Measures to Address Sexual Violence in Conflict Situations

UNICEF has been leading a mapping exercise on the activities of different actors at the field level to increase the safety and security of women and children, girls especially, and to prevent gender-based violence related to conflict and disasters. This information will be used to inform an overall gender-based violence prevention framework. Through the initiative “Together for Girls” – a public/private sector partnership to address sexual violence against girls–UNICEF has supported the undertaking of two surveys on violence against children in Tanzania and Kenya, with a particular focus on sexual violence against girls. In January 2011, UNICEF officially joined, IRC, UNFPA and UNHCR in the Steering Committee of the Gender-Based Violence Information Management System (GBV IMS). UNICEF finalized an inter-agency training package “The Caring for Survivors of Sexual Violence in Emergencies”, that has been endorsed by the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) Sub-Working Group on Gender in Humanitarian Action with support from the Gender-based Violence Area of Responsibility (GBV AoR). The training package provides information and skill development, for various stakeholders, in relation to treatment of sexual violence survivors in conflict-affected countries or complex emergencies, including medical treatment. Hide

The launch of the UNFPA’s 2010 State of the World Population Report (SWOP) was held in October 2010 and it links Peace, Security and Development to Women’s Rights and Empowerment and its release coincided with the 10th anniversary of the SCR 1325 landmark resolution. Hide

UNFPA provided technical and funding support to the Nepal government to develop the National Action Plan on SCR 1325. UNRWA is participating in UNHCR’s (Jordan and Syria) Sexual Gender-Based Violence coordination meeting. Hide

UNFPA Country Offices – in more than 32 countries – are operationalizing various components of UN Security Council Resolution 1325, under the four pillars of the Resolution, including the pillar on Prevention and Protection. Hide

UNFPA has developed a draft strategy on gender-based Violence for the Latin America and Caribbean region via a workshop held in Guatemala in September 2010. The sub-regional strategy – with a focus on sexual violence – will aim to provide guidance to UNFPA country offices and partners in the region to develop a comprehensive response to addressing sexual violence. Hide

UNFPA provides support to the Kofi Annan Peace Institute in Ghana to develop capacities of grassroots women to implement SCR 1325 components in select African countries. Hide

UNFPA in collaboration with UNIFEM and UNESCAP organised a capacity development workshop in Thailand in October 2010 aimed at helping 11 country offices in the Asia-Pacific region understand SCR 1325. This workshop also launched the Asia-Pacific technical platform on SCR 1325, the purpose of which is to provide technical assistance to countries in the region on the development of National Action Plans on SCR 1325. Hide

The OHCHR Regional Office for South-East Asia participated in the Commemoration of the 10th Anniversary of UN Security Council 1325, on Women, Peace and Security held by the Thematic Working Group on Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women (TWG-GEEW). The event also launched the Regional Advisory Group on Women, Peace and Security, where several stakeholders were present. The OHCHR Regional Office in the Pacific gave a presentation on “Women and Conflict and Peace and Security” at the Regional Training Program on violence against women, which was organized and facilitated by Fiji Women’s Crisis Center (FWCC). On 26 October, the Regional Office and the OHCHR New York Office organized a workshop for the 1325 anniversary in New York entitled: Unrecognized Conflict: Women’s Survival and Security. The workshop discussed issues of unknown and unrecognized conflicts and how they impact women’s security. On 27 October, in New York, the OHCHR facilitated a workshop on “Building Peace: Exploring the Intersections of Militarism and Violence against Women”, as part of the 1325 anniversary. The OHCHR Regional Office in the Pacific published a discussion paper for the 10th Anniversary of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325, entitled “Armed Tribal Conflict and Sorcery in the Highlands of Papua New Guinea.” On 25 October, the Regional Office further presented issues from the discussion paper at a workshop ‘Voices from the Frontlines’ organized by the United Methodist Women and World Council of Churches. Hide

Following the report of the “Panel on Reparations for Sexual Violence in the democratic Republic of Congo”, in December 2010, the OHCHR undertook a follow-up mission to the Democratic Republic of Congo to discuss the findings and recommendations of the report with all stakeholders. Hide

In its efforts to address the protection concerns of its beneficiaries, WFP has started a project which will enhance the prevention and response to sexual- and gender-based violence (SGBV) in displacement settings. The project period is from September 2010 to September 2011, and aims to:a. conduct a mapping exercise of the extent of SGBV in relation to food assistance in displacement settings;b. collect and compile good practices on prevention and response to SGBV in food assistance to guide WFP staff and partners;c. build the capacity of WFP and partner staff to understand the relation between protection threats, SGBV and food assistance and be able to respond as appropriate;d. ensure WFP compliance with the UN zero-tolerance on sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) in pilot countries.Targeted countries for implementation include: Kenya, Sudan (Darfur), Haiti, DRC, Myanmar, Chad and Burundi. In Myanmar, WFP has completed an analysis on protection and SGBV, and conducted a protection training with a special session on SGBV. In Kenya, WFP has conducted an SGBV mapping and support has been provided to PSEA focal points..In Chad, WFP has conducted an SGBV mapping and SAFE (Safe Access to Firewood and alternative Energy) assessment, provided training on protection, SGBV (including PSEA) and SAFE and provided programme support for the integration of protection (including prevention of and response to SGBV) into WFP programme tools. Hide