), Estudio de la información sobre la violencia contra la mujer en América Latina y el Caribe, Serie Mujer y Desarrollo No 99, Santiago de Chile, Comisión Económica para América Latina y el Caribe (LC/L.3174-P), marzohttp://www.eclac.cl/publicaciones/xml/8/38978/Serie99.pdf
Rocío Villanueva (2010), “El registro de feminicidio del Ministerio Público del Perú” en División de Asuntos de Género, Reunión internacional sobre buenas prácticas de políticas públicas para el Observatorio de igualdad de género de América Latina y el Caribe: Memoria”, Serie Mujer y Desarrollo No 104, Santiago de Chile, Comisión Económica para América Latina y el Caribe (LC/L.3231-P), junio
http://www.eclac.cl/publicaciones/xml/7/40097/Serie104.pdf
The UNiTE Group for the Americas and the Caribbean, including 9 agencies -PAHO, UNDP, OHCHR, UNICEF, UNFPA, UNHCR, ECLAC, WFP and UN Women- and the IDB and the OAS, developed 12 Key Messages to Eradicate Violence Against Women and Girls in Latin America and the Caribbean. This unprecedented effort led by UN Women, systematized the lessons learned from all the publications and knowledge produced in the context of the UNiTE Campaign in the last 7 years. These messages were launched in the framework of the Regional Conference on Women in Latin America and the Caribbean, which took place in Montevideo in October of 2016. Thereafter, the messages were the basis for the celebrations of November 25th at regional and country level.
UNFPA, in collaboration with the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), has developed a Regional Training Programme on Gender and Security and the Implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security for government officials, military and civilian peacekeeping personnel, professionals and academics, and NGOs and civil society organizations (CSOs). The purpose of the training programme is to promote greater knowledge of UNSCR 1325 in the Latin America and Caribbean region, so that the goal of mainstreaming gender in the area of peace and security becomes a critical function of peace-keeping forces sending nations. Originally developed for the Latin America and Caribbean Region, the curriculum has now been designed in a manner that can be adapted to suit local contexts in other regions and countries that have a peace-keeping and peace-building role. The programme has been piloted in a few countries in the region over 2014 and 2015 and will be globally rolled out in 2016.
UN Women, UN ECLAC and UNFPA held a sub-regional capacity development workshop in Paraguay – targeting mainly defense forces and civil society - on SCR 1325, with a focus on GVC and sexual and reproductive health. The workshop was based on the curriculum that was developed on the issues for the Latin American and Caribbean region in 2012.