Mar 2011 - Jan 2012

In Bolivia, under the umbrella of the UNiTE Campaign, the Interagency Gender Group, coordinated by UN Women, and the Ministry of Justice and multiple stakeholders worked together for the adoption of the Supreme Decree declaring 2012 year of No violence against Women.

UNFPA-UNICEF Joint Programme on Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C) supported passage of laws criminalizing FGM/C in Kenya and Guinea-Bissau.

In Mauritania, UN Women supported gender equality advocates for the implementation of the Africa UNiTE campaign, and a draft law for the prevention and punishment of violence against women was presented in November 2011, to members of the government, more than 50 national non-government organizations, and to the main donors and technical partners.

The ECA, through its African Center for Gender and Social Development (ACGSD), has developed the Follow-up Strategy of the Beijing +15 Regional Review, which defines an approach to operationalise the Banjul Declaration as well as those outcomes of the 54th session of the Commission on the Status of Women that relate specifically to Africa. The strategy identifies seven strategic focus areas, one of which is violence against women.

UNICEF continued its global advocacy for free and universal birth registration which supports the implementation of national legislation on minimum ages, including for child labour, child recruitment, child marriage and trafficking for the purpose of exploitation.

The Supplement to the Handbook for Legislation on Violence Against Women: “Harmful Practices” Against Women was published, and its final version is available on the website of UN Women in all UN official languages, at: https://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/vaw/v-handbook.htm#handbook_supp. This Supplement should be read and used together with the Handbook for legislation on violence against women. Hard copies were also produced.

A report “Making a Difference: An assessment of Volunteer Interventions Addressing gender-based violence in Cambodia” has been developed by a national UN Volunteer, analysing interventions where volunteerism plays a significant role in the prevention and response to violence against women.

In Lebanon, UNRWA conducted a training on detection, counselling, referral and follow up of gender-based violence and child survivors was conducted in December 2011 for 20 frontline staff members from Relief, Education, and Health sectors (Medical officers, midwives, Gynecologists/Obstetricians, head teachers, school counsellors, teacher counsellors, SWs, CDSSW/WP, CDSW/DP). An in-depth training will be conducted in March 2012 with the same participants.

OHCHR raised awareness among its country offices on Security Council resolutions on Women, Peace and Security and on their relevance for their work. This included the production and dissemination of an information sheet; the organization of two-specific sessions during the annual meeting of heads of field presence and the OHCHR planning week respectively.

UNICEF has led the development of a Prevention Framework to inform field level programming on how to increase the safety and security of women and children. UNICEF is also working to strengthen programme monitoring and evaluation of interventions to prevent and respond to violence against children. This includes global evaluations of UNICEF’s work in emergency and development contexts to address violence, as well as providing technical and financial support to an interagency action research project on the functioning and effectiveness of community-based child protection mechanisms.