Measures

In the area of education, UNESCO has produced peace education kits and training in non-violent conflict resolution, which also aim to reduce violence against women (e.g: Education for a Culture of Peace in a Gender Perspective (training manual) in English (2001) and French (2003).UNESCO seeks to promote gender equality in primary and secondary education through curriculum reform. On the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, UNESCO organized an International Round Table “School related gender-based violence (SRGBV): role and responsibility of stakeholders” (Nov 2006). As a follow up to the conference, SRGBV is being integrated in the work undertaken in Western and Central Africa in the context of UN Girls’ Education Initiative. A module on SRGBV was added to the training of trainers guide developed by UNESCO on the mainstreaming of gender in education systems for the 6 countries of the Economic Community of West African States (CEDEAO).In the area of communication and information, UNESCO created a digital library, in Kazakh and Russian, in Kazakhstan. The library gives women free access to databases which contain more than 1000 legal documents related to human rights issues. In the area of culture, and within the context of its project “Culturally appropriate approaches to HIV/AIDS”, UNESCO is undertaking activities to raise public awareness on traditional attitudes and practices that are harmful to women’s health or put them at risk of infection, such as domestic violence (notably in Central Asia and the Caucasus). UNESCO works in rural areas in Kyrgyzstan to raise awareness about bride abduction among rural communities as a violation of women’s rights.UNESCO participates in international and regional conferences/campaigns, including the Celebration of International Women’s Day 2007 and 2005 at UNESCO Headquarters, which focused respectively on “Women peacemakers” (http://www.unesco.org/women/iwd2007) and “Building a More Secure Future for Women Reporters” , focusing on the role of the media in the elimination of violence against women. UNESCO also coordinates International Years and distributes Prizes and Awards that acknowledge men’s and women’s contribution to the fight against violence in all its forms, including violence against women. UNESCO develops gender-sensitive information, education and communication materials and radio programmes on violence against women, such as “STOP This Violence!” in Kenya, and minority language radio programming for trafficking prevention in Mekong region, in China). Hide

ESCWA published Social and Economic Situation of Palestinian Women 2000-2006, which analyses the close links between increased poverty and social burdens and increased domestic violence against women. Hide

The ESCWA Centre for Women devoted the first issue of its newsletter on women and armed conflict. The newsletter examined gender-based violence against women in conflict settings in the Arab world. The March 2007 issue was devoted on violence against women in the ESCWA region and was distributed on International Women’s Day 2007, as part of the global effort to call attention to this important issue. Hide

The Third Session of the Committee on Women of ESCWA was convened in Abu Dhabi, in March 2007, and focused on women and armed conflict in the Arab region, including violence against women. ESCWA also convened an expert group meeting in March 2007 on the impact of armed conflict on women, and the advancement of women living under conflict conditions. Topics included gender-based violence during armed conflict. Hide

ESCWA supports the work of intergovernmental bodies, including the Arab Regional Conference Ten Years after Beijing: A Call for Peace in Beirut (2004), which resulted in the five-year work programme that includes women’s rights and violence against women among its five priority areas. In 2004, ESCWA conducted the Arab regional ten-year review and appraisal of implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action, which included attention to violence against women. ESCWA contributes to the Secretary-General’s reports on the situation of and assistance to Palestinian women, analysing the close links between increased poverty and social burdens and increased domestic violence against women. ESCWA contributed to the Secretary-General’s report on the situation of and assistance to Palestinian women (E/CN.6/2008/3). Hide

ESCWA undertakes awareness-raising efforts through meetings, regional conferences and seminars. The ESCWA Centre for Women devoted the March 2007 issue of its newsletter to the subject of violence against women in the ESCWA region; the newsletter was distributed on International Women’s Day 2007. Hide

The ILO Conditions of Work and Employment Programme (TRAVAIL) conducts research on violence, including violence against women, at work including on laws, workplace policies and other initiatives to prevent and respond to it. Hide

Under the International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour, ILO has carried out analyses of the situation of girl child labour in agriculture, domestic work and in situations of sexual exploitation. Hide

ILO’s approach to violence against migrant women is also based on the promotion of labour standards for migrant workers within a Decent Work framework. Important standards to specifically promote the protection and welfare of migrant workers, including women, are the Migration for Employment Convention (Revised) 1949 (No.97), Migrant Workers Supplementary Provisions Convention 1975, (N0.143) and the Private Employment Agencies Convention, 1997 (N0.181). Hide

A technical cooperation project, established by ILO, to address trafficking in human beings covering Albania, Moldova and the Ukraine provides social, economic and psychological support to victims of trafficking. IOM has one global assistance project targeting all developing countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America and over 120 counter-trafficking projects targeting over 100 countries in Africa, Asia, Central, Eastern and Western Europe, and Latin America. In 2005, IOM’s Working Group on Gender Issues at Headquarters supported and contributed funding for staffing a 24-hour hotline for victims of trafficking in South Africa. Hide