304 East 45 th Street. New York, N.Y. 10017 . Tel: 212-906-6400. Fax: 212-906-6705
20 September 1999
Dear Mr. Secretary General,
I am very pleased to encloseJgNIf EMri^Tffi)!^ . - -,.JteJt,,..-,...... -_::;__;_;.._., ,,,, -.._,_;.;:.-'^l Throughout 1998 and continuing in 1999, under the guidance of our Strategy and Business Plan (1997- 1999) An important fociis/area;'t^KrougKouTT998"was:UNIFEM' s spearheading of the UN-wide campaigns to halt VloleiSce'¥pimst:wOTie1h~m7ffnca',"Asia/Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean. Ttte campaigns produced concrete results in the form of new and strengthened legislation, and increased protection through better services and justice for women and girls who are victims of violence. MosTimpoHa'^ shrouds the pahdemicf of gender-based: yioleliicemmahy cbunlries. Towards furthering your reform agenda, UNIFEM has given high priority to expanded coordination and cooperation across the UN system to support the global consensus for gender equality that emerged at the world conferences. I wish to extend my personal thanks to you for your support of UNIFEM throughout this period. Yours sincerely, \McLoH lM^ fin Noeleen Heyzer Executive Director Mr. Kofi Annan Secretary General S-3800 United Nations New York, New York United Nations Development Fund for Women Works in Association with UNDP ',.,«• b < • 3 /v .or '•'$ uj ••*': a: UJ a o z • z UJ ui 5 o o. 5 LU LU 2 O o: O u_ u: O United Nations Development Fund for Women TABLE OF CONTENTS 2 Message from the UNDP Administrator A Partnership for Gender Equality . 3 Message from the UNIFEM Executive Director , . A World Community to End Violence Against Women 4 UNIFEM's Mandate and' Mission 5 Programmes and Priorities 'v , } 6 Strengthening Women's Economic Rights 9 Engendering. Governance and Leadership 13 Promoting Women's Human Rights and Eliminating Violence Against Women 16 A World Free of Violence Against Women UN Inter-agency Global Videoconference 22 Supporting the UN System in Strengthening Gender Mainstreaming j 24 UNIFEM at Work Around 'the World A. : • ••*, 26 Becoming a Knowledge Provider on Gender Equality 27 On the Road to Beijing +5: Accountability to the World's Women 28 Highlights of UNIFEM Projects . 32 Status of Funds (" 34 • Network of Support A PARTNERSHIP FOR GENDER EQUALITY a>- " 1 4n & -'I w'V «! Message from the As this is my last message in the UNIFEM Annual Report, I would like to take the opportunity to * reflect on the growth of UNIFEM, and the strengthened partnership between UNDP and UNIFEM 5, " UNDP Administrator during my time as Administrator. I congratulate the Executive Director of UNIFEM and her staff for admirable achievements since the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing in 1995 UNIFEM has made meaningful-contributions to bringing about systemic change leading to women's empowerment and gender equality. Through the various United Nations world conferences held in the 1990s, the United Nations has renewed its commitment to the incorporation of a gender perspective within all its programmes. It provides me great satisfaction that, especially over the past three years, UNIFEM has been a close partner with UNDP in this common vision shared by the Umted Nations system. As a member of the United Nations Development Group, UNIFEM has reaffirmed its role as the knowledge provider incorporating gender issues in the work of the. Resident Coordinator system. At the country level, UNDP continues S^encourage Resident Coordinators and Resident Representatives to work with UNIFEM as a cooperating and implementing agency, and use UNIFEM expertise in programming. The placement of gender advisors within the Resident Coordinator system marked the opening of new opportunities for developing stronger partner- ships to strengthen the United Nations' capacity to support gender equality. The gender advisors contribute to the implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action (PFA) at the country level, enabling both UNIFEM and UNDP to effectively implement a core initiative of the United Nations reform. The placement of United Nations Volunteers (UNV) gender specialists to support national-level implementation of the PFA also underscores the close collaboration between UNV, UNIFEM'and UNDP. ' In 1998 — the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights — UNIFEM played a lead role to bring the United Nations system together on the issue of elimina- tion of gender-based violence. UNIFEM coUaborated closely with UNDP and nine other United Nations agencies in the inter-agency regional campaigns to end violence against women. UNDP shares UNIFEM's pride in the positive results emerging in all those regions, which.are elaborat- ed upon in this report. The campaigns culminated with the global videoconference, "A World Free of Violence Against Women," held on 8 March 1999, which brought voices of survivors of violence, policy makers, governments, and the United Nations together in a powerfully deliv- ered message in the General Assembly. Tlu's pathbreaking videoconference showcased UNIFEM's vision, creativity and energy in breaking the silence on a critical issue. In 1995, in Beijing, I asked die governments to double UNIFEM's resources of $ 13.8 million (1994 income). I am proud to note that, at its 1999 level of nearly $30 million, UNIFEM has surpassed mat goal. I urge all governments, otiier United Nations bodies and individuate to continue their support to UNIFEM in implementing the mandate it was entrusted with in Beijing. Let me repeat that, dollar for dollar, UNIFEM is one of die best investments in the United Nations system. — » James Gustave Speth jo June, 1999 '• A WORLD COMMUNITY TO END VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN Message from the | Two driving forces propelled UNIFEM's work in 1998: the Secretary-General's reform agenda, and the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of tlie Universal Declaration of Human Rights. UNIFEM Executive Director | ' The UN reform agenda, with its emphasis on partnership and collaboration, gender mainstream- ing and conference follow-up, created new opportunities and challenges for UN1EEM. We became a resource and knowledge provider on women's empowerment and gender mainstreaming for United Nations development assistance. UNIFEM used its innovative and catalytic mandate to test approaches and collaborate with new partners to improve the impact of the UN's work on increasing women's eco-, nomic security; engendering goverance and leadership, including in situations of armed conflict and ' peace building; and ending violence against women and girls. The 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, in particular, provided .. UNIFEM the strategic opportunity to highlight a persistent and pervasive human-tragedy—violence against women and girls in its many forms. In 1998, UNIFEM initiated and spearheaded the UN-wide campaign to halt gender violence in Latin America and the Carribean, Africa, Asia and the Pacific. We built close partnerships with national and local governments, women's groups, the media, and the private sector to end violence against women and.girls. These campaigns broke boundaries across themes, linking violence against women to issues of economic and human security. They crossed institutions, creating common grounds and forging partnerships between the UN, governments, and civil society. They crossed gender lines, featuring men's-organizing as a key element in women's ongo- ing struggle against gender violence. ' - ' The results of these campaigns have been reverberating in many communities worldwide through deeper understanding of the causes of violence and of jprevention, through strengthened legislation and protection, through better services and justice for women and girls who experienced violence. Most importantly, the campaigns have broken the silences which shroud this pandemic. We have mobilized political will and spurred 'new partnerships for action between the UN system, gov- ernments, civil society, traditional and religious leaders, the media, the police and the medical system. This Annual Report presents some highlights of the campaigns. Our work on ending violence against women and girls drew us into many new endeavours in 1998. UNIFEM harnessed the power of new information technologies and partnerships with the media to build a global constituency to halt gender violence. As a culmination of the first phase of the campaigns, UNIFEM organized a global inter-agency videoconference, "A World Free of Violence Against Women," on International Women's Day, 8 March 1999, in the General Assembly H#dl, reach- ing many thousands of people through Internet and satellite technology, and wide media coverage. Additionally, UNIFEM launched an electronic discussion list, Noeleen Heyzer UNIFEM's MANDATE UNIFEM was established as an innovative and catalytic fund for women's empowerment and gender" equality. UNIFEM supports innovative and experimental activities benefiting women in line with national and regional priorities. It serves as a catalyst, with the .goal of ensuring the appropriate involvement of women in mainstream 1 development activities, as often as possible at the pre-investrhent stage. UNIFEM plays an innovative and cat- alytic role in relation to the United Nations overall system • of development cooperation (GA Resolution A/R£8/39/125). UNIFEM's MISSION . UNIFEM is the women's fund at the United.Nations that provides financial support and technical assistance to innovative programmes promoting women's human rights,, their economic and political empowerment, and gender tc. equality. UNIFEM advocates within the UN-system to link women's interests and concerns to all critical issues on the.national, regional and global agendas. UNIFEM focuses its work at the country level within the cpntext of the - Resident Coordinator system. Playing a strong advocacy role, UNIFEM concentrates on fostering a multilateral policy dialogue on women's empowerment.. UNIFEM is an autonpmous organization working in dose association with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). /vAi KIi. vDx PRIOr iVriVw/ivR iIT * Ii UNIFEM's programme UNIFEM focuses on three areas of immediate concern: strategy, designed Strengthening women's economic rights and empowering women to enjoy secure livelihoods. and guided by Engendering governance and leadership that increase women's par- an empowerment ticipation in the decision-making processes that shape their lives. framework, is Promoting women's human rights