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WFP used International Women’s Day 2009 as an opportunity to raise awareness and plan activities to prevent gender-based violence including through a film screening, panel discussions and workshop in Burkina Faso; and a declaration signed by WFP and partners, as part of the launch of the National Action Plan for Women in Afghanistan, which included a commitment to “Fast track the enactment of the proposed law to combat violence against women”.In Chad, WFP has become part of a coordinated response addressing issues related to the collection of firewood by the beneficiaries in the camp. In response to sexual exploitation and abuse of women who venture outside of the camp for firewood, WFP provided women with fuel efficient stoves, increased access to firewood and improved roads through food for work programmes. Hide

WFP has been actively involved in joint UN initiatives to deliver services to victims of gender-based violence. WFP provides food assistance for medical rehabilitation of victims and, through income-generating activities, supports the victims/survivors to become economically independent. Hide

In Liberia, under the United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) for Liberia 2008-2012, the WFP Country Office is midway through the first stage of a UN Joint Programme to reduce SBGV. Hide

In Rwanda, WFP supports the national response in fighting GBV through the One UN framework. WFP is active in the UN Gender Task Force and the National Gender Cluster, co-chaired by the Minister, in the Prime Minister's Office, in Charge of Gender and Family promotion (MIGEPROF) and the UK Department for International Development (DFID), which work to harmonize and coordinate responses to sexual and gender-based violence. Hide

WFP scaled up its integration of gender and protection into field operations and programming. By the end of 2008, 500 staff members and partners were trained on protection issues. The training also included prevention and response to gender-based violence during food distributions. Hide

WFP has developed a concept paper that examines protection and gender issues related to WFP’s operations in both conflict and post-conflict situations, with particular attention to gender-based violence. Hide

In 2004, WFP collected data in 28 country offices in the framework of its Enhanced Commitment to Women Baseline Survey Initiative, and qualitative data to complement the surveys in 6 more countries, of which some were conducted in collaboration with UNHCR. The surveys determined the awareness levels of male and female beneficiaries of: the fact that they are not to provide any favour in exchange for receiving food; and the channels available to them to report cases of abuse linked to food distribution. Hide

WFP, in collaboration with UNICEF and Save the Children/UK designed, developed and implemented a regional training initiative in Southern Africa in 2002/2003 on the prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse for almost 5,000 staff from the United Nations, non-governmental organizations, government, and commercial partners, including truck drivers involved in food distribution. The training materials were reviewed in 2004 to reflect lessons learned and feedbacks from country offices. In collaboration with Relief International, WFP implemented a food-supported training programme on fuel-efficient stove-making that aimed at tackling sexual and gender-based violence in North Darfur by reducing the need for, and the time women spend outside camps collecting firewood. Hide

The project “Building capacity to enhance humanitarian protection in the context of food assistance in emergencies, 2005-2006” is part of WFP’s ongoing effort to address violence against women. The project aims to enhance WFP staff’s understanding of gender issues and how to address them adequately. Hide

The issue of violence against women was thoroughly investigated during the last Food Security and Nutrition assessment by WFP in Darfur, Sudan, and a specific section on physical insecurity and gender-related violence was added into the final assessment report. Hide