Search
In 2017, the WG Discrimination against women and the Special Rapporteur on VAW sent out at least 71 communications on individual cases and legislation/policies not complying with international human rights law.
In Honduras, OHCHR has been monitoring cases of domestic violence, and the protection mechanisms for victims, including through protection shelters for women and girl’s victims or survivors of gender-based violence in several cities.
In CAR, OHCHR developed protection measures for victims of sexual violence and through engagement with key GBV actors.
In Haiti, OHCHR provided life skills trainings, psychosocial and rehabilitation activities for about 150 women in detention.
In Guatemala, 2017 OHCHR carried out monitoring on the human rights situation of women working in Guatemala’s two larges employment sectors - the textile industry (sweatshops) and agriculture – including with respect to situations of violence and a violation of labour rights. The Office also worked closely with the Ministry of Labour to address these issues, such as through joint labour inspections and the development of action protocols.
In Mali, OHCHR managed to fully establish the Monitoring, Analysis and Reporting Arrangements (MARA) technical working group and strategic group that provides systematic, timely, reliable, and objective information on conflict-related sexual violence (which in Mali affects essentially women).
OCHA fully supports the implementation of the crisis component the Minimum Initial Services for Reproductive Health (MISP). Among other activities, CERF funds the deployment of GBV experts, the procurement and distribution of dignity kits, the procurement of the Inter-Agency Reproductive Kits including the kits #3 and #9 dedicated to the Prevention of Sexual Violence and the Assistance to Survivors of GBV, the establishment of Women’s Safe Places, the training on GBV of field staff and service providers, the awareness activities on GBV, and the community-based interventions to prevent GBV.
IOM's Migration Health Department (MHD) continues to integrate gender equality and GBV in various aspects, including starting the development its handbook on Community Based Psychosocial Support in Emergencies. The manual will include reference to specialized MHPSS support for GBV survivors in emergency settings. CCCM-MHPSS training tools have also been developed and piloted to support closer collaboration between CCCM and MHPSS teams in field locations, like Northern Nigeria. Moreover, MHD provided training on GBV and/or Clinical Management of Rape (CMR) at various missions including Bangladesh, Somalia, as well as the Regional Office for Europe (RO Brussels). The Regional Office in Brussels also organized trainings on GBV for service providers who work with migrants and refugees.
In Bangladesh, IOM continued to increase the support for GBV survivors, framed within an increase in support for women and girls in general, in particular through the establishment of women and girls safe spaces; provision of resources that specifically target women and girls safety and dignity such as NFI kits and solar lanterns; improved accessibility and safety within sites; and improved mechanisms for seeking specialized support such as case management and clinical management of rape.
IOM programs also supported access to justice. In Colombia, for example, the Victims and Inclusion for Peace programmes are supporting survivors of sexual violence to access services and protection, and building the capacity of institutions to safely and empathetically respond to reports of these violations.
2. OCHA participate in the Inter-Agency Network on Women and Gender Equality: Task Force on Violence against Women.
3. OCHA is an active member of the United Nations Actions against Sexual Violence in Conflict network.
5. OCHA actively supports the roll-out of the IASC Gender Handbook in Humanitarian Action, and supports the development and roll-out of inter-agency tools, such as the IASC Gender Handbook. OCHA initiated and continues to guide the IASC Gender Standby Capacity Project (GenCap).
6. OCHA actively supports the IASC processes related to PSEA. OCHA participates in the network of IASC Senior Focal Points on PSEA and is also part of the IASC Task Team on Accountability to Affected Populations and Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse.
The ILO Office in Brazil has developed a project to empower transgender persons in violent situations, especially those who are homeless, living in public shelters and engaged in prostitution, by providing them professional training in kitchen assistant.
View MoreThe ILO Office in Brazil has developed a project to empower transgender persons in violent situations, especially those who are homeless, living in public shelters and engaged in prostitution, by providing them professional training in kitchen assistant.