to eliminate all forms of violence against women and transform development into a more peaceful, based on promoting equitable and sustainable process. women's rights, These thematic areas are addressed in relation to regional realities in Africa, Asia and the Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean, and opportunities and Central and Eastern Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent capacities. States (CEE/CIS). UNIFEM started implementing programmes in the CEE/CIS countries in 1998. UNIFEM implements the empowerment agenda through five core strategies that build on the Fund's comparative advantages: • Building the capacity and leadership of women's organizations and networks; • Leveraging political and financial support for women from a range of stakeholders in the development process; • Forging new synergies and effective partnerships among women's organizations, governments, the UN system and the private sector; • Undertaking pilot and demonstration projects to test innovative approaches to women's empowerment; and • Building an operational knowledge base to influence gender mainstreaming. UNIFEM is dedicated to building stronger women's organizations and networks so that women themselves have the power to negotiate new and better policies with their governments and international agencies. UNIFEM provides technical support to governments, and promotes dialogue between them and women's organizations. In the context of the Secretary-General's UN reform agenda, UNIFEM supports the UN system in ensuring that gender concerns are incorporated into the policies and activities of UN organizations, governments, and civil society partners. STRENGTHENING WOMEN'S ECONOMIC RIGHTS Women's economic omen's livelihoods are being reshaped by market forces operating on a global scale. Globalization is often described as a process of market integration and liberaliza- empowerment requires tion bringing about new opportunities for women. But it is also an unbalanced and uneven that all women should process, concentrating economic power in fewer and fewer hands, and producing new insecu- fully exercise their rities as well as new opportunities. The risk of financial crisis has increased, with devastating right, under the effects on women's livelihoods when crisis strikes. More women than ever before participate in the market economy—but on terms that are growing more and more precarious. International Covenant UNIFEM seeks to strengthen women's bargaining power in markets by increasing their on Economic, Social access to and control over economic resources. Stressing the multiple forces that affect and Cultural Rights, to women's livelihood potential, UNIFEM supports women's economic capacity-building by: a a secure and adequate advocating gender-sensitive economic policies so as to minimize threats to and maximize opportunities for women's secure livelihoods; livelihood. a designing innovative ways of increasing women's access to the resources and opportunities they need to create sustainable livelihoods; ° strengthening the economic rights of women through advocacy and organization so that women can effectively use existing legislation and conventions, and secure commitments to international standards. ADVOCATING 1-W WADE POLICIES THAT TAKE \\'OME:\li\TO ACCOl \T International trade agreements, such as the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and the LOME Convention (which covers development cooperation and trade between the European Union and countries in Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific), have a differential impact on men and women. Recognizing that such agreements potentially create both opportunities and threats, UNIFEM's work has focused on influencing international trade policy processes. In the Southern Cone of Latin America, advocacy strategies initiated in 1997 are yielding results. As a direct consequence of UNIFEM-supported studies to examine the implications of the Southern Cone Common Market Treaty (MERCOSUR) for women, a regional, high-level lobby group was created in 1997 to advocate for a gender-equality commission to be located in the MERCOSUR. In 1998, a Specialized Group on Women was created by the Council of Ministers of MERCOSUR. The Specialized Group, composed of representatives of national women's machineries and women's NGOs, advises the Council of Ministers on the design of public policies for gender equality to be agreed upon and implemented by the signatory countries of the treaty. UNIFEM is also undertaking policy analysis, supporting efforts to strengthen women's advocates, and convening policy dialogues in Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean related to NAFTA and the Free Trade Area of the Americas. In the Asia/Pacific region, UNIFEM is investigating factors affecting trade policy imple- mentation and practices, as well as the gender impact of trade on social sectors. Recognizing that participation by women is critical in economic policy and decision-making of regional bodies such as the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), UNIFEM took the lead in drafting an overview paper on the role of women in the Asian economic crisis, globalization and trade for the APEC Ministerial Meeting for Women held in Manila in October 1998. In the Pacific, UNIFEM's report on gender and trade in Vanuatu, Tonga, and Fiji, circulated to key ministries and organizations, has increased dialogue between the ministry of trade, ivomen's focal points in government departments, trade unions, and women's NGOs in these countries. Inputs from women's groups have been solicited during government consulta- tions on LOME 2000, the renegotiated LOME Convention. In Africa, UN1FEM provided technical assistance to the Inter-Governmental Authority for Development (IGAD) to harmonize trade policies in ways that are ben- eficial to women in the IGAD countries of Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Eritrea, and Sudan. With UNIFEM's support, IGAD convened a meeting of representatives of women's business organizations, officials of ministries of commerce and industry, and officials of chambers of commerce from the six countries. At the end of the meeting, a steering committee for the IGAD Women in Business Forum was set up, and a joint action plan was drawn up between the six countries. Another important outcome was agreement to establish a Women's Desk in the IGAD Secretariat, initially financed by UNIFEM. It !./\V /(> ( kl-DII. /A'l/VVV. .\\l> / UNIFEM has been providing support to women entrepreneurs to facilitate their access to international markets and increase their rights and bargaining power in the world of commerce. In Jordan, Syria, Lebanon and the Palestinian Territories, UNIFEM support- ;';>S*;%y)^^S^:^f^3a^e;s^o^^effisjyQ(nen:... '- ed gender-sensitive training methods in business skills, and entrepreneurslu'p -...-...!.•••.,•''•^•^^':n^.^ist^nfe"ofisociaisaf^ty . development in intermediary organizations. The projects involved direct and indi- wsjpnip£,cofflmynify. support. rect partners, and linked the support of a number of UN agencies including the UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), UNDP, and the World <:.quences: not^only'~-for'women's lives but that .Of their children-and the elderly. Women are Food Programme (WFP) . A testament to the success of these projects is the therefore, doubly victimized; they are hardest continued, expanded work in women's enterprise development beyond hit in the crisis not of their making and are UNIFEM's direct support and the increase in institutional initiatives designed by-passed in any economic recovery process. to enhance women's economic participation. "We need to create new possibilities in the UNIFEM has supported the movement of women into new, non-traditional globalization process, to share effective poli- activities in Africa through the Avoca Centre in Zimbabwe, which was created to cies and strategies of how to intervene, to facilitate training in roof tile and soil block production for women. As a result of advocate and expand spaces for sustainable the skills the women acquired, numerous roof tile and soil block orders were livelihoods. We need to use the rights-based placed by the private sector as well as from Agricultural Technical Extension approach to development as a counterforce Services, a government parastatal. to powerful interests, as the ethics to guide a globalizing world." UNIFEM is transferring what it has learned about pilot projects in other regions to its work in Central and Eastern Europe and the Commonwealth of Noeleen Heyzer, Executive Director, UNIFEM, with Independent States (CEE/CIS). A joint UNIFEM/UNDP pilot project aimed at the Martin Khor, Director, Third World Network, "The Asian Financial Crisis: Causes, Consequences and economic empowerment of rural women in Romania is setting up demonstration Ways Forward," World Bank Development Forum units for small- and medium-scale food processing industries in rural areas. (http://www. worldbank. org/devforum/speaker- UNIFEM has been successful in leveraging support from its partners, heyzer.html) as evidenced in the World Bank's collaboration in providing community facilitators. The Bank is prepared to replicate the model in other parts of the countty. (W-. i//\(V HOI/n /AV/'VW) I/. lA'A/.V s Designing innovative, effective ways of increasing women's bargaining power in markets is crucial to women's economic empowerment. UNIFEM-supported trade fairs for women entrepreneurs in Asia, Africa, and Latin America strengthened women's knowledge of interna- tional markets, and facilitated the creation of networks between women. In India, UNIFEM supported the Women's Internationa] Trade Fair, organized by the Consortium of Indian Women Entrepreneurs, and the production of a directory of women entrepreneurs, resulting in the l creation of a South Asian network of women entrepre- STRENGTHENING RIGHTS OF WOMEN WORKERS neurs, which assists women in accessing markets and Women's economic rights are fundamental human rights, but technology centres. The Second Global Women Entrepreneurs women often do not know what they are entitled to or how they Trade Fair and Investment Forum opened in Addis Ababa, can claim these rights. UNIFEM supports women in understanding Ethiopia, in October, to promote intra-African and interconti- and exercising their rights in the workplace wherever it may be. nental trade, and to increase the involvement of women entre- UNIFEM tackled the issue of inadequate conditions faced