United Nations Development Programme

In Somalia (Somaliland), a referral system, facilitated by UNDP, was established in 2010 through which clan elders refer cases involving serious violations of gender violence to the formal courts. As a result of the new referral system, and the work of the Sexual Assault Referral Centre in Hargeisa (SARC), there has been a 44% increase of sexual violence cases referred to the formal courts, compared to 2009. Hide

UNDP Argentina coordinated inter-agency efforts to organise a workshop for journalists, aimed at raising awareness about violence against women and enhance gender-sensitive media coverage on the topic. 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

UNDP-Bureau for Crisis Prevention and Recovery (BCPR) has recruited an expert to contribute to the Team of Experts who will be in post as of February 2011. The Expert will undertake the technical work and deployments of the Team of Experts, whilst BCPR Rule of Law, Justice and Security team and senior management will continue to be closely engaged with the Special Representative of the Secretary General on Sexual Violence in Conflict and the Team of Experts Team Leader regarding the overall strategy and direction of the Team. Hide

In Papua New Guinea, UNDP continued to work with faith-based organizations to strengthen the protection and support services for survivors of gender-based violence. UNDP supported the National Council of Women to maintain their protection and support services for survivors at the local level. Hide

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, UNDP supported NGOs to establish eight paralegal centers at the community level; two in North Kivu and six in South Kivu. The paralegal centers have assisted with more than 183 cases by providing information and orientation to victims and ultimately positively influencing national peace processes and contributing to post-crisis recovery and peace-building. In partnership with Avocats Sans Frontieres, UNDP supported the South Kivu Bar Association to launch a pro bono office providing legal aid, now serving Bukavu. As a result of the collective efforts of the international community to support the strengthening of the rule of law in Eastern DRC to counter sexual gender-based violence and through the leading role of UNDP leading role in these efforts (training, mentoring, logistics and equipment to police, victims, paralegals and lawyers), two important investigations were conducted in Walikale territory following the large number of rapes which occurred in May and August 2010. Hide

The main objectives of the UNDP “Access to Justice Program” in the Democratic Republic of Congo are to promote legal awareness; strengthen judicial response; and increase access to justice. In 2010, 213 local and traditional leaders benefited from sensitization campaigns, and 20 military officers in charge of training and communication were trained to provide awareness-raising amongst military forces on sexual gender-based violence, command, leadership and disciplinary measures. These officers have further sensitized high-ranking officers and soldiers. Brochures and posters on “how to exercise your rights as a victim of sexual gender-based violence” were disseminated, primarily targeting victims. In Guinea Conakry, UNDP partnered with the Bar Association to organize sensitizations on sexual violence for judiciary personnel. Hide

In Nepal, UNDP has provided assistance with regard to (a) the development of a training manual and provision of five trainings on gender-based violence and gender justice (reporting, investigation and prosecution) for 125 judges and lawyers; (b) a gender-based violence assessment (on-going); (c) transitional and gender justice training of trainers programmes for civil society actors; and (d) a series of district and central level consultations on “gender-sensitive transitional justice”. Hide

UNDP Argentina, with UNICEF and UNIFEM, continues to support the work of a Domestic Violence Office at the National Supreme Court of Justice, which has provided assistance to 13,000 victims of domestic violence the last two years (80% women and 20% men, mainly boys). The office has collected and disseminated statistics on the issue of violence against women for the first time in the history of Argentina’s justice system. Three more similar offices opened in the provinces of Tucumán, Santiago del Estero, and Salta. Hide

In Sierra Leone, UNDP continued to support six civil society organizations to provide legal aid to sexual gender-based violence survivors, resulting in 19 convictions bringing the total to 45 convictions in 2010 (compared to zero in 2009, according to GoSiL). UNDP will continue to build the capacity of the Sierra Leone Bar Association to ensure institutional sustainability of legal service provision on sexual gender-based violence. Hide