DRC
The "UNiTE" campaign was launched in 2014 by the Resident Coordinator of the United Nations system in the presence of great personalities of the DRC including the Personal Representative of the Head of State in charge of the fight against sexual violence. Supported by UN Women and UNFPA at the Office of the Personal Representative of the Head of State in charge of the fight against sexual violence, the "Break the silence" campaign led to series of trials (691 in 2016) and convictions (299 convictions in 2016) of high ranking military personnel. The establishment of effective coordination mechanisms including the Gender Thematic Group with its four thematic sub-groups (SGT VSBG, SGT Political Participation and Women's Leadership, SGT Empowerment of the Legal Status of Women, SGT Economic Empowerment of Women); UN Trust Fund resources made available to the PANZI Foundation for the holistic treatment of the fight against sexual violence; joint resource mobilization initiatives including the Joint Project to Combat Impunity, Support for Victims of Gender-Based Violence and Women's Empowerment in Eastern DRC "TUPINGE UBAKAJI" with UNDP, UNFPA , UNESCO; the joint project on prevention and coordinated responses to sexual violence in Ituri and North Kivu by UN Women, UNFPA, UNICEF and UNJHRO.
SENEGAL
The Maternal and Child Mortality Reduction Support Program brings together four UN system agencies (UNFPA UNICEF WHO and UN Women) to eliminate gender-based violence that can affect the health of women, children and young girls especially during pregnancy and at the time of delivery. UN Women, OHCHR, UNESCO, UNICEF and UNFPA have joined forces around a coordinated action plan under the leadership of the Ministry of Women, Family and Gender, from 2016-2020 to put an end to all forms of violence and discrimination against women and girls. UNDAF outcomes 6 and 8 focus on protecting vulnerable groups from violence and exploitation, and building institutional capacity under UNICEF leadership.
CABO VERDE
The UNiTE campaign/orange campaign and the 16 Days activism campaigns were spearheaded by UNW with a huge impact in social media and great visibility at the national level. By engaging the UN agencies, private and public sectors, the orange campaign in 2017 could reach and get closer to local communities and the intended target audience, being students of secondary schools and universities, leaders of local communities, media and private sector workers, it is comprised of around 20 NGOs as well as Members of Parliament, the Women Network Parliamentarians and the private sector. During the 16 days the movement calls to join forces in addressing specific problems regarding end violence against women and girls in Cabo Verde. Several activities were carried out such as: the Orange café with Journalists- Several journalists were invited to participate in the 16 Days of Activism actions to End Violence against Women and Girls across the country; School engagement - Campaign "16 days of activism against violence" starts with schools; Cabo Verde Parliamentarians dressed in orange for the 16 days of activism; Free HUGS - promoting the culture of non-violence in the capital city Praia offering free hugs to all;
Under the lead of UNW the interagency thematic group on human rights and gender has successfully implemented the UN Free & Equal campaign, positioning Cabo Verde has the first Africa country
MALI
Mali actively participates in the Secretary General's campaign for the elimination of violence against women every year. In November 2017 the campaign was launched by the Minister for the Advancement of Women under the leadership of UN Women with the participation of various agencies of the United Nations system, civil society organizations including young people.
UN Women supported the GBV specialist of ONE action in Mali for the mobilization of resources and the implementation of activities in the framework of the development of the national strategy to combat gender-based violence in Mali.
UN Women is an active member of the Network for Protection against Sexual Exploitation and Abuse in Mali. Within this framework, focal point training activities were organized at national and regional level in collaboration with UNFPA and UNICEF. Information feedback mechanisms have been put in place and sensitization sessions have been conducted on the radio and at the community level to encourage people to use these mechanisms, including the toll-free number 80 333 to disclose cases of abuse. sexual exploitation.
