Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights

In El Salvador, officials of the Ministry of Justice and Public Security, the Public Prosecutor Office and the Police participated in an expert seminar, organized by the OHCHR, on legal frameworks to protect women from violence, including femicide. Hide

The OHCHR/Human Rights and Transitional Justice Section in the UN Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste has continued to conduct activities on the prevention and elimination of violence against women. Hide

OHCHR supported the on violence against women, its causes and consequences in advocating for the elimination of violence against women, such as in the conference on femicide in Latin America, organized with the European Parliament, and in a colloquium on domestic migrant workers in the EU, organized by OHCHR Regional office in Brussels. Hide

The OHCHR/Human Rights and Transitional Justice Section in the UN Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste monitored the response of the formal justice system to reported cases of violence against women, including whether traditional justice mechanisms are given priority in such cases. In March 2010, through participation in working groups, the OHCHR also provided a human rights and protection commentary on draft governmental policy related to emergency shelters and safe houses for survivors of violence against women. Hide

As Protection Cluster chair, the OHCHR promoted coordination on strategy and advocacy among actors working to address violence against women in Timor-Leste. Hide

In DRC,in order to strengthen assistance and support to victims of sexual violence, OHCHR has assembled a high-level panel of experts that will convene in the end of September 2010. The panel, led by the Deputy High Commissioner, will hold a series of hearings in various parts of the DRC with survivors of sexual violence as well as other actors. It will examine how victims perceive and evaluate institutional responses to the crimes committed against them. Ultimately, this project will provide a much needed advocacy tool not only for developing a reparations mechanism for all victims of sexual violence, but also for addressing the many weaknesses in the judicial system that affect prosecution of this crime in the DRC. Hide

The OHCHR/Human Rights and Transitional Justice Section in the UN Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste worked on the Draft Laws on Reparations, through an OHCHR-funded consultant, tasked with producing the original draft laws, and the follow-up institution for the truth commissions, such as the Commission for Reception, Truth and Reconciliation (CAVR) and the Commission for Truth and Friendship (CTF), advocating for the inclusion of victims of sexual violence. Hide

The Regional Office of the OHCHR in Panama has provided, occasionally together with UNDP, technical support for the elaboration of a law on violence against women, which is expected to be adopted on 25 November 2010. Hide

OHCHR offices allocated small grants to groups of women and human rights NGOs to provide legal aid for victims of domestic violence. OHCHR Colombia financially supported the follow-up to the 2008 Constitutional Court’s order on assistance to female internally displaced persons who are victims; investigations of sexual violence, and prevention of sexual violence; and the reformulation of the Government’s and Attorney General’s Office’s programmes for the protection of victims and witnesses. OHCHR’s Regional Office in Central Asia, based in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan funded a 10-month project on legal aid to victims of domestic violence, through the allocation of a small grant to the Association of Crisis Centers of Kyrgyzstan. The Regional Office also funded an NGO project on legal aid to victims of domestic violence in Tajikistan, including awareness-raising among government officials and general public and the opening of a telephone hotline for victims of violence. Hide

In August 2009 in Bukedea district, northeastern Uganda, OHCHR met with 36 Local Council Courts members to stress the right to equality before the law, as well as protection for gender-based violence survivors by the Local Council Courts. Hide