Sexual Violence in Conflict

The revised version of the Employment and Decent Work for Peace and Resilience Recommendation (No. 205) was adopted by the International Labour Conference in June 2017. 
In its Article 15, the Recommendation establishes that “In responding to discrimination arising from or exacerbated by conflicts or disasters and when taking measures for promoting peace, preventing crises, enabling recovery and building resilience, Members should…prevent and punish all forms of gender-based violence, including rape, sexual exploitation and harassment, and protect and support victims” 

WHO is implementing work to strengthen the institutionalisation of gender-based violence responses in WHO’s humanitarian work, ensuring the integration of violence against women (sexual violence and intimate partner violence) in the work of the health cluster at global and regional levels, and in selected countries.

Iraq CO

UN Women undertakes several measures to address sexual violence in conflict situations related to the UN Women workforce such as:

DRC
Strengthening of community prevention mechanisms with vigilance committees; sensitization of the military and police on their role in civil protection. Action to repress the perpetrators of sexual violence with emblematic trials of certain senior military officers. Actions carried out by the office of the Personal Representative of the Head of State in charge of combating sexual violence with the support of partners, in particular UN Women and UNFPA.

CAMEROON

In Mali, OHCHR training military and government officials in relation to the prevention of CRSV by Malian actors. In 2017, 446 security officials, 132 members of the civil society organizations and 89 officials of the governmental institutions were trained to address and prevent CRSV.  

WFP has developed comprehensive protection and gender policies which outline that WFP programmes and interventions must not create, exacerbate or contribute to gender inequalities or discrimination, and must mitigate risks of gender-based violence (GBV). In line with these policies, WFP has developed protection and GBV guidance manuals, which specifically look at concerns of GBV associated with implementing food assistance programmes, including in conflict settings. 

UNRWA has created a number of tools to support enhanced Agency capacity to address GBV in emergencies, including UNRWA Guidelines for GBV Risk Mitigation in Emergencies (2017) and a GBV Training Package (2018). 

A project implemented by Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) with funding from the UN Trust Fund in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Kenya is working to address gaps in the medical-legal process in order to improve responses to sexual violence against women and girls. The programme has been actively engaged in the two countries, both of which have endured widespread, conflict-related sexual violence and were being investigated for mass crimes by the International Criminal Court. 

As the Global CCCM Cluster lead agency for natural disasters, and in line with the objectives of the global Call to Action, IOM is working to ensure that proper prevention and mitigation measures are in place to reduce the likelihood of GBV taking place in camps and camp-like settings in crises .  At the global level, IOM continues to mainstream GBV prevention and mitigation through a range of activities, including the deployment of RRAs.