CAMEROON
UNW Cameroon has coordinated the UNCT SWAP scorecard process and the elaboration of action plan. The country office has been engaged in the implementation of the UNSWAP Scorecard plan and has succeeded in inscribing gender in the 2018 UNCT annual work plan. The office has also worked to mainstream gender in joint programs of the 2018-2020 UNDAF. The coordination of development support between the Government and technical partners has launched sector platforms; among the said Platforms, UN Women has been co-lead of the cross-cutting gender platform with the Ministry of women empowerment and also co-lead of the platform on social development with the Ministry of Social Affairs. Concerning the normative work, UN Women has supported the elaboration of the 6th Cameroon’s CEDAW report, coordinating with other UN agencies to input it and to make it a consensual report with other stakeholders (civil society, private sector…).UN Women coordinated the activities for 16 days campaign on violence against women and girls with the annual theme of “leave no one behind”. In the Far North region, GBV humanitarian working group under UN Women’s co-lead coordinated relevant activities with partners
LIBERIA
UN Women Liberia Office celebrates the 25th of every month as Orange Day as part of the UN Secretary-General’s UNITE to End Violence Against Women. UN Staff wear Orange colors to raise public awareness and increase political will to address all forms of violence against women and girls. In 2016, UN Women collaborated with the More Than Me Academy (a school for vulnerable girls) to raise awareness on school related violence and a call for actions against those who exploit women and girls. Also, in 2017, UN Women in collaboration with UNMIL Gender Unit held a program at the UNMIL Headquarter for UN Staff as a means of raising awareness and getting staff to contribute to a world free from violence against women and girls. The SRSG reminded staff of the Secretary-General Zero Tolerance Against Sexual Exploitation & Abuse.
UN Women Liberia leads the Government of Liberia/United Nations Joint Programme on SGBV and HTP. The organization is working with community leaders, traditional leaders and paramount chiefs to address issues of Harmful Traditional Practices and other forms of violence that subject women to humiliation.
UN Women Liberia is a member of the National Gender Based Taskforce that meets once every month to discuss issues affecting women and girls and review County level action point for redress. The Taskforce recently protested the amendment of the 2006 Rape Law to make same bailable.
The organization is also part of the ressuscitation of the Inter-Agency PSEA Network. UNMIL had previously coordinated the network until their departure from Liberia
NIGER
The MUSKOKA programme brings together four United Nations agencies, namely UNFPA, UNICEF, WHO and UN WOMEN. Through the FFM, simple, innovative and effective solutions are implemented to prevent maternal and infant mortality. Solutions to reduce maternal and child deaths include access to quality maternal care and skilled health personnel before, during and after childbirth. The added value of UN Women within the MUSKOKA mechanism is based on its mandate as an entity for gender equality and the empowerment of women, more specifically on its focus on combating violence against women, a source of inequality, lack of access by women to decision-making processes and resources, but also a cause of endangering their lives, which is aggravated during pregnancy and childbirth following the prevention and response to such violence.
UN WOMEN has adopted a holistic approach: prevention and response. The objective of these activities is to promote and facilitate women's access to maternal health through:
Activities:
- The creation of reproductive health service demands;
- The development of communication and mobilization campaigns;
- The implementation of strategies and actions against discriminatory practices and gender-based violence (GBV);
- Care for survivors of violence, identification of links between violence against women and maternal mortality and improvement of knowledge on the subject.;
- The men's club;
- The creation of multi-actor platforms;
- In addition, the impulse of the demand for maternal health services requires a good knowledge of the factors that cause difficulties in the relationship between women, girls and health workers in the regions of Maradi, Tillabery, Dosso and Tahoua;
- Rehabilitation of multimedia centre for access to information on GBV, gender, SSRJA, women's rights, etc;
- The involvement of religious, traditional and local leaders in the fight against GBV;
The results obtained:
- 10,000 girls and women, men sensitized on GBV, prevention of early pregnancies and reproductive health services through awareness caravans in Dosso, Maradi, Tillabéry and Tahoua;
- A traditional leader in Maradi has been identified as a champion in the fight against GBV in Maradi, where the highest rate of GBV is recorded in Niger;
- Two Muslim and Christian religious leaders were identified as champions in the fight against GBV in Niamey and Tahoua;
- More than 500 women, girls, boys and men in Dosso have increased access to information about GBV, the type of GBAS through the multimedia centre;
- More than 100 women and girls in Dosso have been trained on the use of INTICs for access to SRH information;
- More than 200 leaders have increased their sensitivity to GBV and SSR Dosso, Maradi, Tillabéry and Tahoua;
- More than 500 boys, men, and leaders recruited and committed within associations and clubs to fight GBV, women's rights and gender;
- A study on the satisfaction of SRH beneficiaries is currently being validated.
