United Nations Development Programme

In Armenia, UNDP led in 2015 the process of UN Agencies' support to the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs in assessing the results of the Gender Policy Strategic Action Plan for 2011-2015 and 2011-2015 National Programme against Gender-based Violence. This strategic support paved the way for establishment of a new national framework and action plan on gender equality for at least next five years aligned with Armenia's international commitments, including UPR recommendations. UNDP’s assessment also places special emphasis on strengthening monitoring and evaluation system of gender across sectors.

In Fiji, Training workshops for Markets for Change Projects (M4C)  are held in marketplaces to ensure that marketplaces are gender friendly and safe places for women.  The successfully piloted mobile service delivery by Fiji REACH for community education on economic, social and legal rights, in which 1,994 people participated (69% women; 5% children) and provided advisory services to 394 people (75% women) for issues including prevention and support for Sexual and Gender Based Violence.

In Serbia, UNDP supported the Government to ratify key international conventions, enact a body of relevant laws and develop policies to eliminate gender based violence. Country’s priorities are outlined in the National Strategy for Prevention and Elimination of VaW in the Family and in Intimate Partner Relationships 2011-2015. The document is aligned with the international standards, particularly with Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating VaW and Domestic Violence. Serbia ratified the Convention in 2013 and it entered into force on 1st August 2014.

In Kenya, UNDP has supported the training for 35 senior prison officials on the link between Gender Based Violence and HIV and a seminar for National Human Rights Institutions (NHRI) on HIV, GBV, human rights and the law-one of Kenya’s NHRIs has since development a Gender and Diversity Strategy. Furthermore, 121 officials from the peace (district peace committees) and security (National Police, Administrative Police, Directorate of Criminal Investigations) sectors have been trained on SGBV in the context of emergencies through UNDP’s support. These trainings were particularly successful and have led to SGBV being prioritized as a standing agenda item during monthly briefing meetings between the police, peace actors and community leaders.

In Croatia, UNDP supported the Government with evidence and legal analysis to draft the law, which entered into force in June 2015, on the rights of victims of sexual violence during the conflict of the 1990s. “Law on Rights of Victims of Sexual Violence During the Armed Aggression on the Republic of Croatia During the Homeland War.” This is the first law in the region that provides civilian victims of sexual violence in armed conflict with a comprehensive set of reparation measures: medical and psychosocial rehabilitation, financial compensation, legal aid and symbolic acts of reparation. UNDP supports the Ministry of Veterans’ Affairs in the implementation of mechanisms assessing the eligibility criteria for the status of survivors of sexual violence in armed conflict.