United Nations Development Programme
Background
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) advocates for change and connects countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. UNDP works with countries to build their own solutions to global and national development challenges and achieve the Millennium Development Goals. UNDP helps developing countries attract and use aid effectively and encourages the protection of human rights and the empowerment of women in all its activities. UNDP chairs the UN Action Against Sexual Violence in Conflict.
Areas of Focus
UNDP’s role is to contribute strategically and catalytically to growing national ability to promote equality and capability of all citizens. All UNDP program personnel, working in every focus area, are obliged to mainstream GBV considerations into their work because it has major implications for the successful attainment of the MDGs, and is a component of the fight against gender discrimination, an endeavor which cuts across all UNDP activity. UNDP focuses on all types of violence against women, including vulnerabilities arising out of trafficking in women and children, HIV/AIDS, disaster, conflict and post-conflict situations.
UNDP has implemented various actions to improve access to justice for women who suffered violence especially during the COVID-19 lockdowns.
The Tunisian office supported coordination between the designated emergency “hotline” and specialized police units responding to alerts of domestic violence and provided the specialized units with adequate protection gear and training.
The pilot initiative "Rukni", started by UNDP Jordan, provided digital phone booth for GBV survivors and women at risk to ensure them to have a better understanding of how to reach hotline services, COVID-19 applications and e-services.
UNDP Maldives supported civil society organizations to provide pro bono legal aid services to DV/GBV survivors. In Bangladesh, UNDP facilitated the process to create linkage between the victim/survivors and National Human Rights Commission to ensure better protection, support and services. unit of NHRC.
In Moldova, with the support of the Republic of Korea, UNDP responded positively to the Executive Committee of ATU Gagauzia and provided help to set-up a service for the survivors of domestic violence in the region. Based on the cooperation with the Executive Committee of Gagauzia, the first regional Center for survivors of domestic violence was created and is functional as of November 2020.