preneurs in international trade. UNIFEM was honoured at the by large numbers of Sri Lankan women who migrate to the fair with the International Awardfo r Entrepreneurship and Middle East as domestic workers. (In Sri Lanka they do not Development. In Peru, the First Latin American Indigenous receive support in terms of finance, information, and legislation Craftswomen's Hair provided indigenous women from to facilitate their migration and protect them; in the countries to Mexico, Guatemala, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia a space which they migrate, they often work without contracts and have to exchange experiences and sell their products. In the no secure means of transferring their income.) Building on the Caribbean, UNIFEM sponsored, in collaboration with Canadian work of the Asia Pacific Development Center (APDC) in International Development Agency (CIDA), the first annual this area, UNIFEM helped consolidate a lobbying group to International Conference and Exhibition (MegaMarket '98) strengthen the relationships between governments, NGOs, for women-owned and operated businesses in Trinidad and and women migrant workers. A network of migrant workers Tobago. The establishment of the Caribbean Association in Sri Lanka was established, providing information on workers' of Women Entrepreneurs (CAWE) was an outcome of the rights and helping to protect them from exploitation. MegaMarket '98. In Ecuador, UNIFEM, in collaboration with the Centro de In West Africa, IMFEM's ongoing support of die shea Estudios de la Mujer Ecuatoriana, supported a pilot project that butter project in Burkina Faso trained over 300 women in offered training to women street vendors and domestic workers improved production techniques and business skills. The proj- on issues such as human and labour rights, assertiveness, and ect established central marketplaces in strategic areas of two confronting violence against women. As a consequence of the regions and produced samples, which were sent to Canada, training, domestic workers in Ecuador are advocating for the United States, and local soap factories. The central market- legal recognition in order to claim labour rights and benefits places meant that women were able to bargain more effectively comparable to those working in other sectors. After many and improve their prices. The United Nations Foundation has months of negotiations, the Labour Ministry approved the approved a grant for the second phase of this project. As a legal status of the domestic worker's association. direct consequence of this initiative, women's groups have After the successful campaign to secure an ILO learned to produce high quality shea butter and are receiv- Convention on Home Work in 1996, UNIFEM, in collaboration ing credit to buy and process additional shea nuts using with the Self-Employed Women's Association (SEWA) in India, the processing methods that they have learned through the and HomeNet (a global network of organizations working with project's training component. Local women producers of home-based workers), continues to campaign for the Convention shea butter and other by-products have negotiated large to be translated into practice. A key result has been the orders with invited European buyers and are obtaining submission to the government of India of a draft bill for better prices. This project is being replicated in Benin. home-based workers. Additionally, the Indian government, in collaboration with NGOs, is in the process of compiling statistics to develop a methodology for the incorporation of home-based work in the National Sample Survey. Programme (UNDP) of the Microcredit |leg!d;rg.lie;.in organizing the Microcredit Summit Meeting of Coun' *-"--jpcreas^d the profile of the UN and its work in the field r The UN Secretary-General's report, "The Role other issues, highlights UNIFEM's role in strengthenii facilitating the formation of networks such as non-governmental organizations that deliver ia^i^frjcia—and the International Coalition on Women and J SfcH-Ml^ vr,LatJn Ame|.jca and western Asia. With re; -" ' ; in partnership with several \niz0tjonsl.UNIFEM has facilitated the creation of women's busine iejjjjj^ilniitecl economic power" (^53/223; 10 August 1998). 9^MSc9&-:., • i^^ ENGENDERING (GOVERNANCE AND LEADERSHIP "There is no one he challenges of the 21st century will require leadership that can provide alter- definition nor set native visions, values, and strategies to create a more humane world. Women's leadership is emerging to fill that need. way to be a leader. Despite the fact that women's leadership and political participation are critical to However, leaders are building democratic processes and creating social change, in virtually all countries women people who are good are vastly under-represented in the leadership of government, and the private sector. Change, however, is taking place slowly. Since 1994, 32 countries have adopted the policy of reserving at making things a portion of legislative seats, or instituting some form of positive action, to increase women's happen. Only by political leadership. committing ourselves UNIFEM supports efforts to enable women to assume leadership positions at all levels of to a strong human society and in contexts of different development transition processes, including situations of conflict and during reconstruction. The organization's objectives towards this end are to: development agenda • strengthen women's organizations to advocate for equality and rights and to hold their based on women's governments accountable; empowerment and • set a gender-responsive development agenda at the national, regional, and international levels; rights can we make « promote women's leadership in decision-making processes that shape their lives; and our world and our • advance women's participation in peace-building and conflict resolution to overcome the institutions progress social, economic, and psychological damage inflicted on their lives and communities. towards social justice MOWING GOVERNMENTS AND ORGANIZATIONS ACCOUNTABLE and gender equality." As we approach the five-year assessment of the Beijing PFA, tools and methods for holding govern- ments and other actors accountable are in great demand. Women's organizations and networks, — Noeleen Heyzer, Donor governments, and UN organizations are key actors in post-Beijing follow-up strategies. UNIFEM is Roundtable on Building providing significant levels of support for strengthening them at local, national, and global levels. Women's Leadership for the zist Century, February 1999 Implementing the Beijing Platform for Action (PFA) A regional initiative supported by UNIFEM, in collaboration with the European Union, has been under way since 1996 to ensure effective coordination and implementation of post-Beijing pro- grammes and activities in the Western Asia region. Now, in its second phase, this initiative has evolved as an important mechanism for strengthening UN inter-agency partnerships, while also increasing collaboration with women's organizations. Implemented in Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, and Yemen, one of the results of the initiative has been official endorsement of the mandates of national women's machineries to develop gender-sensitive national action plans and ensure their effective implementation through participating ministries. In Nepal, UNIFEM convened a South Asian roundtable with participation from senior officials of women's affairs ministries, representatives of national planning commissions, and key NGOs to support gender-responsive national policies and plans. This initiative, designed as part of the ongoing UNIFEM support to follow-up to Beijing, culminated in a joint regional strategy for engendering national policy development processes. In the Southern Cone of Latin America, UNIFEM is providing support to national machineries and is strengthening the capacity of civil society organizations to monitor implementation of the Beijing PFA in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay. The initiative provides useful information on the status of governments' commitments; contributes to the design, execution and evaluation of improved gender-responsive public policies; and strengthens a core of actors from In partnership with UNFPA, UNIFEM is executing a civil society to continuously and effectively monitor and UNFPA-funded project in Angola aimed at strengthening the advocate for such policies. capacity of the Ministry of Family and Women's Promotion to In Kenya, UNIFEM provided support during 1998 for effectively coordinate gender mainstreaming efforts at govern- the establishment of a National Facilitation Initiative for the mental levels. The project is also providing similar training to implementation of the Beijing PFA. The initiative, designed to women's NGOs in Angola, and is resulting in a cadre of increase coordination between the government, national and trained personnel to undertake gender mainstreaming, grassroots NGOs, and the UN and donor communities on strategic planning, advocacy, and project management. priority setting, has established a national steering committee A similar joint project is planned for Mozambique in 1999- with governmental representation.^ implementation matrix to document and monitor ongoing PFA follow-up Engendering Statistics activities at district and national levels has been developed Improving the availability of sex disaggregated data in and will facilitate the process of reporting for the five-year national statistical systems is a key strategy for building gender- review of the Beijing follow-up process. responsive policies and plans. UNIFEM continued throughout 1998 to support ongoing activities to encourage the collection ,V/;m.Y(;.1 MMHJt-MSI'OV.SY1 I: .