Training and Capacity Building

As part of efforts to further build the capacity of staff and senior mediation practitioners to implement the WPS agenda, including on issues of conflict-related sexual violence, DPPA in 2019 conducted the 10th UN High Level Seminar on Gender Inclusive Mediation Strategies, one Gender/WPS Staff Training and a pilot workshop on Gender Conflict Analysis. DPPA continues to mainstream gender and WPS into thematic trainings, including in the UN Ceasefire Mediation and Management training. DPPA also continues to disseminate the Guidance launched in 2012 on Conflict-Related Sexual Violence in Ceasefires and Peace Agreements. These aim to further build the capacity of staff and senior mediation practitioners to implement the WPS agenda, including addressing issues of conflict-related sexual violence.

Below is a selection of UNHCR’s training and capacity building activities in 2019:

•  UNHCR trained 140 participants from different sectors on SGBV Mainstreaming (both UNHCR staff and external participants), developed a standardized SGBV mainstreaming training package and launched the SGBV Mainstreaming Learning Program.
• Only in 2019, a total of 2,885 UNHCR colleagues completed the SGBV e-learning.
• UNHCR has developed a Training of Trainers (ToT) learning program targeting SGBV specialists in the field. By completing this ToT, SGBV specialists are able to utilize the training materials to train UNHCR staff, refugees and other stakeholders on SGBV prevention, risk mitigation and response.
• In 2019, UNHCR conducted a Gender Equality Learning Programme for colleagues from the operations in Africa with the objective of strengthening gender equality integration in UNHCR’s work through increased gender equality capacity amongst staff.
• At the end of 2019, UNHCR launched the SGBV toolkit, making relevant key materials such as Policies, international legal framework, guidance, tools and training resources accessible to staff and partners.
• The Annual SGBV Global workshop, which took place in Geneva in October 2019, brought together UNHCR staff working on SGBV across protection functions from 30 operations and regional offices. In an effort to strengthen and expand networks and communities of practice addressing SGBV, the workshop was focused on building capacity addressing SGBV knowledge and expertise and on providing SGBV protection staff with the resources and tools to effectively deliver on core areas in SGBV programming.
• UNHCR supported  in coordination with other humanitarian agencies and NGOs and funded the development of an interagency learning package on protection from sexual misconduct which will be made available to partners. UNHCR further developed a new face-to- face training programme on protection from SEA based on materials from IOM and along the same methodology designed a module on addressing SH.

During the reporting period UNRWA trained 2,278 staff in all its fields of operations as part of the roll out of the capacity building plans. The trainings focused on anchoring the survivor centred approach in the UNRWA response to GBV and on rolling out the tools for GBV risk mitigation in emergencies.

In Kyrgyzstan, UNODC supported a female police mentoring programme focusing on crime and gender-based violence prevention. 

In Viet Nam, UNODC trained 140 criminal justice officers and legal aid professionals on providing legal assistance for survivors of violence against women and girls.

IN Mexico, UNODC continued its training programme on violence against women for police officers and emergency call operators in 26 states, reaching 7,500 professionals. 

In Peru, UNODC trained judges, prosecutors, police officers and victim advocates on effective investigations of VAWG with a victim-centred approach, and contributed to the establishment of 10 specialized prosecution offices on VAWG and 5 courts in Lima. 

In Egypt, UNODC trained more than 300 criminal justice practitioners (police, prosecutors, judges and forensic doctors) and provided the Forensic Medicine Authority with medical equipment to facilitate receiving the ISO certificate that will allow the clinics to meet international standards.

In Namibia, UNODC organized 5 training-of-trainers workshops on GBV for criminal justice practitioners to facilitate sensitization and strengthen the multi-sectoral response to gender-based violence. 

Under its Global Programmes on Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants, in 2018. UNODC delivered over 250 Technical Cooperation activities in 80 countries, training over 4,500 practitioners, government officials and civil society representatives. 

The United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Asia and the Pacific (UNRCPD) initiated a region-wide project on the issue of women, disarmament, non-proliferation and arms control. UNRCPD conducted two sub-regional workshops on gun violence and illicit small-arms trafficking from a gender perspective, for Southeast Asia in July and for South Asia in September, respectively. 

