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Press Inquiries: Béatrice Frey, +1 212 906-5829, beatrice.frey[at]unifem.org
May 2010 – In This Issue:
UNIFEM Welcomes Security Council Support for Indicators
on Resolution 1325
UNIFEM welcomes the UN Security Council’s commitment on
27 April to take action on a comprehensive set of indicators
on the implementation of resolution
1325 on women, peace and security by the resolution’s
10th anniversary in October 2010. These indicators address the
impact of war on women and stress the importance of women’s
involvement in conflict resolution and peacebuilding.
In a new report,
the UN Secretary-General recommends a global set of indicators on
the implementation of resolution 1325 in four key areas: women’s
participation in all aspects of conflict prevention and peace-making;
prevention of violence against women; protection of women’s
rights during and after conflict; and women’s
needs in relief and recovery. The indicators were produced by 14
UN entities under the leadership of the Office of the Special Adviser
on Gender Issues. UNIFEM was assigned the technical lead role,
and the indicators were developed in close consultation with Member
States and women’s civil society groups from around
the world.
“The Security Council’s commitment to take
action on these indicators represents one of the most significant
moves by the international security system in recent years to accelerate
implementation of resolution 1325,” said
Inés Alberdi, Executive Director of UNIFEM. “The indicators will
reveal where women are experiencing exclusion and threats to their security and
help identify good practices. They will be much more than numbers on a paper.
They will provide a sensitive barometer of the current situation and help identify
future priorities.” Read
more.
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Support for UN Secretary-General’s UNiTE Campaign
across All Regions
 UNIFEM
offices around the world continue to organize and contribute to
the UN Secretary-General’s campaign, UNiTE
to End Violence against Women, often through UNIFEM’s Say
NO – UNiTE initiative.
A number of leading musical artists from across
the Caribbean came
together in a workshop organized by UNIFEM in Barbados in April
to generate ideas about creative approaches towards ending gender-based
violence. The musicians recorded public service announcements on
the need for a united front to end the culture of violence. They
further agreed to form an online network to continue their collaboration
and to use their presence on stage to inform their audiences about
the campaign.
Contemporary artists and practitioners of martial arts alike have
lent their support to the Say NO – UNiTE initiative
in Tajikistan.
UNIFEM co-hosted an exhibition in the capital Dushanbe, where a
number of Tajik artists demonstrated their perception of gender
equality through contemporary art techniques. The National Taekwondo
Federation of Tajikistan, another UNIFEM partner, works with men
to prevent violence against women, including through visits to
military units. At an awareness-raising session with servicemen
near Dushanbe in April, around 300 signatures were collected in
support of Say
NO – UNiTE. The Taekwondo Federation also collected
more than 500 signatures at a festival of martial arts, held
on the occasion of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s visit
to Central Asia.
At the launching ceremony of UNIFEM-supported cultural principles
on gender and sexual relations in Acholiland in northern Uganda in
March, the Acholi Paramount Chief announced a six-month campaign
on zero tolerance to gender-based violence in the district, in
contribution to the UNiTE campaign.
In total, close to 250,000 actions by individuals, organizations and governments
had been registered on the Say NO – UNiTE web platform at the
beginning of May. Visit the Say
NO – UNiTE website to learn more.
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UNIFEM around
the World
 UNIFEM and the Government of
Spain Sign Three-Year Agreement to Promote Gender Equality Worldwide
UNIFEM and the Government of Spain have agreed on a three-year Strategic Partnership
Framework for close to EUR 100 million to promote gender equality worldwide.
The agreement was signed by Miguel Ángel Moratinos, the Spanish Minister
of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, and Inés Alberdi, UNIFEM’s Executive
Director, at the Spanish Parliament on 14 April. The major commitment from Spain
will strengthen the strategic role and capacity of UNIFEM to support UN Member
States and the United Nations system in incorporating gender priorities, in particular
in the context of issues such as ending violence against women and peacebuilding. Read
more.
Memorandum of Understanding between UNIFEM and the Inter-Parliamentary
Union
UNIFEM and the Inter-Parliamentary
Union have signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the purpose
of providing a framework for cooperation and facilitating collaboration
in areas of mutual interest. These areas include gender-responsive
budgeting, ending violence against women and girls, governance
for gender equality, as well as the International
Knowledge Network on Women in Politics (iKNOW Politics). Read
more.