\(il!M>A of gender-sensitive statistics, while also building the capacity of UNIFEM support has engendered policy formulation and data producers and users to package and disseminate results. legislative processes as well as national statistical systems and These initiatives support UN efforts to develop a United Nations national budgets, which are critical to gaining women's fail- Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF), based on a representation at all levels. common country assessment. In Latin America, work centred on a sub-regional pro- Increasing C.apticity in (lender Mdinstmiiiiing gramme in Mexico and Central America involving participation In Central America, UNIFEM, in partnership with UNICEF, of national statistics offices and women's organizations in the UNFPA, and a number of women's NGOs, supported a review elaboration of social and economic indicators on the situation of legislation to eliminate gender disparities, and the incorpo- of women. In Guatemala and El Salvador, the focus is on ration of a gender approach into social policies at national education and labour-related indicators; in Costa Rica, attention and local levels. This initiative has resulted in the training focuses on labour, education, health, political participation, and of over 7,000 individuals, including government officials domestic violence. In Mexico a computerized system of social and NGO partners, on gender issues, and has facilitated the and economic indicators has now become operational. incorporation of gender—both as a category of expertise UNIFEM initiated a project to make the 1998 Pakistan and as an area of action in national planning—within the Census gender sensitive. In conjunction with the United Nations agenda of 'CentralAmerican countries. Population Fund (UNFPA) and the Population Census . i >\^; ENGENDERING BUDGETS 'Building on the success of the South African Women's Budget initiative, and in collaboration with the Commonwealth Secretariat, UNIFEM's work on incorporating a gender perspective into the preparation of national budgets continues with NGOs, community-based organizations, research institutions, UN agencies, members of Parliament, and senior government officials in the Southern African Development Community (SADC). The introduction of a gender approach into national bud- ' getary resource allocations aims at reducing the existing gender discrepancies and disparities in the socio-economic development process, and in ensuring that governments allocate sufficient resources to implement commitments made in the Platform for Action. At a workshop, "Engendering Budgets: The Southern African Experience," that UNIFEM was asked to •organize for the SADC region in November 1998, experiences and initiatives in engendering budgets were presented by participating delegates from Zimbabwe, Zambia, Mozambique, Malawi, and Tanzania. The workshop resulted in considerable public interest in engendering budgets, as evi denced by numerous requests for information both from governments and individuals including researchers and practitioners. Indian Ocean Island States representatives requested replication of this project in their region. One of the recommendations of the workshop was that UNIFEM design a. strategy to coordinate the sharing of information. This is being pursued in collaboration with the Commonwealth Secretariat and UNDP, and a new Web site is being set up. to Organization (PCO), UNIFEM provided gender training to enumerators in four provinces of Pakistan. As a result of these activities, questions asked to assess labour force par- ticipation have been changed to reflect gender differences. Additionally, awareness was raised among respondents through massive media campaigns. Overall, this project resulted in increased recognition of the contribution of women's work to the national economy, which is critical for ensuring that resource allocations and policy formu- lation take women into account. It has also led to the creation of a regional South Asian forum to share expertise and experiences on census exercises in Pakistan, India, and Nepal. /: v// i.v/w 11 <>.\ii-:.\ ;v /./•: \ni.Rsnir. i w; round, u. Wliat difference will the emergence of greater numbers of women leaders make in economic, social and political policies and programmes? UNIFEM support to pro- grammes that strengthen women's leadership has the potential to generate learning in response to this question. In Francophone Africa, UNIFEM has facilitated a process of building women's leadership skills through a training programme being implemented by the Institute for African Democracy in Dakar. Beneficiaries of the training include women mayors, parliamentarians, trade union leaders, and local government officials in Mali, Cameroon, Benin, and Burkina Faso. This programme has resulted in the establishment of a Web site on African women in politics (www.fempol.org). Increasing requests from other countries of the region to receive similar train- jMffcfifta^i^^^ ing is an indication of the need for more concentrated assistance in this area. ?*;,':'ffpaffjt$'dffi^ In Centra] America, Mexico, Cuba, and the Dominican Republic, UNIFEM's ':'s-*f';&z;;3^suc^^ v" hi&cw '••. •• leadership programme is focused on creating an enabling environment to facilitate women's leadership in both political and economic arenas. The programme sup- ' current -world percentage :D.£ wqmen- in,; .. ports networks for information-sharing among women political leaders, uses the 'parliament is 10%. We- in Fiji have, sur-, media networks to sensitize broad sectors of the society about women's leadership, ' passed that, and the credit must surely and facilitates the management and leadership skills of rural and indigenous go. to UNIFEM..." women. In El Salvador, Las Dignas, an NGO supported by UNIFEM, has succeed- Programme experiences have been consoli- ed in including gender concerns in local level plans, and ensuring that specific dated in a number of resource materials budget lines are dedicated to support issues related to education, health, and produced for use throughout the Pacific, violence. Negotiations were earned out by including a training manual on political women leaders trained through the UNIFEM empowerment and two video- tapes, A Voice in Government, project, who are subsequently advocating and Pacific Women In Politics. at the parliamentarian level. At the country level, UNIFEM provided support to the Kenyan Women's Political Caucus (KWPC) during 1998 to convene workshops and training activities aimed at gender-sensitizing parliamentarians and other parliamentary officials. Due to these KWPC activities, a Constitutional Review Commission Act now requires that at least one third of commissioners be women. In addition, the commission has adopted gender-sensitive language in the conduct of its business. 11 r The formation of a Gender Desk in the Rwandan to develop this initiative. The UN Foundation acknowledged Parliament reflects an innovative approach supported by its value and will provide funding of $1.4 million for UNIFEM to strengthen the political influence of women parlia- the programme. mentarians in Rwanda. The Gender Desk offers technical assis- In Africa, the first phase of a regional project to support tance and concrete advice to interject gender concerns into the peace-building efforts of women in Rwanda, Burundi, parliamentary debates and ensuing legislation. Somalia, and Sudan was completed in 1998. The project was A collaborative venture with the Netherlands implemented over a two-year period, with the financial support Organization for International Development Cooperation of the Netherlands government. The key strategies that guided (NOVTB) is part of an ongoing process to build sustainable the implementation process stressed capacity-building of partnerships to advance the agenda of women's transforma- women's peace movements, providing conflict-resolution skills tional leadership. UNIFEM organized a donor roundtable on training to women peace activists within the four countries, the theme of Building Women's Leadership for the 21st Century and supporting women to undertake advocacy initiatives for in early 1999- It brought 21 donors together with women's peace at regional and international levels. As a result, over organizations to share strategies and mechanisms for support- 100 women in the four countries were trained as trainers ing and strengthening women's leadership capacities. in conflict-resolution, and have in turn trained wide communities of women. The project activities also spurred the establishment of an Africa-wide Federation of African /\ Women's Peace Networks (FERFAP), a vehicle for coordinat- UNIFEM has found that women's active participation at the ing advocacy initiatives at regional and international official peace table is often the direct result of general political levels. Since its launch in February 1998, the Federation mobilization and women's explicit demand for inclusion. has undertaken peace and solidarity missions to Etliiopia, Women's ability to shape reconstruction processes is cmcial Eritrea, and Congo-Brazzaville, organized with support from in determining the structure of future social and political UNIFEM and UNDP. institutions, and has to be treated as a matter of right. UNIFEM collaborated with International Alert—a In the GEE/CIS region, UNIFEM activities have been London-based NGO—to train and bring 20 women from largely geared to meeting the challenge of peace building. FERFAP to contribute to the dialogues and debates at the 42nd UNIFEM has developed a programme to support peace- session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) building efforts of women in the Southern Caucasus, by in March 1998. FERFAP'sparticipation deepened the strengthening women's contributions to peace negotiations and understanding of delegates to the CSW about the issues dialogues, and facilitating their efforts and potentials related to creating space for women to support reintegration of refugees to meaningfully contribute to peace-building and and displaced communities. UNIFEM reconstruction efforts. has been working closely throughout In Guatemala, the second phase of UNIFEM's support 1998 with UNDP, the United Nations to the National Union of Guatemalan Women (UNAMG) was High Commissioner for Refugees launched, focusing on integrating gender into the peace- (UNHCR), the Organization for building and democratization process in the country. UNAMG Security and Cooperation in has undertaken consultations throughout the country to inform Europe/Office for Democratic women about the main commitments of the peace accords. Institutions and These activities are contributing to the mobilization of formerly Human Rights dispersed women's groups in Guatemala, and have resulted in (OSCE/ODIHR) more informed participation of UNAMG members in the peace and the accords of Guatemala. International In Colombia, UNIFEM supported a Pacific Route March Organization for for Peace, organized by Casa de la Mujer and Corporation Migration (IOM), Educativa COMBOS. More than 1,500 people participated, as well as govern- including women who have been subject to aggression and ments and NGOs in abuse by paramilitary and guerilla groups in the country. the Southern Caucasus The event resulted in a Truth Forum—Recording Our Memories/Renouncing Impunity, which provided women an opportunity to share their testimonies and to make visible a tragedy endured in silence by millions of Colombian women. 