The United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC) organized a technical workshop on ATT Evaluation of Transfers and Reports for Guatemala. The training covered risk assessment under the ATT, which requires that States assess the risk that the conventional arms, ammunition or parts and components being transferred are being used to commit or facilitate serious acts of gender-based violence or serious acts of violence against women and children. UNLIREC also carried out a Gender & ATT Table Top Exercise in San Salvador aimed at assisting the State in understanding the obligations under the ATT and providing practical insights into the ATT´s risk assessment methodology, emphasizing the importance of gender-based criteria. UNLIREC organized a training course on Firearms and Ammunition Evidence Management, which underlined the gendered aspects of small arms and highlighted the links between armed violence and gender-based violence.

Training and capacity-building remained a key area of the UN Trust Fund’s work both online and in face-to-face workshops. For example, the fund has implemented 10 online training modules, developed in 2017, on how to ensure accountability for grants, in accordance with the Project Cooperation Agreement, including sessions on project design, monitoring and evaluation; financial and operational management; and ethics and safety. The course is open to new Trust Fund grantees and their implementing partners and is offered as refresher training to all current grantees. By December 2018, the sessions had been delivered live in three languages and recorded to ensure wider participation and share knowledge.  In September 2018, the Trust Fund held a five-day knowledge-exchange workshop in Amman, involving eight current and new grantees working on ending violence against women and girls in humanitarian contexts. The event provided an opportunity for grantees to obtain access to training to respond to programmatic and operational gaps in capacity, exchange learning and knowledge and document knowledge in a format that can be used for both internal and external purposes. 

1) Conducted open residential courses, focused on practical strategies to prevent and address violence and harassment at workplace level: "Violence and Harassment in the World of Work: what to do?" 19-23 Nov 2018, Turin - Language: English, French.

2) (In collaboration with Fair Wear Foudation whithin project "Safe and Equal") tailor-made trainings on prevention of Workplace Violence and Harassment for managers and/or workers' reps of garment factories in Indonesia (sept 2018), Vietnam (Oct 2018) and Myanmar (Dec 2018).

Cuba Country Office:

• While carrying out sensitization workshops in the field on various gender issues (i.e. masculinities and gender stereotypes), WFP always included a section to advocate on the importance of preventing gender-based violence and on the organization’s commitment in this area.
• WFP is also supporting small initiatives for women’s empowerment in selected cooperatives (i.e. a vegetable garden and poultry farming), which ultimately will also contribute to reduce gender-based violence at the local level.

WFP Headquarters

The Gender Office organized two “training of trainers” workshops on Social Norms in HQ.

These training sessions equipped field officers with skills to address discriminatory gender norms, including harmful masculinities and femininities, to create transformational changes at the individual, organisational and societal levels for gender just outcomes.

In June 2018, the workshop was attended by 18 participants from 13 Country Offices, and three participants from Dakar Regional Bureau.

In October 2018, the workshop was attended by 11 participants from 9 Country Offices, and one participant from Bangkok Regional Bureau.

Iraq Country Office:

In September 2018, WFP / Iraq / Baghdad conducted an awareness session for our cooperating partner Mercy Hands on Social Norms and the transformation of gender.

Nicaragua Country Office

• Let's Paint the World of Orange: Support Survivors of Gender-Based Violence.NICO´s efforts have focused on prevention actions through training and empowerment of members of cooperatives, women and young people, which allows greater awareness and address this problem within the organizations of producers.
• In addition, as part of this campaign, NICO makes efforts to involve men in the processes of accompaniment and learning about the construction of new masculinities, social norms and new leaderships in order to achieve the transformation of gender relations in the workplace and personal life.
• Talks: “Aprender, Involucrarse y estar Alerta para prevenir la Violencia Basada en Género”; “Introducción a la charla sobre Normas Sociales”; Aprendiendo sobre Mitos y Realidades de la Violencia Basada en Género (VBG).