AFRICA
Seychelles: Action Plan on Ending Gender-Based
Violence
In the Seychelles, UNIFEM has worked with the Ministry of Health
and Social Development and other key stakeholders to develop a
two-year national action plan on ending gender-based violence.
The plan was presented at an event in Victoria in April, as a result
of three consultative workshops. A key objective of the action
plan is to have a Domestic Violence Act in place by the end of
2010. Other elements include capacity-building, awareness-raising
and prevention, as well as rehabilitation of perpetrators. Read
more.
 South Africa: Countering Human Trafficking
in Relation to the 2010 World Cup
More than 400 participants in a soccer tournament organized by
UNIFEM in Johannesburg in April shared the message, “Say
no to trafficking in women, say yes to women’s rights.” The
event formed part of the UNIFEM-supported Red Light 2010 campaign,
a regional civil society effort to counteract the trafficking of
women and girls ahead of and during the 2010 World Cup in South
Africa. UNIFEM participates in the UN Task Force that works in
support of the South African Government to raise awareness on and
prevent human trafficking. Read
more.
 Sudan: Strengthening Women’s Capacities
as Candidates and Voters
UNIFEM worked to strengthen the capacities of women as candidates
and voters in the presidential, legislative and gubernatorial
elections in Sudan in April, the first multiparty national poll
in 24 years. UNIFEM extended direct support to the National Elections
Commission through the appointment of a Gender Adviser and by providing
technical assistance in mainstreaming gender perspectives into
the Commission’s media procedures and orientations for election
workers and observers. The UNIFEM offices in Juba and Khartoum
carried out various activities with women voters and candidates
in the months leading up to the elections. Read more about UNIFEM’s
work in the southern and northern parts
of Sudan.
Zambia: Support to Implement Gender-Responsive Budgeting
UNIFEM supported a consultative meeting in Lusaka in April, where
senior officials from the Government of Zambia and representatives
from civil society organizations came together to develop a national
action plan on gender-responsive budgeting. The Government and
civil society organizations will work together on an 18-month
pilot programme, focusing on gender-responsive resource allocations
in the sectors of health and agriculture. Read
more.
AMERICAS & THE CARIBBEAN
 Andean Region: Photo Exhibition Reveals Challenges Facing
Young Women
UNIFEM has for the second year organized a photo exhibition that
provides a perspective of the challenges faced by young women in
the Andean region. Opened in Quito, Ecuador, in April, the exhibition
features photographs selected from UNIFEM’s regional photo
competition on gender issues. Around 400 images were submitted
by amateur as well as professional photographers from Bolivia,
Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela. Read
more.
Ecuador: Gender-Responsive Budgeting Programme Receives
GTZ Prize
The Gender-Responsive Budgeting initiative of the Ministry of Finance
in Ecuador, supported by UNIFEM, has been awarded a prize for innovation
in addressing gender inequalities by the German development cooperation
agency, Deutsche Gesellschaft
für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ). The initiative was
selected out of 28 programmes from around the world, for its contribution
to improving public accountability through budget transparency. Read
more.
ARAB STATES
 Occupied Palestinian Territories: Partnership Agreement
with the Ministry of Education on School Canteens Programme
UNIFEM and the Palestinian Ministry of Education and Higher Education
(MoEHE) signed a partnership agreement in April on the implementation
of the second phase of UNIFEM’s Women-Run School Canteens programme.
The initiative builds on a pilot project that was implemented in
2008–2009 and aims to develop a business model to promote rural
women’s economic security. In particular, the programme will
support women’s centres and community-based organizations
in running school canteens, by building the capacity and skills
of rural women. Read
more.
ASIA & THE PACIFIC
 India: Empowering Women Leaders in Local Government
As part of UNIFEM’s programme on governance and women’s
political empowerment in India, 100 women from districts where
the programme is implemented received support to participate in
Women’s Political Empowerment Day, organized by the Institute
of Social Sciences in New Delhi. Addressing the 500-strong
group of women in local government from across India, the Regional
Programme Director of UNIFEM in South Asia, Anne Stenhammer, stressed
in particular the important role of local governments in countering
violence against women. Read
more.