12 PROMOTING WOMEN'S HUMAN RIGHTS and Eliminating Violence Against Women To foster the political he work of transforming social values and creating a culture of respect for the and economic empow- human rights of women is a lengthy and critical process. Seizing opportunities presented by the 50th anniversary of die Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), UNIFEM worked erment of women, throughout 1998 to achieve a broad impact in promoting and protecting women's human rights UNIFEM has utilized a and eliminating violence against women. rights-based framework The objectives that guide UNIFEM's work on human rights include: that views the pursuit " enhancing the ability of women and women's organizations to advocate for women's of sustainable human human rights nationally, regionally, and internationally; development as a ° devising and investing in strategies and programmes to prevent and eliminate violence fundamental human against women and girls — strategies that promote greater action by governments, community organizations, and the international community towards the elimination of rights issue, and has all forms of violence against women. made women's human rights a centrepiece In 1998, a number of flagship programmes that were innovative in both their processes and products were developed. of its empowerment approach to i-\Ttw \Anv\s i.\n:K-A<;i:.\C) CAM/'\ti;,\\ I'OM'.nu'M- programming. .1 WORLD r/fiii; oi-' vio/.f-:.\cr K,:I/.Y.ST now UNIFEM initiated global inter-agency campaigns in which nine United Nations agencies joined together to address the pandemic of gender-based violence. In Latin America and the Caribbean, Asia and the Pacific, and Africa, the synergy and collaboration between the UN, leading women's NGOs and networks, the media, law enforcement organizations, and government agencies created an unprecedented level of attention and activism around the critical need to eliminate violence against women. The overall campaign goals intended to: o change attitudes and behaviours that perpetuate violence; * motivate governments to develop/change policies, legislation, and practices to prevent violence against women and girls; ° strengthen the capacity of civil society organizations to effectively advocate for and implement violence-prevention programmes; • promote partnerships and coordination among UN agencies working on the issue of violence against women and girls (see pp. 16-21 for more information). l'STriM) IX HWOKTOF ACTION 10 liUVIXAi'i-; VIOI.KXCI-AGMN'I 1I01//.Y In 1996, General Assembly Resolution 50/166, on "UNIFEM's role in the elimination of violence against women," asked UNIFEM, as an operational agency, to strengthen activities that address gender-based violence. The Trust Fund in Support of Actions to Eliminate Violence Against Women was created as a response. Over the last two years, the Trust Fund has achieved growing recognition as a multilateral operational mechanism providing financial support for international, regional, national, and grassroots actions aimed at eradicating the pandemic of gender-based violence. In its first two years, the Trust Fund supported a total of 71 projects worldwide, which address general or specific problems of violence against women, and employ a multiplicity of strategies. In 1998 the annual income for the Tmst Fund of a TV programme that openly discussed trafficking reached an doubled in size from the previous year (totaling approximately audience of five million young women and girls at risk. $2 million). Projects use a wide range of strategies—training for health and law enforcement professionals, public educa- i- \\nn tion, capacity building, violence prevention and deterrence, 1998 marked a turning point for UNIFEM's work on the awareness raising and the reversal of ingrained attitudes, and Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination action-oriented research. Against Women (CEDAW). Using CEDAW as a basis for program- A project, implemented in Kenya by the Programme for ming, UNIFEM has strengthened its support to make an interna- Appropriate Technology on Health (PATH), an NGO concerned tional legal document on women's equality into a blueprint mat with women's health, aimed at developing alternative rites of can and should be implemented at the national level. UNIFEM is passage to puberty for young women, thus replacing the tradi- supporting projects dial raise women's awareness about the use tional practice of female genital mutilation (FGM). Dialogue of the Convention, strengthening the capacity of women's organi- between parents and daughters was facilitated by PATH to zations to utilize the Convention and advocate for its principles, find out what they perceive as appropriate alternative rites. and promoting efforts that help build a culture of respect for Innovative ceremonies were designed by participants and women's human rights by ensuring that women know how to community/religious leaders in a way that preserved the advocate for meaningful implementation of the Convention. importance of the transition of young girls to puberty without To tills end, UNIFEM and the International Women's Rights the mutilation, transforming their initiation into puberty into a Action Watch Asia-Pacific co-sponsored the second annual work- celebration of young women's reproductive health and rights. shop in 1998, "Global to Local: A CEDAW Implementation and The initial results indicate a significant reduction in FGM Monitoring Training Workshop," bringing together 24 women in the targeted three Kenyan districts. In their evaluations from 1 1 countries reporting to the CEDAW committee. This train- the young women beneficiaries testified to their new feel- ing provided participants with an opportunity to deepen their ings of empowerment and self-confidence achieved through understanding of the Convention as a key organizing tool and as a their participation, and the valuable support they received mechanism for advancing their domestic agenda for women's from their parents, teachers, and other influential commu- human rights. nity leaders who were also involved in the programme. Through UNIFEM's support to global and regional CEDAW Miramed, a U.S.-based NGO focusing on Russia and trainings in 1997 and 1998, over 50 women 's rights advocates developing inter-country coalitions against trafficking of from around the world with diverse areas of expertise, have women, designed a project to implement an awareness pro- been trained to strengthen implementation of the Convention gramme in six regions of western Russia to avert economic at the country level and influence positive change for women imprisonment through girls' and women's unwilling recruit- in national policy-making. ment into international sexual slavery. The six-month project In Bringing Equality Home: Implementing the reached out to over 300 school districts and more than Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination 30 orphanages with high-risk populations. They mobilized Against Women, UNIFEM documented the dynamic process in parent-teacher associations, contacted NGOs, and distributed which women worldwide are using the Convention to make its materials to hundreds of girls tenet of gender equality and non-discrimination for women a and their parents. It is esti- reality in national constitutions, court decisions, policies and mated that the production public awareness. 1 LEARNING TO END VIOLENCE •As the only multilateral funding mechanism that is exclusively devoted to addressing the problem of violence against women, the Trust Fund in Support of Actions to Eliminate Violence •Against Women offers a unique prism through which the phenomenon of violence against women can be explored in ways that were not previously feasible. With grantmaking operations and pro- cedures in place, UNIFEM is enhancing the impact of the Trust Fund by strengthening its "learning component," with the support of a two-year grant from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. The learning component will enable UNIFEM to review, analyze, and extract important lessons from its grant-making activities and provide guidelines for shaping more effective strategies for combating violence against women. An initiative in Senegal, to eliminate FGM—supported by UNIFEM and a number of UN organizations—demonstrated the power of applying CEDAW. UNIFEM supported development of a training kit on CEDAW principles to help empower women and the community to articulate the human rights issues around FGM. Participants in this advocacy effort included village elders, women, men, children and Imams. To date, 43 villages have pledged to abandon the practice of female genital mutilation. For the second year in a row, UNIFEM joined the Center for Women's Global Leadersliip (CWGL) in the sponsorship of a Mentoring and Advocacy Training Programme at the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) in Geneva. UNIFEM's support to the mentoring programme for women's human rights advocates sought to: a) expand the capacity of a growing number of women's human rights advocates to work effectively at the CHR; b) decentralize the expertise and flow of information on how to use the human rights machinery of the UN to support the activities of groups in local and regional settings; and c) assist in the creation of a cadre of advocates that understand and monitor the work of the human rights system to implement the gender-related policy recommendations given by the CHR. The training during the CHR (Geneva, April 1998) prepared participants in the theory and practice of international human rights advocacy work, in three of the key issues of the CHR agenda for women's human rights: violence against women, gender integration, and follow-up to the World Conference on Human Rights. The 10 participants in the Human Rights Training and Mentoring Project drafted alternative language for resolutions addressing gender-related : := 'U^%t^wpri (i!-M)l:KJIS'll('l'.