Agencies

Amid the increasing reports of violence against women and girls and the critical need for services that support survivors' recovery, IOM has developed the Survivor’s Support Package to strengthen the second pillar of its institutional framework for addressing GBV in crises (GBViC framework), which aims at addressing the consequences of gender-based violence. This resource provides tools and guidance for a holistic and integrated approach to GBV response services, incorporating and aligning key components such as health, mental health, psychosocial support (MHPSS), and other essential services provided by IOM to support survivors’ recovery and well-being.  The approach is set to be piloted in 2025 in an IOM mission that has a GBV response ongoing.

IOM developed the Intersectional Gender Analysis (IGA) toolkit in 2024, which aims to provide practical guidance to apply intersectional gender analysis in their work across different contexts and thematic areas. The toolkit includes guidance on safely collecting and utilizing data on violence, exploitation and abuse. IOM is currently piloting the toolkit in Afghanistan, Costa Rica, South Sudan and Ukraine. The piloting involves GBV technical leads in each country office to ensure protection mainstreaming and clear safe referrals of GBV. Moreover, GBV specialists' involvement adds value to reduce risks of overlooking inequalities and of causing harm, as well as to assure upholding human rights for women, girls and vulnerable groups to GBV.    

In 2020, IOM global GBV support team and Displacement tracking matrix developed tools, guidance and training to strengthen standards for safe and ethical GBV data collection in emergencies. Since 2021 IOM have been rolling this training out across DTM teams.  

In 2023, through the support of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, IOM developed the study on Gendered Reintegration Experiences and Gender-Sensitive/Responsive/Transformative Approached to Reintegration Assistance. The study examines GBV as it affects women's reintegration and offers recommendations for specialized services for GBV survivors. 

In 2023, supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, IOM published the Global Report - Mapping and Research to Strengthen Protection and Assistance Measures for Migrants with diverse SOGIESC, highlighting protection risks and vulnerabilities, including GBV, as well as key assistance measures for migrants with diverse SOGIESC.  

IOM has continued to strengthen GBV programming across diverse operational contexts. IOM conducted 930 capacity-building intiatives for IOM staff, national authorities, and partners to ensure all stakeholders understand how to safely and ethically respond to a disclosure of GBV.  

Through coordination calls, capacity-building initiatives, and deployments, IOM has provided technical support to over 40 country missions in 2024. The support included developing and disseminating materials, offering guidance on GBV-specialized programming, supporting protection scale-ups, and resolving complex GBV challenges.  

As part of these efforts, IOM also launched an e-course “Introduction to gender-based violence (GBV) in crisis” in 2023 and an upcoming e-course on “Introduction to IOM Intersectional Gender Analysis” is planned in 2025. 

Furthermore, IOM reviewed 405 proposals, concept notes, reports, Regional Migrant Response Plans, and Crisis Response Plans from over 70 countries. These reviews ensure alignment with IOM’s institutional standards for addressing GBV, adherence to the Do No Harm principle, and the promotion of gender equality. 

 IOM continued to be committed and proactive partner of the UN Action Network on Sexual Violence in Conflict, demonstrating its engagement through work on survivor reparations, the intersection of trafficking and CRSV, and, more recently, its intellectual and practical contributions to the nexus between terrorism, CVE, and CRSV. As the key lead within the Network on Reparations for CRSV, IOM played a central role in both civil society and government engagement, particularly in supporting the reintegration of female ex-associate survivors of sexual violence linked to violent extremism. In 2024, IOM contributed to the CRSV Prevention Framework launched by the SRSG, which seeks to enhance structural and operational prevention, including tackling gender inequality as a root cause of sexual violence. Through its Land, Property, and Reparations (LPR) technical unit, IOM also provided governments with specialized training for professionals and promoted non-stigmatizing services to aid survivor rehabilitation. Additionally, IOM reviewed the SG Annual Reports on CRSV, providing critical input on its positioning and contributions to addressing CRSV globally. 

UNODC supports implementing the HAYA Joint Programme, dedicated to eradicating violence against women in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, in partnership with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN Habitat), and the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women). 

UNODC continues to support the EU-UN Spotlight Initiative. Under this initiative, UNODC developed a toolbox for Mexican universities to support institutional responses to violence against women within the academic community. 

UNODC launched the “#EmpowerHer: Advancing Women in/for Justice” initiative, in partnership with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), UN Women and the Philippines.  

UNODC supported the 30th Session of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (May 2023), which recommended that Member States should strengthen multidisciplinary and coordinated crime prevention and criminal justice responses to gender-based violence and gender related killing of women and girls, including through in-depth reviews of cases, and exploration of the possibility of establishing domestic homicide and violent death review committees. UNODC published the study “Background paper on Femicide Review Committees” and further guidance on its femicide reviews website, to support Member States in these efforts. 

In Ethiopia, UNODC supported the Ministry of Women and Social Affairs in drafting a national policy for preventing and responding to gender-based violence and organized a national consultation forum on the role of women in peacebuilding and conflict resolution.  

UNODC provided legislative guidance on Albania’s draft gender equality law, aligning recommendations with the United Nations standards and norms in crime prevention and criminal justice. These contributions aimed to strengthen the country’s legislative framework on gender equality. 

In Viet Nam, UNODC, in collaboration with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), provided advisory services in relation to a draft of a law on domestic violence prevention and control, which was subsequently passed.  

In Nigeria, UNODC supported the development of a gender-responsive five-year strategic plan, standard operating procedures, and a monitoring framework for police accountability and victim support. 

In Panama, UNODC developed a gender-responsive litigation manual for public defenders and delivered training to judiciary members on handling gender-based violence cases. 

UNODC provided advisory support to the government of Mauritania on implementing gender-responsive policing practices.  

As part of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence yearly campaign, UNODC promoted several awareness-raising initiatives, including: 

• Algeria:  launch of a short movie with famous male influencers expressing support to women victims of violence 
• Namibia:  launch of the National Namibian Gender Base Violence Database. Developed with the support of UNODC, the Database uses administrative data to track the outcomes of a reported case along the multisectoral continuum of care, to its criminal process outcomes. 

 Other activities: 

• UNODC in collaboration with Mauritania organized a campaign in Mauritanian high schools to combat unconscious gender stereotypes and create vocations to the professions of defense, security, and justice among young Mauritanian girls. 
• UNODC organized three awareness-raising sessions on Prisoner and Human Rights for Women and Juvenile Inmates with the Sindh Prison Department in Pakistan. 
• Cambodia: UNODC raised awareness on support available for victims though a six-month public information campaign.  
• Mexico:  UNODC joined the conversation on how sport can be a vehicle towards gender equality in the podcast Cancha Naranja, tu espacio seguro. This podcast addresses the different strategies to eradicate violence and gender inequalities both on and off the playing field. 

 Within the framework of the joint programme “HAYA: Eliminating violence against women in the West Bank and Gaza Strip”, UNODC conducted an awareness-raising campaign that promoted essential services available to victims and survivors of gender-based violence in the State of Palestine. The Office also organized six awareness-raising workshops for service providers dealing with survivors and victims of violence.  

In Egypt, the UNODC established the first secure area for female victims of violence at the East Alexandria Court.  

In the State of Palestine, UNODC supported the HAYA Joint Programme, providing comprehensive care for survivors, including psychological counselling and legal assistance.  

In Kyrgyzstan, UNODC developed a one-stop service centre to improve victim assistance strategies and streamline support services.