Mar 2009 - Sept 2009

Implementation of the project "Enhancing capacities to eradicate violence against women" was commenced, being coordinated by ECLAC in collaboration with the other four regional commissions, the UN Division for the Advancement of Women and the UN Statistics Division, as observers. A meeting was held in May, in Geneva, in order to coordinate the main activities of the project.

UNSD commenced a trial compilation of national statistics on violence against women, pursuant to the Statistical Commission’s request in its decision 40/110 on gender statistics (2009).

UNECE participated in the "International Conference on a Joint Approach to Family Violence: legislation, indicators, enforcement" organized by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), Government of the Kyrgyz Republic, European Commission, Soros Foundation, UNECE, World Bank Institute (WBI) and the Center for Research of Democratic Processes. UNECE provided a presentation on international initiatives to develop indicators on violence against women.

Analysis and publications have been completed on the basis of the WHO Multi-country study on women's health and domestic violence, such as on risk and protective factors for intimate partner violence across 15 settings, partner violence and reproductive health (associations with abortion, miscarriage and unintended pregnancy). Local teams in Kiribati and Solomon Islands, supported by AUSAID and others, completed surveys, using WHO methods and support, and they are using the results for policy and programmatic responses.

The research study supported by UNFPA and conducted by the International Center for Research on Women on “Costing Intimate Partner Violence in 3 identified countries” was finalized and a colloquium was organised in Washington DC, in May 2009, at the International Centre for Research on Women (ICRW) to make the findings of the study public.

In Ethiopia and Djibouti, HIV/AIDS vulnerability assessments by UNHCR were conducted for high risk groups in refugee camps. The assessments substantiated that survival sex takes place in the refugee camps. The recommendations included immediate protection measures for children who have been sexually exploited and abused, as well as setting up peer led systems, HIV/AIDS and health education to targeted groups.

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.

ESCAP issued a publication on commercial sexual exploitation in the Pacific region, entitled “Pacific Perspectives on the Commercial Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse of Children and Youth”, providing an analysis of the cultural, political, economic and social aspects of the commercial sexual exploitation and sexual abuse of children, as well as its root causes and consequences in the Pacific.

The Secretary-General’s database on violence against women was launched by the Deputy Secretary-General at an event convened by DAW, now part of UN Women, on 5 March 2009. The database provides the first “one-stop site” for information on measures undertaken by Member States to address violence against women, including their: legal frameworks; plans, strategies and policies; institutional mechanisms; preventative measures, including awareness-raising, and training; and services for victims/survivors.

In a meeting held by WHO in March 2009 the implementation and evaluation of health sector interventions was reviewed and an outline for guidance to the health sector, with a focus on resource poor settings, was developed.