\\U III! /\//.A'\Ml(i\\t. i.'AVI/AVI/ i.fV UNIFEM provided support to the Women's Caucus for Gender Justice—a small coalition of women's rights advocates from around the world working on gender-related issues in war and armed conflict—at the International Criminal Court (ICC). UNIFEM will continue to provide support to ensure that women's interests and concerns are fully integrated into the basic documents and procedures of this new international institution. Support to this work has proven to be critical as its advocacy restdted in the inclusion of provisions regarding rape, forced pregnancy, and sexual slavery. In that regard the ICC statute should be seen as a model for genderjustic e in its codification of both crimes of sexual, reproductive, and gender violence, and-of processes and criteria for ensuring the capacity of the Court to implement justice for women. 15 p-r- A WORLD FREE OF VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN "Violence against NIFEM developed powerful approaches to using new information women is perhaps the technologies, the media, and organizing strategies to convene diverse constituencies to advocate for an end to gender-based violence. Three precedent-setting initiatives, coordinated and most shameful human spearheaded by UNIFEM, coalesced in 1998 to build a choir of voices from the international rights violation. It community that resounded with a call for action, commitment, and justice. knows no boundaries These included: of geography, culture 8 coordination of interagency regional campaigns to end violence against women; or wealth. As long as « production of a global inter-agency videoconference, "A World Free of Violence it continues, we cannot Against Women;" and claim to be making real ° launch of a virtual Internet discussion group, — Kofi Annan, human rights, and to advocate for action by governments and civil UN Secretary-General, society to uphold commitments to promoting women's rights. How was in an address to the tlu's accomplished? Through innovative programming that disturbed, UN inter-agency moved, and challenged, and through coalition-building that galvanized videoconference, and emboldened policy-makers and grassroots activists alike. The following "A World Free of Violence pages capture the results from these programmes and initiatives. Against Women," March 1999 "Future generations will look back on this firs! hti/f cent/in' of I he I 'nited .\ations /fork ami say. they stopped many wars: they ended the scourge of child soldiers and mutilation by landmines; they worked to end world hunger. If today we commit ourselves in common unity to create a world free from violence against women and girls, our children will say. they reached out to sfo/> the most universal and unpun- ished crime of all. the physical, emotional, economic and sexual violence against one half of the world's people. In [W.H.] Auden's words, 'unlock the frozen rivers of the heart/Let the healing miters start.'" —.VoiYtw llerzer. Kxeculiiv Dirairtr. i\II;l'M. in n/i tii/f/ii'sx In ll.v I V intur-dacncy ru/coct»ifercncc. "/I \\'mlil free nfVinlence Against Women. "March I <)<)*) "Violence against women is a tragic consequence of the world community's collec- tive failure to recognize and salute the resilience, loyalty and dedication of women. For its part the South African Government is resolute in its commitment to affirm and implement those rights. Together with civil society we will continue to strive to enhance the quality of life for women and indeed all members of our society." — Nelson Mandela in videotaped message to the UN inter-agency videoconference, "A World Free of Violence Against Women," March 1999. t» ••1 16 fV" 1 ' >> \i. C\MI'A/(;\S Latin America and the Caribbean: \rn\i t:.\ "A Life Free of Violence: It's Our Right" The UN inter-agency regional campaigns generated a public out- Launched on 10 December 1997, International Human pouring on issues previously considered taboo. They inspired Rights Day, this regional campaign was coordinated by heads of state, presidents and religious leaders to make public UNIFEM and involves the collaboration of nine UN funds, pronouncements and commitments to end entrenched prac- programmes, and agencies. It secured the endorsement of tices harmful to women and girls. Radio and television stations 1'9 governments. This was the first regional campaign to be devoted prime time to air "spots," jingles, documentaries and launched; its success influenced the inception of other interviews in what became an effective public education cam- regional campaigns. Some of the critical actions inspired paign in countries worldwide. Campaign results affirm that by the campaign: through collective efforts of a wide range of actors meaningful ° Approximately 1,200 national NGOs and municipal progress can be achieved, and that coordinated activism sup- groups in Brazil signed the Ministry of Justice's ports and increases government accountability for upholding "Community Pact Against Family Violence," a draft women's human rights. Following are highlights of the three of the Penal Code specifying domestic violence as a regional initiatives. crime. The Human Rights Commission of the National Congress earmarked $10 million for the creation of women's shelters. 8 In Mexico, as part of a national programme to elimi- nate domestic violence, over 500 public authorities— law enforcement officials, lawyers, judges—linked with the Women's Programme of Mexico City to receive training on the issue of violence against women. • A programme produced by GEMS-TV, "Mujeres Protagonistas," tracing the history of women's struggles in defense of their rights, received three Emmy awards. A Public Service Announcement, "Un Minuto," pro- duced by Contrapunto in Spain, won the prestigious Ibero-American Festival Publicity Award in 1998 as part of the UNIFEM entry. UNIFEM's Trust Fund supported the Institute Social A postage stamp commem- y Politico de la Mujer's public awareness campaign orating the UN inter-agency in Argentina. Poster produced by Maria Ximena campaign was printed by Carreira, a graphic art student at the University of the postmaster in Ecuador. Buenos Aires as part of the campaign. z l-s UJ Z UJ O Z UJ u- O -fi|J1j, ill^JifU UJ i»£ *I 1 -1i sI 1S1 "s f 8 ~ .2. -a I l S s f 11 UJ rt u wi 1 < i ? S" S .1 U- its rss •— O •;/: DISCIssio\ usi they have developed to confront this situation. The exhibit had In preparation for the videoconference, UNIFEM initiated a an interactive component, inviting the thousands of attendees, discussion on the Internet, Michele Landsberg's article, "Web Meeting: Quest for Freedom from Violence," (Toronto Star, 6 February, 1999), excerpted below, captures the excitement of the discussion on the (end-violence) listserve. "More than 1,300 women around the world, front-line workers against violence, have been e-mailing each other for months, comparing experiences and sharing strategies to prepare for March 8. Eavesdropping on them has been exciting. I learned about the Senegalese women who charted the extent of female genital mutilation, started low-key village discussions and have seen their efforts crowned by brand new national laws to ban the practice. I chortled over the women in Fiji, giving out 'Real Men Don't Hit Women' bumper stickers, and was amazed by the village women of Andhra Pradesh, India, who sparked a national criminal investigation into the practice of parad- ing young women in a sex auction to be bought by the highest bidder. It's a marvel to read about the women in Nepal who demonstrated in black clothes and performed street theatre against the trafficking of girls, or about Princess Basma of Jordan, sister of the king, who marched with 200 other women to protest 'honour killings.' "This is the positive, human side of globalization, more eye-opening and more soul-stirring than any electronic zapping of money. A woman from Papua New Guinea asks about working with male batterers, and an activist from Moscow answers her questions. Feminist volunteers from Italy, Kenya and Turkmenistan compare notes on unexpected drawbacks to domestic violence law reform." UN INTER-AO-ENCY GLOBAL VIDEOCONFERENCE n 8 March 1999, the last International Women's Day of the 20th century, UNIFEM coordinated a groundbreaking event, "A World Free of Violence Against Women." This global videoconference linked the UN General Assembly (GA) in New York, New Delhi, Mexico City, Nairobi, and the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France. Human rights advocates, sur- vivors of gender-based violence, UN decision-makers, and government leaders came together to highlight the achievements of and obstacles facing violence prevention programmes. In addition to the 2,000-plus participants filling the GA and participating at the other four sites, viewing audiences from all over the world hooked-up to the videoconference via satellite, the World Wide Web, and videoconferencing technologies. Groups from Turkey to Fiji, universities throughout the US, telecentres in Russia, and thousands of individuals from their personal computers listened and watched as government leaders and celebrities joined with the courageous survivors of gender-based violence in focusing a global spotlight on what Secretary- General Kofi Annan called "the most shameful human rights violation." It was an electrifying event, the result of speakers' unflinching testimony and the technological feats that traversed oceans, deserts, mountains and political borders to truly unite hundreds of thousands of citi- zens around the globe. The programme was moderated by three well-known television anchors: Daljit Dhaliwal of ITN, Judy Woodruff of CNN, and Lynn Sherr of ABC TV. Four types of violence confronted by women and girls were explored: a) domestic violence, including dowry violence and rape; b) threats to women's bodily integrity, such as female genital mutilation; c) violence against women in war and conflict situations; d) economic violence, including the situau'on of women and girls who are victims of trafficking. The event showcased success stories and future challenges to achieving women's human rights and eradicating violence against women; shared effective strategies to end gender-based violence; honoured human rights defenders who have made significant contributions to Top: Secretary-General eradicating gender-based violence; fostered global partnerships to end violence against women Kofi Annan with UNIFEM's Goodwill Ambassador and girls; and challenged the international community to commit increased resources to end Julie Andrews. violence against women. Centre: Hillary Clinton at a The event attracted coverage worldwide in print, electronic and broadcast media. luncheon organized by the U.S. Committee for UNIFEM, From full airings of the event in its entirety to short features, television stations such as CNN 4 March 1999. en Espaiiol, ABC World News, Star