Measures to Address Sexual Violence in Conflict Situations

In Timor-Leste, UNDP, in collaboration with UN Women and the Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste (UNMIT), continued to support the Open Day Dialogue events as recommendations to the Government oand the UN system regarding women, peace and security and GBV. UNDP and UNFPA, supported the Secretary of State for Promotion of Equality to complete the National Action Plan on GBV in East-Timor. Hide

ECLAC, with the support of the UNFPA, has finalized a proposal for a regional training curriculum on gender and security and the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 (2000) on Women, Peace and Security. The proposal incorporates regional ECLAC research findings on the progress achieved in relation to the topic, as well as on the training needs of different governmental institutions. The proposal was presented in a workshop at ECLAC headquarters in Santiago (27-28 November 2012). Hide

UNAIDS and DPKO collaborate in implementing the SRC 1983, including in the Democratic Republic of Congo. AIDS programmes are helping address sexual and gender-based violence, sensitise perpetrators, and promote integration of human rights standards in national legal and policy frameworks. http://www.unaids.org/en/resources/presscentre/featurestories/2012/september/20120926hivandsecurity/ Hide

UNAIDS, together with UN Peacekeepers, distributed inflatable solar-powered lights to women and families, in Haiti, Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan, Côte d’Ivoire, Liberia and South Sudan, and raised the issue of sexual and gender-based violence against women and HIV. http://www.unaids.org/en/resources/presscentre/pressreleaseandstatementarchive/2012/november/20121127prshinealight/ Hide

During the reporting period, the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC) has conducted three cources of Inter-institutional Training Course on Combating Illicit Trafficking in Firearms, Ammunition and Explosives (IITC), which contributes to enhancing the capacity of law enforcement and legal practitioners to prevent armed violence, including against women. Participants came from across the Caribbean, as well as Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras. In addition, UNLIREC launched in New York the publication “Forces of Change: Profiles of Latin American and Caribbean Women in Combating Illicit Trafficking in Small Arms”, at a First Committee side event “Women Disarmament, Non-Proliferation and Arms Control”, hosted by the Honorable Prime Minister of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. Hide

The World Bank continues to support various initiatives in post-conflict and emergency settings, including: the Sexual Violence Against Women and Girls in Haiti’s Reconstruction project, through institutional strengthening, enhancement of women’s civi participation,and project coordination, monitoring and evaluation; the Knowledge Exchange Program on Women’s Access in Fragile Contexts, by developing tools to strengthen the operational competence and capacity of client country partners and Bank Staff to design interventions that address the needs of women in fragile and conflict-affected settings and support knowledge exchange among clients and practitioners; the Learning for Equality, Access and Peace Program: Conflict-Post-Conflict and Gender (Africa), through a number of inter-linked components, including a LOGiCA and Promundo project to increase operational knowledge on effective engagement of men and boys in SGBV post-conflict programming in sub-Saharan Africa; and the Protection from GBV in Cote d’Ivoire project improving commitment and capacity of local authorities and community members to prevent and respond to GBV, improving access to multi-sectoral services for victims and improving coordination and capacity of local organizations and key stakeholders. Hide

In Colombia, prior to the adoption of the Victim and Land Restitution Law, UN Women provided technical assistance to the government to incorporate a gender perspective and promoted regional consultations with women`s organizations and a public hearing at the National Congress. This law recognizes that women are among the most vulnerable victims and therefore they need to receive special attention in the provision of medical and physiological services, access to education and restitution of their properties. Hide

UN Women developed, as requested by the Secretary-General and in collaboration with DPKO and UN Action Against Sexual Violence in Conflict, early warning indicators of conflict-related sexual violence, to be adapted to relevant country-based contexts, integrated into existing and emerging early warning systems, and used by a broad range of protection actors. These indicators were endorsed by the UN Action Steering Committee and will be rolled out in 2012. Hide

From 13 to 14 September 2011, the Regional Coordination Mechanism Thematic Working Group on Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (RCM TWG-GEEW) (co-chaired by ESCAP and UN Women) organised and hosted the Inaugural Meeting of the Regional Advisory Group on Women and Peace and Security, during which the terms of reference were adopted and priority areas for action and support were discussed. The outcome was shared in an open session (“Priorities for Implementing United Nations Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security in the Asia-Pacific region”). In addition, at its 2 September 2011 meeting, the RCM TWG-GEEW agreed to establish a UNiTE Working Group under its auspices, which is now working to implement the UNiTE Campaign in the Asia-Pacific region. Hide

The report of the High Level Panel on remedies and reparations for victims of sexual violence in the DRC was launched in March 2011. A joint follow-up project with UN Women was developed and is being implemented. It focuses on the development of small pilot initiatives in the areas of Bukavu and Shabunda, in close consultations with the victims and with the participation of the State. They include economic reinsertion initiatives; symbolic reparations and support for payment of court awarded damages. Hide