Measures

UNECE organizes regional and sub-regional meetings and workshops where experts from national statistical offices, users of statistics and international organizations can discuss the value of surveys on violence against women and can develop guidelines on how to improve them. Through the Conference of European Statisticians Task Force, an inventory of methods used to measure violence against women through population-based surveys was carried out for the region.UNECE has collected countries’ experiences in the implementation of national violence against women surveys with a view of encouraging their implementation under the framework of official statistics. Hide

In 2001, ECLAC convened an International Meeting on Gender Statistics and Indicators for Measuring the Incidence of and Trends in Violence against Women in Latin America and the Caribbean. The meeting was convened through the Regional Conference on Women in Latin America and the Caribbean and the Statistical Conference of the Americas. Subsequently, ECLAC convened an Inter-agency Coordination Meeting on Gender Statistics (2002) to harmonize the methodology for technical assistance on gender indicators used by the organizations of the United Nations system, with specific attention to violence against women. Hide

In September 2005, a United Nations inter-agency working group on violence against women in all its manifestations, was established, coordinated by ECLAC, in order to strengthen, coordinate and integrate current activities carried out by the organizations of the United Nations in Latin America and the Caribbean in the area of violence against women. The working group prepared a regional contribution to the Secretary-General’s in-depth study on violence against women and an integral regional report that will be distributed to the Tenth Regional Conference on Women in Latin America and the Caribbean (Quito, Ecuador, August 2007). Hide

The main focus of ECLAC’s activities in addressing violence against women is research. Efforts have included: development of a theoretical and methodological framework aimed at the construction of indicators; collection of available statistical data and information on existing legislation, programmes and public policies; analysis of good practices; and understanding the relationship between gender-based violence and poverty. Hide

ECLAC’s awareness-raising activities on violence against women include presentation of papers and provision of training as requested by Member States. UNFPA advocates for the elimination of violence against women with parliamentarians and women’s networks. Hide

ECLAC is presently collaborating with the regional Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights to establish ways of linking follow-up of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and the Inter-American Convention on the Prevention, Punishment and Eradication of Violence against Women (Convention of Belém do Pará). Hide

In 2004, ECLAC completed research on good practices in preventing and eliminating violence against women, based on an extensive survey of national mechanisms for the advancement of women in the region and a number of non-governmental organizations active in the field. Hide

In April 2007, the Gender and Development Section of the Emerging Social Issues Division organized an expert group meeting at ESCAP addressing “Regional Strategies for Implementing the Recommendations from the Secretary-General’s Study on Violence against Women with Particular Emphasis on Harmful Traditional and Cultural Practices and the Role of National Machineries”. Hide

ESCAP undertakes capacity-building activities for more effective programme planning by governments and civil society organizations for achieving gender equality and health promotion, including addressing HIV/AIDS issues, human trafficking, and combating commercial sexual exploitation of children in Asia and the Pacific. It promotes strengthening of women’s national machineries at the governmental level and serves as a facilitator in building linkages among government, civil society and development partners. ESCAP also undertakes training activities, such as the sub-regional training workshop on elimination of violence against women in partnership with men, New Delhi (2003). Hide

ESCAP conducted regional research on South Asia (2000), and national research on violence against women in Bangladesh (1999). Hide