TVG News in New Delhi, the Finnish Broadcasting Company, Bottom: Ms Nane Annan and RAI-Italian News telecast the event to viewers all over the world. with Julie Andrews and 1 5 Noeleen Heyzer. f" ' ^ ~ ""*" Tj, V i '•^•FEEDBACK RECEIVED FRQM VIEWERS AND PARTICIPANTS BEST EXPRESSES THE IMPACT OF THE EVENT Below: Alice Karekezi with f - £ [ _ Daljit Dhaliwal. / "|Wa,ny(governm,ent officials, church leaders, "It has taken 25 years for violence against ^ and'soo women from all over the region came women to enter public debate. This UN 5 " to^this videoconference You cannot even begin experience has driven it home." to irpagme the sort of impact the messages —Mallika Dutt, Ford Foundation 'bad on the jpjnd? of policy rnakers. It has Carted to move people into action—the police "Many, many people who viewed the video- „ are talking about setting up special police conference here were profoundly moved by ^'stations for Wqnrten victims, the minister of it—horrified as well as inspired. For many education is re thinking about girls' education, of us, seeing the face of the global scope the«.judiciary'is contemplating a new bill" of the violence against women was an i, Member of Parliament, education in and of itself." Kenya — Participant at a viewing in Michigan, U.S. 21 SUPPORTING THE UN SYSTEM IN STRENGTHENING GENDER MAINSTREAMING UN system but also with each other. UNIFEM has been an : ^"i'AAai hc+rci3rhm empowerment; and guidance that other indicators should be Participation in inter-agency efforts is an integral part of V , disaggregated by sex. UNIFEM's work. In 1998, a key im'tiative through which UNIFEM h "• brought together UN agencies, governments, and die civil society In the Field: The UNIFEM Gender Advisor in Nigeria was the convening of the regional inter-agency campaigns focus- participated in the UNDAF pilot in Ghana, which produced a ing on eliminating violence against women (see pp. 16 - 21). notably gender-sensitive document, the National Gender On behalf of die Inter-agency Committee on Women and Programme (1998-2000), which is part of Ghana's "Vision Gender Equality (IACWGE), UNIFEM co-manages with UNDP a 2020" to alleviate poverty and become a middle-income Good Practices initiative to collect UN system good practices in country. The formulation of this document was the result of gender mainstreaming and implementing the Beijing PFA. a strong collaborative effort between UNIFEM, UNDP, UNFPA These good practices, which will highlight successful, replica- and UNICEF, under the leadership of UNIFEM. ble projects dial impact women's lives, will be launched at die In Kenya, UNIFEM joined with 18 other UN specialized Beijing +5 meeting in June 2000. agencies and funds to produce an all-encompassing UNDAF As an inter-agency initiative that has received substantial document for Kenya covering 1999 through 2003. Through visibility within the UN system, UNIFEM has worked closely participation in theme groups addressing gender, economics with its partners, DAW and INSTRAW, to further develop the and governance, food security, employment and disaster man- WomenWatch site (see p. 26). agement, UNIFEM made substantive and critical contributions UNIFEM has collaborated with UNDP in pioneering that ensured mainstreaming of gender throughout the document. efforts to bring togedier gender analysis and economic analysis UNIFEM has agreed to fnndraise $1.3 million for implementation to produce a new approach to macroeconomic and trade treaty of specific areas in the UNDAF document, namely, food security, policies, and to promote initiatives to make government bud- gender, transformative leadership, and HIV/AIDS. gets more gender-sensitive. Some of die results will be pub- In Thailand, UNIFEM played an active role in the lished in a special issue of the journal World Development in preparation of the first CCA. UNIFEM was active in six of the June 2000, and a new Web site will bring together information seven working groups formed to draft the CCA issues briefs. on pro-poor and gender-sensitive budgets. UNIFEM chaired die group on poverty and prepared the Advice has been given by UNIFEM to the World Bank brief on violence against women and children in the Working team responsible for die forthcoming "Policy Research Report Group on Family Life. on Gender and Development." 1 COLLABORATING TO ENSURE GENDER-SENSITIVE APPROACHES TO HIV/AIDS i , . | 'UNIFEM started collaboration with UNAIDS in 1998 with implementation of a joint project between UNIFEM, UNFPA, 1 and UNAIDS to strengthen the capacity of women's organizations to recognize HIV/AIDS as a critical gender issue in six ' pilot countries, namely, Vietnam, India, Zimbabwe, Senegal, Mexico, and the Bahamas. Orientation workshops on gender , concerns in HIV and development issues have led to new partnerships between organizations working on gender and those'working on HIV/AIDS. These organizations are now focusing on empowering people affected by the epidemic on , safe negotiation skills; carrying out community based research on the gender impact of the epidemic; and encouraging ' 'the media to document, human rights abuses of people living with HIV/AIDS. To increase political and financial support for women living with HIV/AIDS, efforts have been made in the past year to i inform intergovernmental debates on the gender dimension of the epidemic. UNIFEM brought two HIV/AIDS experts to I the expert group meeting on Women and Health organized by the Division for the Advancement of Women in Tunisia in 1 September 1998 As a' result, the background paper prepared for the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) addressed i the issue of gender and HIV/AIDS. At the March 1999 session of the CSW, UNIFEM invited five people living and working I with HIV/AIDS to participate in events organized to contribute to discussions in the main forum. Their participation I energized the debate, and facilitated the resolution on the girl child and HIV/AIDS at the CSW. 21 3- BECOMING A KNOWLEDGE PROVIDER ON GENDER EQUALITY What are the most effective strategies leading to gender equality? in Thailand, Ecuador, Jordan and Barbados have also launched UNIFEM regularly receives requests bom a wide variety of active Web sites that improve the accessibility of information partners - governments, UN organizations, die media, NGOs about UNIFEM initiatives. worldwide - for advice and assistance in developing effective approaches to underpin gender-responsive programming and i \n i policies. Throughout 1998, UNIFEM developed new mechanisms i.v; /vw;u//m,v for more widely sharing its own experiences with partners, as UNIFEM continues to analyze and synthesize its experiences in we!] as improving systems for sharing knowledge internally. supporting women's empowerment and gender mainstreaming and channel these into resource materials that are widely /,sy\<,' \,MI . disseminated. In 1998, UNIFEM issued "Women Against in ,'iu A \o\\ii:nci' f(>\: \n v//v\ Violence: Breaking the Silence," the fourth volume of its UNIFEM is increasingly using the power of new technologies to series Reflecting on Experience in Latin America and the facilitate knowledge-sharing in a number of innovative ways. Caribbean. Publications that document the process and Primary amongst these has been UNIFEM's coordination of a outcomes of UNIFEM-supported initiatives to address global inter-agency videoconference, "A World Free of Violence gender-based violence in West Africa, build women's political Against Women" (see p. 21). UNIFEM also continues to host a participation and leadership in the Pacific, and broaden virtual community, , m . by UN organizations, was launched in 1997 :the Advancement of Women, and the International to the WomenWatch Web site have easy access to EWorld Conference on Women, to reports prepared ||jJe*ebnirn.issiQn: on the Status of Women, and to global and region- «r'?1-^*'11^J^^'-1^'''11 '-' "' ' jfftcltjdjnte:'UNDP 'and the World Bank — are now strengthening their 's^l:biin'datibn and from the UK/Department for !>'•'• ' :of'the project. In 1999, WomenWatch will host a series :he Beijing Platform for Action. These discussion lists n effective strategies for implementing the PFA. . attract thousands of groups and individuals |t^|Qrifatj;):he'final PrepCom for Beijing +5. ON THE ROAD TO BEIJING +5: ACCOUNTABILITY TO THE WORLD'S WOMEN The resolutions from all of the world conferences have firmly established the policy SUPPORTING NGO GLOBAL environment for gender equality; what is needed now is the political will and ' WoMENAcnoN 2000 NETWORK resources that will underpin implementation. One of UNIFEM's Beijing +5 strate- Since 1995, UNIFEM has supported follow-up activities to the Fourth World gies is to support global and Conference on Women (FWCW) and implementation of the Platform for Action regional networks to participate in1 (PFA). In the five-year assessment process of Beijing UNIFEM will develop the five-year assessment of Beijing, mechanisms for increasing accountability for the fulfillment .of the PFA's mandate scheduled to take place in a - for gender equality, and stimulating synergistic partnerships.'For UNIFEM, Beijing UN'General Assembly session from 5 - 9 June 2000. +5 presents an opportunity to deepen its mandate of supporting gender equality strategies at the national level. Just as'the FWCW developed an agenda for women's WomenAction 2000, a group of empowerment and gender mainstreaming that guided UNIFEM's Strategy' and nearly 16 global and regional alterna- tive women's information networks, Business Plan from 1997-1999, the Beijing +5 assessment will reaffirm and has come together to develop joint deepen the agenda that guides development and implementation of UNIFEM's-next strategies for ensuring widespread business plan (2000-2003). . . dissemination of information about In almost every region of the world, UNIFEM is supporting institutions, plans and progress towards Beijing networks and mechanisms to facilitate ongoing action on PFA implementation and +5. This network currently involves monitoring of results achieved. Asian Women's Resource Exchange (Manila), ALAI (Quite), ISIS-Wicce In the Arab region, UNIFEM's post-Beijing initiative is providing support in (Kampala), Isis-lnternacional . five countries and focuses on strengthening national machineries, supporting die • (Santiago), Isis-lnternational (Manila), creation of national action plans, and stimulating dialogue between government ENDA (Dakar), Women's feature andNGOs. . Service (New Delhi), International In the Southern Cone of