Prevention and Advocacy

A number of stories on violence against women, such as violence against albinos in Tanzania and violence against female domestic workers in Brazil, were posted during the Durban Review Conference, held in April in Geneva, on both the OHCHR and the Conference sites. Another story focused on the side event “Double Odds: Women Overcoming Multiple Discrimination” including a presentation by the Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences.

The International Women's Day in 2009 was used to highlight the campaign, with the theme of “Women and Men United to End Violence against Women and Girls.” DPI carried out promotional activities and media outreach to promote the day at UN Headquarters and around the world, including the dissemination of information materials and press conferences.

In support of the Secretary-General’s Campaign, UNIFEM, now part of UN Women, coordinated inter-agency efforts towards the launch of the UNiTE in Africa and UNiTE Latin America and the Caribbean regional components of the Campaign. It organized with OSAGI and the Center for Women's Global Leadership a civil society consultation in relation to the Campaign.

DPI worked to promote the Secretary-General's Campaign, focusing on raising awareness of violence against women globally; mobilizing public opinion to urge decision-makers to implement or change policies, in order to end violence against women; and generating awareness about the role of the United Nations in efforts to end violence against women. DPI’s network of UN Information Centres (UNICs) actively participated in promoting the Campaign at the national and regional levels, including through work with governments, students and civil society.

DAW, now part of UN Women, Issues # 3 and 4 of Words to Action were produced, with feature articles on the Secretary-General’s Campaign “UNiTE to end violence against women” and the IANWGE Task Force’s joint programming pilot initiative, respectively.

In Grenada, St. Lucia and Trinidad & Tobago, UNIFEM, now part of UN Women, is supporting implementation of a court-based batterer intervention programme.

UNFPA is working in collaboration with a wide range of stakeholders to address gender-based violence, including outreach work with men on prevention and sensitization of populations at large.

IOM Colombia also started the implementation of a project to prevent and address gender-based violence in IDPs at and across the Colombian borders with Panama, Venezuela and Ecuador.

WHO has continued to provide technical support to Member States on request, including on health sector response, and primary prevention. Within the framework of violence prevention, WHO emphasizes the role of public health in the prevention and response to violence against women. WHO is actively advocating against the medicalization of female genital mutilation.

UNESCO is working on a campaign to fight human trafficking in Africa. UNESCO’s flagship initiative of community multimedia centers (CMC) provides access to information and communication resources in the areas of women’s rights and development, for poor and marginalized women. UNESCO has over 130 CMCs in more than 25 countries.