Measures

As a follow up to the Secretary-General’s Study on Violence Against Children, in December 2007, UNICEF supported the development of a new publication on violence against girls, entitled ” From Invisible to Indivisible” highlighting the recommendations of the Secretary-General’s study on violence against children and the study on violence against women. Hide

In June 2008 in Uganda, 35 schools received support by UNICEF to form child rights clubs. Trainings for Parents/Teachers Associations (PTAs) and School Management Committees (SMCs) on child rights and sexual abuse were conducted. UNIFEM supported a regional radio network (ALER) to train community radio staff in Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela, working among indigenous communities. In Honduras, a violence prevention programme was signed between the Instituto Luis Bogran, the Ministry of Education and UNDP for training teachers, parents and students to become change agents in preventing violence. Hide

At the global level, UNICEF contributed extensively to the work of the General Assembly on a comprehensive policy and strategy for victims of abuse and exploitation by United Nations staff and partners. The policy, which was adopted by the General Assembly in resolution A/RES/62/214 in December 2007, explicitly notes the vulnerabilities of women and girls and seeks remedy for harm done to them. Hide

UNICEF has played a major role in the new UN Action against Sexual Violence in Conflict initiative, as Co-Chair of the advocacy working group. Under the auspices of UN Action, UNICEF, together with the women’s rights NGO V-Day is leading a global campaign against sexual violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The Campaign, Stop raping our Greatest Resource: Power to the Women and Girls of DRC was launched in Bukavu, DRC, in November 2007. Hide

UNICEF country offices continued to support the development of legislation pertinent to violence against women and girls and to work with the Inter-Parliamentary Union. Hide

UNICEF facilitates the establishment of partnerships with governments and non-governmental organizations, and places emphasis on the development of national action plans on gender-based violence. Hide

In December 2007, UNFPA published A Holistic Approach to the Abandonment of Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting. This document describes the holistic approach utilized by UNFPA - such legal and policy reform, national capacity building and working at the community level – in its FGM/C abandonment programmes, and gives a brief sampling of the organization's country level experiences. Hide

In 2007, UNFPA, in collaboration with the International Centre for Research on Women (ICRW), developed a model for costing violence against women, to be used for Bangladesh, Uganda, and Morocco. Data collection has commenced. Hide

UNFPA organized a meeting in Addis Ababa on addressing female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) in August 2007, involving a wide range of stakeholders. Hide

In December 2007, UNFPA co-hosted the Africa Regional Forum on strengthening partnerships with faith-based organizations (FBOs) for the prevention of HIV/AIDS and violence against women, with the World Conference of the Religions for Peace, in Durban, South Africa. Hide