Timor-Leste: Parliament Passes Law on Domestic Violence
The National Parliament in Timor-Leste has passed a law on domestic
violence. Work on the draft law began in 2003, and it was first
submitted to the Government for approval in 2005. Throughout
this time, UNIFEM provided support to the Government in developing
the legislation and worked with the Parliament to inform legislators
about the issue. A milestone was reached last year, when domestic
violence was entered into the Timorese penal code. Read
more.
EUROPE & THE CIS
Georgia: New Gender Equality Law
The Parliament of Georgia passed a Gender Equality Law in March.
The legislation provides for the establishment of a national
women’s machinery, the enhancement of women’s security,
equality in the labour market and the strengthening of women’s
political participation. The law also introduces gender-responsive
planning and budgeting. UNIFEM provided technical expertise in
the drafting process, which was conducted in consultation with
women’s organizations. Read
more.
 Kyrgyzstan: Joint Efforts on a Rural Development Project
UNIFEM and Kumtor Operating Company in Kyrgyzstan have entered
a partnership on a pilot project that aims to enhance the efficiency
of rural development initiatives in Ton District in Issyk-Kul
Province. The project focuses particularly on improving the livelihoods
of rural women, and it marks the first time that a private investor
in Kyrgyzstan gives financial support through the UN. Under the
partnership framework, Kumtor Operating Company will provide
small grants, amounting to a total of US$130,000, to improve
social infrastructure in selected villages. UNIFEM will provide
technical assistance, including on social mobilization, the integration
of gender priorities into planning and budgeting processes
at the local level, and on monitoring and evaluation. Read
more.
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Recent Speeches & Statements
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Recent Publications
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Featured
UNIFEM Videos
 Documentary
Series: Domestic Work, Decent Work
Trabajo Domestico, Trabajo Decente is
a documentary series available in Spanish and Portuguese on the discrimination
and challenges domestic workers, particularly Afro-descendant and
indigenous women, face in Bolivia, Brazil, Guatemala and Paraguay.
Watch series: español | português
 Thai
Airways In-Flight PSA: HRH Princess Bajrakitiyabha of Thailand
Says NO to Violence
In partnership with UNIFEM and Thailand's Ministry of Justice,
Thai Airways aired this public service announcement as part of
the in-flight fundraising initiative “Change NOW! Say NO to
Violence Against Women” on board all domestic and international
flights — a total of 250 flights a day — in January
2010. This PSA features Her Royal Highness Princess Bajrakitiyabha
Mahidol of Thailand, who has been a UNIFEM Goodwill Ambassador
since 2008. Watch video: English | ภาษาไทย
Surviving
Domestic Violence: A Personal Story from European Parliament
Member Eva-Britt Svensson
 Member
of European Parliament and Say NO–UNiTE to End Violence
against Women supporter Eva-Britt Svensson talks about her experience
with domestic violence and how to move forward. Courtesy of European
Parliament TV.
Watch
video »
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Current & Upcoming
Events
Job Vacancies
- Administrative
Clerk
Location: New York, United States of America
Post Level: GS-4
Application Deadline: 20 May 2010
- National Coordinator
Location: Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Post Level: SB-4
Application Deadline: 31 May 2010
Subscribe to the UNIFEM
Job Vacancies web feed.
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About UNIFEM Currents
UNIFEM Currents is the electronic news bulletin
of the United Nations Development
Fund for Women (UNIFEM). It provides up-to-date information
briefs on UNIFEM initiatives, successes, events, projects and activities
worldwide. It is published several times per year and delivered
by e-mail. Click
here to subscribe to UNIFEM Currents.
UNIFEM is the women’s fund at the United Nations.
It provides financial and technical assistance to innovative programmes
and strategies to foster women's empowerment and gender equality.
Placing the advancement of women's human rights at the centre of
all of its efforts, UNIFEM focuses its activities on reducing feminized
poverty; ending violence against women; reversing the spread of
HIV/AIDS among women and girls; and achieving gender equality in
democratic governance in times of peace as well as war. For more
information, visit www.unifem.org.
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