United Nations Children’s Fund
Background
The United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) is mandated to advocate for the protection of children's rights, to help meet their basic needs and to expand their opportunities to reach their full potential. UNICEF is guided by the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and strives to establish children's rights as enduring ethical principles and international standards of behaviour towards children.
Policy framework
UNICEF is guided by the Mid-Term Strategic Plan 2006-2009, extended until the end of 2011, which prioritizes promotion of gender equality and programming to protect children from violence.
Areas of Focus
UNICEF works on different manifestations of gender-based violence, depending on the particular country or context. These include: female genital mutilation/cutting, early marriage, trafficking, sexual exploitation, sexual violence, domestic violence, and violence in schools. UNICEF has been particularly focused on violence against women and girls in armed conflict. UNICEF engages in capacity building and development of holistic strategies to end gender-based violence, as well as the training of staff and partners. UNICEF’s strategy to end gender-based violence includes continuous support to the strengthening of law enforcement on violence, sexual exploitation and trafficking of children; work with judicial systems to prevent re-victimization of children and adolescents victims; strengthening of child protection systems at national and local levels to prevent, protect and care for children victims of violence, abuse and exploitation and work with education and health sectors to raise awareness on how to detect and report violence, exploitation and abuse of children.
Resources
Child Protection Sections Milestones and Resources:
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2016
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2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development(Commitment)
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Luxembourg Guidelines(Guidelines)
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2017
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UASC Tool Kit(Guidance/tool)
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INSPIRE Handbook and Indicators Compendium(Guidance/tool)
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Gender Section Resources:
THE MULTI-COUNTRY STUDY ON THE DRIVERS OF VIOLENCE AFFECTING CHILDREN. A CROSS-COUNTRY SNAPSHOT OF FINDINGS
Pathways between Childhood trauma, intimate partner violence, and harsh parenting: findings from the UN Multi-Country Study on Men and Violence in Asia and the Pacific
Understand the linkages between violence against women and violence against children
Guidelines and tools:
UNICEF Preventing and Responding to Violence Against Children and Adolescents: Theory of Change 2017
Gender-based Violence Against Children and Youth with Disabilities Toolkit, Women’s Refugee Commission, ChildFund International, 2016
ABOUT 104 RESULTS
Oct 2009 - Feb 2010
Through UN Action, UNICEF is leading a consultative process to develop indicators to measure progress in implementing Security Council resolution 1820; and to generate proposals on monitoring and reporting gaps in the UN’s response to conflict-related sexual violence, as requested by the Security Co
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Through UN Action, UNICEF is leading a consultative process to develop indicators to measure progress in implementing Security Council resolution 1820; and to generate proposals on monitoring and reporting gaps in the UN’s response to conflict-related sexual violence, as requested by the Security Council.
Oct 2009 - Feb 2010
The project “Strengthening prevention of sexual violence in conflict with parties to armed conflict (phase I)” was submitted for funding to UN Action against Sexual Violence in Conflict in December 2009.
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The project “Strengthening prevention of sexual violence in conflict with parties to armed conflict (phase I)” was submitted for funding to UN Action against Sexual Violence in Conflict in December 2009. The project, in which UNICEF, UNFPA, DPA and OCHA have partnered up, aims to develop a set of tools and approaches for engaging parties to conflict, and calling on them to respect international law and to stop using rape and other forms of sexual violence as a weapon of warfare.
Mar 2009 - Sept 2009
UNICEF undertook in-depth research into the social dynamics of abandonment of harmful practices and social norms, in collaboration with partners.
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UNICEF undertook in-depth research into the social dynamics of abandonment of harmful practices and social norms, in collaboration with partners. This research provided new insights and increased the understanding of social norms in perpetuating different forms of harmful traditional practices, including Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C), child marriage, household violence and other forms of violence, such as sexual exploitation and trafficking.
Oct 2008 - Feb 2009
The World Congress III against Sexual Exploitation of Children and Adolescents, which took place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in November 2008, was organized jointly by UNICEF, the Government of Brazil, ECPAT and the NGO Group for the Convention on the Rights of the Child., resulting in the “Rio de Ja
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The World Congress III against Sexual Exploitation of Children and Adolescents, which took place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in November 2008, was organized jointly by UNICEF, the Government of Brazil, ECPAT and the NGO Group for the Convention on the Rights of the Child., resulting in the “Rio de Janeiro Pact to Prevent and Stop Sexual Exploitation of Children and Adolescents”.UNICEF continued to support social mobilization efforts at all levels to change attitudes and behaviour on violence against women and girls, including sexual violence and exploitation, trafficking and female genital mutilation.
Oct 2008 - Feb 2009
UNICEF continued to work with the Inter-Parliamentary Union and provide support at regional and national level to legal reform on violence against women and girls.
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UNICEF continued to work with the Inter-Parliamentary Union and provide support at regional and national level to legal reform on violence against women and girls.
Oct 2008 - Feb 2009
In follow up to the recommendations of the UN Study on Violence against Children, and in preparation or the World Congress III, UNICEF continued to support research, studies and data collection on different forms of violence against girls, including in collaboration with other stakeholders, such as
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In follow up to the recommendations of the UN Study on Violence against Children, and in preparation or the World Congress III, UNICEF continued to support research, studies and data collection on different forms of violence against girls, including in collaboration with other stakeholders, such as ILO-IPEC, IOM, ECPAT, and Save the Children.
Oct 2008 - Feb 2009
At global level, UNICEF co-led the gender-based violence area of responsibility of the Protection Cluster Working Group and participated in the ECHA/ECPS UN and NGO Task Force on Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse, and the working group on victims’ assistance developing a guide to support
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At global level, UNICEF co-led the gender-based violence area of responsibility of the Protection Cluster Working Group and participated in the ECHA/ECPS UN and NGO Task Force on Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse, and the working group on victims’ assistance developing a guide to support the implementation of the General Assembly Resolution “United Nations Comprehensive Strategy on Assistance and Support to Victims of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse by United Nations Staff and related Personnel”.
Oct 2008 - Feb 2009
In 2008, on the basis of the Coordinated Strategy to Abandon FGM/C in One Generation, UNICEF in collaboration with local partners supported programmes in 21 countries, including through data collection, public awareness-raising, training of community members, health workers, traditional leaders and
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In 2008, on the basis of the Coordinated Strategy to Abandon FGM/C in One Generation, UNICEF in collaboration with local partners supported programmes in 21 countries, including through data collection, public awareness-raising, training of community members, health workers, traditional leaders and decision makers.
Feb 2008 - Sept 2008
The UNFPA and UNICEF Trust Fund and Joint Programme on Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C) aims at reducing FGM/C by 40 per cent in 17 countries by 2012. Over the last six months, work plans were finalized in eight countries and funds disbursed for programme implementation.
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The UNFPA and UNICEF Trust Fund and Joint Programme on Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C) aims at reducing FGM/C by 40 per cent in 17 countries by 2012. Over the last six months, work plans were finalized in eight countries and funds disbursed for programme implementation.
Feb 2008 - Sept 2008
UNICEF’s MICS 3 (Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey) collected in 2007 for the first time information on attitudes towards domestic violence and child disciplining. MICS also includes modules on female genital mutilation/cutting and child marriage (information is available at www.childinfo.org).
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UNICEF’s MICS 3 (Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey) collected in 2007 for the first time information on attitudes towards domestic violence and child disciplining. MICS also includes modules on female genital mutilation/cutting and child marriage (information is available at www.childinfo.org). UNICEF Swaziland, in partnership with the Centres for Disease Control, published a study on sexual abuse of girls, which will be replicated in other countries in Sub-Saharan Africa.