11th WAVE Conference September 24, 2009

Vienna

A Life Free of Violence: UNIFEM’s Work toward Ending Violence

against Women

Outline Intro: Reform of the Gender Equality

Architecture Global framework for Action Priority areas for UNIFEM’s work against

VAW (globally) UNIFEM global flagship initiatives: SAY NO

- UNiTE to End Violence against Women Campaign; Safe Cities; Global Knowledge Management initiative

UNIFEM’s work against VAW in Southeast Europe

Gender Equality Architecture Reform General Assembly Resolution A/63/L103

(September 15, 2009) – supports the consolidation of the UN gender-specific entities into a composite entity.

Strengthening the effectiveness of the UN system in advancing GE and women’s empowerment.

Discussions on-going (Sep 23-26 and 28-30) on mission statement, organizational arrangements, funding and the executive board

Gender based violence – the global problem Globally, up to six out of every ten women

experience physical and/or sexual violence in their lifetime.

In 48 surveys from around the world, 10-69% of women stated that they had been physically assaulted by an intimate partner at some point in their lives. In a range of countries 40-70% of female murder victims were killed by an intimate partner. (WHO data)

113 million up to 200 million women are demographically “missing”

A global framework for actionUN system is taking a more forceful stand against GBV

Landmark 1993 UN Vienna Declaration on VAW; 1995 Beijing Platform for Action

1995, General Assembly established the UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women and designated UNIFEM as its administrator.

Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security (2000)

Resolution 1820 on sexual violence in armed conflict (2008)

SG’s In-depth Study on All Forms of Violence against Women (2006)

UNIFEM’s work on EVAWEmphasis on implementation of national commitments

Global priority areas: Data collection, analysis and research; Harmonizing national and local laws, policies and

programmes with international human rights standards; Implementing national commitments formulated in

existing policies, laws and action plans addressing violence against women;

Addressing sexual violence in conflict and post-conflict situations;

Incorporating prevention and responses to violence against women and girls in leading national development and funding frameworks;

Developing effective prevention approaches; Working with adolescents (10 to 19 years old); Working with men and boys (Ex: MOU with

MenEngageAlliance)

UNIFEM global initiatives Secretary-General’s UNiTE to End Violence againstWomen Campaign and UNIFEM’s Say NO – UNiTE to End Violence againstWomenFive key outcomes for national level action, with thesupport of UNCTs, that all countries should strive toachieve by 2015:

the adoption and enforcement of national laws; the adoption and implementation of adequately resourced

multi-sectoral national plans of action; data collection and analysis systems; social mobilization for primary prevention, including through

national and/or local campaigns; and systematically addressing sexual violence in conflict

situations.

UNIFEM global initiativesSecretary-General’s UNiTE to EndViolence against Women Campaign and UNIFEM’s Say NO – UNiTE to EndViolence against Women UNIFEM led coordination of first two regional

components of the Campaign (Latin America and the Caribbean and Africa)

UNIFEM contributed 5 million signatures to the campaign in 2008

Say NO – UNiTE to End Violence against Women (launching in Nov2009) aims to reach 1 million actions by March 2010

UNIFEM global initiatives Safe Cities Free of VAWG, 2008-2014 Programme focused on reducing sexual

harassment and sexual violence in public spaces in urban settings.

It aims to develop a model for worldwide replication and up-scaling by local authorities, building on UNIFEM’s work in Latin America.

Selection of cities to be completed in 2009 Partnerships include UN Habitat, women’s

networks and networks of local authorities

UNIFEM global initiatives First-ever global online programmingsite on Ending VAWG Programme guidance on specific sectors, groups and

interventions; Fully searchable database of implementation tools and

specialized organizations. Available in EN, ES, FR. Wide partnership in developing the site. Launch in early 2010 with some modules: Addressing VAW

in the health sectorhealth sector; education sector; legislation; engaging men and boys; working with adolescents; safe cities and communities (violence in public spaces); primary prevention; developing campaigns; integrating VAWG in leading policy and funding frameworks in the context of new aid modalities; and monitoring and evaluation, including indicators.

UNIFEM work against VAW:

Southeast Europe Aims: 1) To implement national commitments formulated in

existing policies, laws and action plans addressing violence against women.

2) To harmonize national and local laws, policies and programmes with international human rights standards.

3) To develop capacity of gender equality advocates to effectively demand the implementation of gender equality in national laws, policies and strategies.

4) To address sexual violence in post-conflict situations. 5) To develop effective prevention approaches, including by

working with men and boys and incorporate prevention and responses to VAWG in leading national development frameworks.