United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization

UNESCO (Social and Human Science Section) undertakes research on the causes and social structures that foster violence against women. As part of its research activities for the ten-year review and appraisal of the implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action, UNESCO produced a conceptual framework for qualitative and quantitative information on women’s empowerment. One of the 7 sets of indicators pertains to women’s bodily integrity and health, including data on the prevalence of female genital mutilation; sexual abuse of women; and physical abuse against women by an intimate partner. Hide

In the framework of its project to fight human trafficking in Africa, UNESCO carries out research on factors leading to human trafficking in 6 pilot countries (Benin, Nigeria, Togo, Lesotho, Mozambique and South Africa) and proposes concrete recommendations. Hide

UNESCO created a digital library in Kazakhstan. There is also an online legal service which answers questions related to domestic violence, marriage and family, gender policy issues, and maternity. Hide

In implementation of Security Council Resolution 1325, UNESCO, in collaboration with partners from the University of Hull (UK) and the Center for Human Rights, University of Pretoria (South Africa), launched a research programme on women's rights for peace and security in post conflict democracies in Africa. The aim of this program is to develop policy recommendations that address obstacles, such as violence against women, to women’s full participation in and contribution to peace and security in post conflict countries in Africa. UNESCO organized, in 2005, a consultation in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, engaging a wide range of stakeholders. It focused on the status of women in the Great Lakes region of Africa, covering also violence against women, especially sexual violence. Hide