Protection, Support and Services for Victims/Survivors

UNDP, UN WOMEN and UNICEF have collaborated on a number of initiatives, including: development of “Integrated Responses to Gender-Based Violence in Serbia" to be implemented in 2013-2014 with funding from UN Trust Fund to end Violence against Women; the joint programme “Every Safe Home: Supporting Thailand towards Effective Implementation of Protection of Domestic Violence Victims” aimed at strengthening coordination, capacity-building and public awareness to end violence against women in public and private spaces; and integration of GBV in the security sector reform process of Guinea. Hide

UN Women has provided an array of support to implement laws and policies and improve access to services. Such support has included: formalization of multi-sectoral mechanisms with 13 departments led by the Ministry of Justice in Morocco; One-stop centres and shelters for survivors of violence in Afghanistan, Burundi, Ethiopia, DRC, Guatemala, Mozambique, OPT, Solomon Islands, Tanzania, Tunisia; increased police capacities to respond in Ethiopia, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Dominican Republic, Kenya, Thailand; and access to justice to end impunity in Argentina, Brazil, India, Kosovo, Lao PDR, Tanzania, Zimbabwe; institutionalization of national standards for sheltering services, sustainability of the Mehwar Centre and establishment of the comprehensive service centre -Al Hayat Centre in the State of Palestine; legal aid services in Zimbabwe; joint support with UNDP, UNICEF, UNFPA and PAHO to the Domestic Violence Office of the Supreme Court of Justice in Argentina; and at the request of the Bureau of Immigration and Naturalization, facilitated a capacity assessment for the deployment of female officers to the borders, support for an equal treatment and equal opportunity policy and together with the Liberia National Police developed a Gender Sensitive Basic Curriculum for Recruits. In Nepal, UN Women supported dissemination of standard operating procedures on violence against women for distric level police and supported the establishment of POURAKHI (an organisation of women migrant workers, now functional in 15 districts) who assist migrant workers who have faced abuse. Hide

In 2012, around 3,144 health facilities have integrated FGM/C in their reproductive health services, particularly in their antenatal and postnatal care, with the support of UNFPA. UNFPA has ongoing collaboration with the Auckland University of Technology to support health systems in Fiji, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands and Kiribati to better respond to survivors of violence, including through the development of protocols and multi-sectoral referral mechanisms, as well as training for doctors and nurses. Hide

In 2012, UNFPA responded to crises under the GBV cluster coordination mechanism with special focus on the health needs of women and girls in Afghanistan, Burundi, Chad, Colombia, Cote d’Ivoire, DR Congo, Georgia, Guinea, Haiti, Indonesia, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines, Somalia, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syria, Uganda and Zimbabwe. Hide

In Guinea Bissau, OHCHR supported and provided technical assistance to national NGO Djinopi in the organisation of the Islamic Conference on combatting Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), where a Declaration by the Imams of Guinea Bissau on the Abandonment of FGM was adopted. Support to Djinop also resulted in the publishing of a “Golden Booklet” in English, French, Portuguese and Arabic containing short Islamic studies and statements against FGM. Hide

In Togo and Chad, OHCHR supported activities on the implementation of UPR and CEDAW recommendations on violence against women. Hide

UNODC, in cooperation with UN Women, undertook a mission in Viet Nam to assess the situation women facing when dealing with the criminal justice system, including women subject to gender-based violence, with a view to identify recommendations and programming suggestions. Hide

WHO clinical and policy guidelines on “Responding to intimate partner violence and sexual violence against women” and the programming tool on “Addressing violence against women in the context of HIV” have been finalized in 2012 for publishing in 2013. Hide

During the reporting period, UNRWA detected more than 600 survivors and over 400 formal referrals to services were made. Those survivors who did not want to be further referred benefited from counselling by trained staff. UNRWA is continually extending support services into less well-served areas. In Gaza, UNRWA is working through 21 one-stop shops located in UNRWA health centres, while in West Bank, Family and Child Protection Committees have been established in 17 refugee camps with links to 11 health centres. In Syria, survivors are supported through coordination with multiple stakeholders and UNRWA has ensured survivors’ access to adequate services. Hide

The establishment of Special Projects is a key development in the UNHCR protection response for survivors. They support multi-sectoral projects in 15 countries and cover a wide range of activities, including strengthening psychosocial response for urban refugees in India, provision of safe houses for IDPs in Haiti, and promotion of livelihoods for refugees in Ethiopia. Other examples include one-stop services to all survivors of SGBV in Jordan, regardless of their legal status; an agreement between the government and Lawyers without Borders to assist UNHCR and partners in facilitating legal services for refugees in Burundi; mobile courts in Uganda and Colombia to ensure that persons in areas lacking judicial infrastructure can have access to justice. Hide