- All these achievements contributed to enlist men, women, girls and boys, decision makers, local and religious leaders for the respect of women's rights, girls' rights, gender and the fight against GBV.
NIGERIA
Gender-Based Violence Sub-Working Group (GBV-SWG) is an inter-agency coordination group set up to ensure coherence in the humanitarian responses of partners in Nigeria. UN Women is a member of the group with UNFPA as the chair. During the reporting period, GBV partners together scaled up engagement with leaders and communities with sensitisation on GBV/SEA principles and during the 2017 16 Days of Activitism, GBV partners across the affected states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe held series of activities ranging from policy dialogues with leaders, engaging young people in and out of school through debates, public processions, town hall meetings, a series of activities with women's groups within women and girls friendly spaces, livelihood bazaar, radio talk shows among others to demand zero tolerance to GBV. At the close of 2017, the GBV partners took stock of their interventions; there were evidences that there is better understanding of the GBV protection situation and needs among partners, partners together reached 66,413 (27,005 women, 15,392 girls, 13,675 men and 10,186 boys) individuals with various interventions. Out of which 9,479 individuals received psychological first aid and various psychosocial support interventions, 1,682 accessed medical services and some 440 accessed other specialised services through case management and referrals. Overall from Janaury to November 2017, GBV sub sector partners together have collectively benefitted 797,640 (364,897 women, 188,347 girls, 148,066 men and 95,523 boys) individuals, reaching 80% of the overall target for 2017
In Namibia, UNODC conducted an assessment and analysis of information about existing responses to gender violence and provided detailed recommendations to national counterparts on policy and practical matters to enhance crime prevention and criminal justice responses to violence against women.
In Kyrgyzstan, UNODC facilitated a public safety and crime prevention planning in 14 municipalities, focusing on domestic violence and other priorities. As a result of the active participation of women in local level dialogues on public safety, gender-based violence was included as a priority issue in approved local crime prevention plans in 4 districts.
On occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women - 25 November 2016, UNESCO set up an Orange Zone at Headquarters and conducted a rich social media campaign on the effects of climate change in exacerbating violence against women and girls - a key theme for this year’s campaign on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. Throughout the day, badges, informative postcards, posters and UNESCO publications were made available to all staff and visitors. Four visually striking factographs were released, highlighting the links between climate change and violence against women. The campaign disseminated via Facebook, Twitter and Instagram reached over 758,000 people around the world. Broadcasting live from the Orange Zone via Facebook Live, the Director of the Division of Gender Equality discussed the significance of this Day as the UNESCO Globe was lit in orange. The Director also highlighted the importance of raising awareness on violence against women in the context of climate change, noting the myriad of ways in which climate change disproportionately affects women, whether via natural disasters or climate-induced displacement causing heightened sexual trafficking, or the search for water and firewood resulting in increased rapes. Over 1,300 people have watched the video.
In Guatemala, OHCHR, though a Progamme named Maya Programme, works with the Public Prosecutor’s Office (indigenous people’s department) on the drafting of a policy on access to justice for indigenous peoples with a human right’s perspective. It requires the Public Prosecutor’s office to “develop and apply specific criteria for the attention, investigation, and criminal prosecution of femicide, sexual violence and other forms of violence against indigenous women.”