Syria Country Office:

In June 2018, WFP facilitated two-days training on discriminatory social norms for 26 staff of Gender Results Network members and senior management, the training was facilitated by Ahmad Hammoud and Fatema Hammadi with support of Alan Gerieg. The training focused on interactive activates and exercises which promote great participation and better understanding of the norms and the way to address the patriarchal masculinities inside WFP workplace, social live as well as through WFP’s activities across Syria country, thus ensure that different needs for women, girls and men, boys are addressed.

ESCWA, in partnership with UNFPA, supported the Lebanese Ministry of State for Women’s Affairs to develop a national strategy on violence against women. This consultative national strategy, included interviews and focus group discussions with line ministries; several national and sub national validation workshops; and a high-level meeting to discuss the draft strategy.

ESCWA, in partnership with UNFPA, UN Women, OHCHR and UNDP in Lebanon, is providing technical support to the National Commission for Lebanese Women (NCLW) to develop a National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security.

ESCWA, in partnership with UNFPA, supported the Lebanese Ministry of State for Women’s Affairs to develop a project on costing violence against women. This included developing a project proposal, conducting field work, holding national consultations, developing an operational model for Lebanon, holding a second national consultation, developing a national survey to measure the prevalence of violence against women, analysing the government budget, and developing a national survey for services.

ESCWA conducted three field visits to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and a national consultation to discuss elements of an operational model on estimating the cost of marital violence. This involved engaging with the National Family Affairs Council, in addition to other stakeholders such as governmental entities and civil society members providing services for survivors of family violence.

ESCWA conducted a field mission to Iraq to prepare for the implementation of a project on costing violence against women in Iraq.

ESCWA participated in a consultation with the Egyptian National Council for Women and the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS) to discuss practical steps towards carrying out a national study on violence against women with disabilities. This meeting was the second such consultation facilitated by ESCWA to determine the parameters and methodology of the study.

ESCWA facilitated a Regional Workshop on the Measurement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on Violence against Women and Time Use Statistics Indicators with senior gender experts/statisticians from national statistical offices, ministries of gender equality and women’s affairs. The workshop addressed selected SDG indicators, focusing on the following gender concerns: physical, sexual, psychological violence against women perpetrated by an intimate partner and sexual violence against women perpetrated by a person other than an intimate partner.

ESCWA supported the Ministry of Women, Family, Childhood and Elderly in Tunisia to better understand the availability and quality of data needed to carry out an estimation of the cost of violence in Tunisia.

ESCWA, the League of Arab States and UN Women, in partnership with the Swedish Institute in Alexandria and UNDP held a workshop on the different pillars of reporting when preparing National Voluntary Reports (VNR). Discussion included the tools available at the regional level to report on SDG 5, and the role of national stakeholders in preparing the VNR.

ESCWA and UNFPA Regional Office in Beirut organized a workshop on monitoring, control and protection of human rights including sexual and reproductive health and rights. This workshop targeted national human rights institutions and National Women’s Machineries in the Arab region, as well as in some countries of the Horn of Africa. The workshop sought to strengthen collaboration between National Women’s Machineries and national human rights institutions, especially in documenting the status of women and women’s sexual and reproductive health within the framework of international conventions.

UNREC organized a train-the-trainers inter-institutional course on small arms control as part of a capacity-building project for Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Nigeria. Module 1, entitled “Human Security, Human Rights, Proliferation of SALW and Armed Violence”, addresses violence against women and girls.

UNREC organized a workshop for civil society organizations from Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Nigeria that allowed participants to develop advocacy and awareness tools to reduce women’s participation, including forced participation, in terrorism and related arms trafficking, thereby also contributing to a reduction of violence against women. 

UNLIREC organized a training in Colombia on the Arms Trade Treaty that included sessions and practical exercises on how to conduct the risk assessment on gender-based violence or violence against women and children required by the treaty. In that regard, UNLIREC has developed a risk assessment tool to be used in practical exercises: http://unlirec.org/documents/HerramientaImplementacionGenero-ATT_Espannol.pdf. 

More generally, all activities that contribute to better SALW control will also contribute, at least indirectly, to lowering gun violence and thus, violence against women and girls committed with guns. The gendered impact of the illicit trade in SAWL and gun violence is always addressed in relevant activities of the ODA Regional Centres such as capacity-building on the implementation of SALW control instruments.