Enhanced Capacity of UN Entity in Relation to Violence Against Women

OIOS’ evaluation of the United Nations Mission in the Sudan (UNMIS) showed that progress had been made in mainstreaming gender into the Mission's agenda and tasks. For example, the Mission prepared gender equality guidelines and a gender strategy, which was instrumental in establishing Vulnerable Persons Protection Units in all Sudanese police stations and had demobilized more than 6,000 women combatants by September 2010. In OIOS' survey of UNMIS staff, 57 per cent of respondents rated the Mission's activities in giving attention to the special needs of women combatants in disarmament, demobilization and reintegration positively. However, information received by UNMIS that 24 women and 30 girls had been raped in 2 villages was not included in the Human Rights Bulletin that the Mission compiled. OIOS recommended that UNMIS should report more comprehensively on human rights violations. (A/65/752)OIOS’ evaluation of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) gave particular emphasis to violence against women in view of the history of conflict-related violence against women in that country. OIOS collaborated with UN Women to develop terms of reference incorporating this focus and to ensure that the Mission's efforts to reduce violence against women and offer assistance to victims were evaluated. The Mission's responses to incidents of violence against women were also considered in the evaluation. The draft report of the evaluation is currently being reviewed by the Mission and DPKO/DFS.OIOS’ evaluation of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) addressed policing and building the capacity of the local police to cope with criminal activity, which includes violence against women. OIOS has submitted the draft report with findings and recommendations to the Mission and DPKO/DFS for review.OIOS reviewed activities aimed at eliminating violence against women in the context of an audit of the management of the human rights programme in the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI). OIOS’ proposed recommendations include strengthening implementation strategies and programme evaluation of UNAMI's human rights interventions in Iraq that also relate to women right violations. Hide

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. Hide

The Nordic Trust Fund (NTF) is supporting the Democratic Republic of Congo country team of the World Bank to explore how women’s and children’s human rights addressing gender-based violence (GBV) along with other issues can be taken into account in the Bank’s country program. Hide

In the context of the emergence of UN Women, UNFPA worked to clarify for its staff comparative advantage and value-added areas, where UNFPA mandates will support UN efforts to transform gender relations, end gender-based violence and harmful practices and ensure that legislative frameworks are strengthened and implemented. The UNFPA Gender and Gender-based Violence Advisers participated in capacity building and strategic planning meetings. Capacity development strategies were aimed at policy and institutional levels and at improving technical assistance. Building on the outcomes of the 2008 Gender Capacity Assessment report, work was initiated to: i) harmonize and create more gender responsive indicators in the thematic funds; ii) to strengthen networks of regional Gender and Gender-based Violence advisers; and, iii) to support regions to develop in-country capacities with Country Office-level gender and gender-based violence focal points. Hide

The OHCHR Regional Office for Central America organized a training of trainers on “Human Mobility and Human Rights”, for UN staff in the region, that included one Module on Gender Analysis of Migration and violence against women throughout the process. Hide

A new space dedicated to gender-based violence was created in Teamworks, UNDP’s extranet web-based platform, which identifies staff working on or interested in gender-based violence, and provides them with resources, and relevant information on gender-based violence and programming.In January 2011, the UNDP Gender Team hosted a learning and information-sharing event for staff of UNDP, UN Women, UNFPA, and UNICEF, in HQs and several countries. Hide

In September 2010, UNFPA developed the draft of the sub-regional strategy on Gender-based Violence for Latin America and the Caribbean region via a workshop held in Guatemala. Hide

The OHCHR supported the Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences in strengthening partnerships with other human rights mechanisms, both special procedures and treaty bodies, particularly the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). The Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences and CEDAW held discussions on ways to strengthen cooperation in a number of areas of their work. In Panama, the OHCHR Regional Office led the preparation of the United Nations Country Team’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR) submission, which includes a section on the situation of women in the country, including an alarming increase in cases of femicide. Hide

In Panama, the OHCHR has participated in the Common Country Assessement (CCA)/UN Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) processes of Panama throughout 2010 and has an active role in the inter-agency group of gender and the SG UNITE Campaign. The OHCHR organized a human rights-based approach training in Costa Rica, highlighting, inter alia, issues related to women’s rights and violence against women. The OHCHR participated, with a resource person, in a human rights-based approach training, at the UN Staff College, for the UNCT in El Salvador, in connection with the preparation of CCA/UNDAF.Gender Advisors of OHCHR were deployed in four regional offices (Fiji, Lebanon, Panama and Senegal). In the Regional Office in Panama, for example, the role of the Gender Advisor, is to integrate gender analysis into the Office’s areas of work and to raise awareness about violence, against women. Hide

In Gaza, West Bank, Syria, Jordan and Lebanon, UNRWA staff attended training in detecting and counselling victims of gender-based violence. The staff included nurses, midwifes, health counsellors, medical officers, education counsellors, lawyers and social workers. In West Bank, and with the support of the Birzeit University, 4 trainings took place to introduce the concepts of community protection. Hide