Latin America, UNIFEM is supporting women's Women's Tribune Centre (New York), organizations to encourage and monitor government efforts to comply with IIAV-Knowledge Sharing Project (Amsterdam), FemNet (Nairobi), agreements in the PFA. In Brazil, for example, this has involved supporting the WomensNet (Johannesburg), Karat National Council on Women's Rights in implementing its Equal Opportunities Plan. Coalition (Bucharest), CRIAW In Argentina support has been provided both to Ministries and NGO networks to - (Toronto), USWomenConnect develop action and monitoring strategies. (Washington), European Women's In South Asia, UNIFEM has taken a lead in ensuring that countries in the Lobby (Brussels), and ARC Women's region continue to focus on PFA implementation. At biennial commemorations of Networking Support Programme - (International). the FWCW—held in New Delhi in 1996 and Kathmandu in 1998—UNIFEM- brought together a cross section of regional partners to share planning processes and take UN.IFEM will provide support to this stock of experiences in gender mainstreaming. initiative in two ways. WomenWatch Throughout Africa, UNIFEM is supporting governments, UN organizations, - a joint initiative of, UNIFEM, DAW, and 1NSTRAW - will support the and NGO efforts to keep the flame .of Beijing alive. In Senegal, UNIFEM convenes networks to* host on-line dialogues donor coordination mechanisms to'ensure that support can be mobilized for on critical areas of concern and government and civil society post-Beijing action plans. In Mozambique, UNIFEM is to develop a number of synthesis OMxmvenor, with UNFPA, of the first initiative to emerge frohi an UNDAF exercise rep'ortS'Which will be available at that is focused on post-Beijing implementation'. This innovative project will pilot the March 2000 PrepCom and at implementation of the country's post-Beijing action plan in one district of the Beijing +5. UNIFEM will support 1 capacity-building activities of these country (Zambezia), involving government, civil society-arid ah UN organizations networks, including the training of . operational in Mozambique in concentrated support as a precursor to full-scale women in skills to moderate .on-line national implementation of the strategy. dialogues, and. create web sites. UNIFEM is also supporting regional preparatory efforts for the Beijing +5 UNIFEM's Southeast Asia'and South . assessment, and is working with the UN regional ecpnomic commissions, Asia programmes have already begun governments and NGO partners. . , " to support these activities in their regions, and UNIFEM's field-based network will be exploring other partner initiatives along-these same lines. 27 HIGHLIGHTS OF UNIFEM PROJECTS - 1998' AFRICA negotiation skills in order to participate programmes and projects as well as in the market exchange at the local, strengthening the leadership and man- ECONOMIC RIGHTS regional and international levels. agement skills of women at all levels Centre Canadien d'Etude et de to review policies and legislation to REGIONAL Cooperation Internationale (CECI), influence and lobby for gender-sensitive Women's Land Rights under Situations UNIFEM, $265,550 laws, policies, programmes and projects. .of Conflict and Reconstruction examines UNIFEM/CIDA, $4,085,564 .the effects of'property laws on women CAMEROON in conflict and post-conflict situations, Cassava Production in Pouma supports LIBERIA and promotes women's economic the econotnic empowerment of women Women's Empowerment and Gender- property and tenure rights through the by helping them increase their revenues Sensitive Programme Initiative in Post- establishment of an inter-country com- from cassava production arfd transform war Liberia strengthens the participation mittee on women and gender equality. items of consumption to primary com- of Liberian women in the reconstruction UNIFEM, $100,000 modities such as cassava flour, starch process through capacity-enhancement at and livestock feed. The project assumes both government and non-governmental GHANA AND NIGERIA a holistic approach to production levels, and enhances the development ' Women's Sustainable Livelihood: by assisting women throughout the and monitoring of gender-sensitive Renewable Energy Systems process, from collection to marketing policies and programmes by national Development.(RESDA) strengthens of the products. and international actors. women's economic capacity for food African Institute for Democracy (AID), Government of Liberia, Liberian security in West Africa by increasing UNIFEM, $122,800 Reconstruction and Rehabilitation their ability to reduce post-harvest Commission (LRRC), UNIFEM, $100,000 •losses while reducing environmental GOVERNANCE AND LEADERSHIP degradation, and builds local capacity REGIONAL of women to develop, operate and REGIONAL—WEST AFRICA Transformational Leadership for Good maintain alternative and renewable Programme for Women's Regional Governance provides direct support energy systems so that they can Political Leadership provides leadership to a number of regional NGOs across profitably run small and medium enter- training skills for women in West Africa Africa which promote good governance prises in rural/periurban areas. to strengthen their representation in processes through women's empower- Ghana Regional Appropriate Technology the political system and to facilitate ment. This project also aims to enhance Industrial Service (GRATIS) Friends of the exchange, communication and a preparatory process for the evolution - the Earth, UNIFEM, $84,750 circulation of information on women of a region-wide programme which leaders through the creation of a would facilitate gender-sensitive CAPE VERDE AND SENEGAL Web site on African women in politics. governance and leadership practices Strengthening Women's Access to African Institute for Democracy (IAD), at all levels. Regional and Global Markets provides Akina Mama wa Africa, African Women UNIFEM, $61,476 marketing skills as well as technical Leadership Institute (AWLI), Association skills and knowledge to 1500 women BURUNDI, RWANDA, SOMALIA, SUDAN of African Women for Research producers in Cape Verde and Senegal. African Women for Conflict Resolution (AAWORD), Food Basket International This will enable them to access internal promotes gender inclusive responses to (FBFI), UNIFEM,.$80,000 and external markets, address fpod conflict resolution in peace negotiations security issues and increase their in Africa, and focuses on capacity HUMAN RIGHTS revenues on a sustainable basis. building of women's peace movements Association Conseil pour 1'Action, through training, advocacy and REGIONAL—EAST AFRICA ' Atelier Mar, UNIFEM, $44,000 institutional support. Rights-Based Approach to Promoting UNIFEM, $636,648 Women's Economic and Political BURKINA FASO Empowerment in Eastern Africa Shea Butter Production builds the REGIONAL—SOUTHERN AFRICA engenders macro-economic processes capacity of women to benefit from Southern Africa Development Community to ensure women's rights to economic opportunities Emerging from new trade (SADC) Gender in Development participation, enhances women's, agreements by improving the quality Programme strengthens ^capacity of political participation, and promotes and quantity of production, and the SADC unit to effectively mainstream women's rights to protection from Vio- expanding women's cooperatives. The and institutionalize gender dimensions lence through workshops, compilations project aims to strengthen women's in all SADC policies, strategies, of gender statistics, and enhancing the 'Listing includes project description, executing and implementing agencies, and total allocation for the lifespan of the project. The allocations are funded by UNIFEM core funds, cost-sharing and sub-trust funds, contributions received from NGOs, governments, national committees and other UN agencies. Please note many projects started prior to the current fiscal year and others will continue through 1999/2000'. This list is a selection of UNIFEM projects and does not represent the entire portfolio of activities. 28 capacity of the East Africa Sub-Regional "PAKISTAN, NEPAL, INDIA, SRI LANKA REGIONAL-SOUTH ASIA Support Initiative and the East South Asia Economic Empowerment Mainstreaming Gender in Governance: Africa Tribunal. Umbrella Project supports the economic The South Asia Umbrella Programme UNIFEM, $175,000 advancement of women through a , aims to mainstream a gender perspec- \multi-pfonged apprqach that focuses on tive in development policies and pro- REGIONAL—EAST, WEST & CENTRAL AFRICA three areas of concern: i) Developing grammes and strengthen the role of African Women in Crisis Programme reliable demographic, social and women at decision making levels by: (AFWIC) helps to build the capacity of economic data that accurately reflects i) Providing gender training to selected women's rights organizations, women's economic contributions; government officials; 2) generating forced migration study centres, and relief 2) improving women's access to media campaigns to showcase best organizations in East, West, and Central financial markets by creating networks practices in gender mainstreaming; Africa to expand their work to include - for entrepreneurs; and 3) providing and 3) holding a Biennial Review of advocacy on behalf of refugee, displaced, small business training to women at Beijing through which women reaffirm and returnee women. AFWIC is designed the community level. their commitment to the Beijing - to enable UNIFEM to support quick - UNIFEM, $156,200 Platform for Action. responses and immediate assistance to Aurat Foundation; Women's Political women in crisis and to place women at GOVERNANCE AND LEADERSHIP Watch, Sri Lanka Ministry of Women's the centre of the search for solutions. Affairs, UNIFEM, $90,118 UNIFEM, $100,000 REGIONAL—PACIFIC Political Empowerment Programme for . REGIONAL - ASIA AND THE PACIFIC Pacific Women provides campaign train- Older Women in the Mekong Basin ing workshops, election support, and Countries aims to raise awareness about ECONOMIC RIGHTS media awareness; Helps women • the problems'and issues that-older REGIONAL become active participants in the politi- women face by training representatives Women and the Asian Economic Crisis: cal structures and decision-making from organizations working with older Challenges and Opportunities created a processes of society, and develop their people in the Mekong Region. The train- policy briefing kit emphasizing the role capacity to undertake their.own train- ing emphasized the need for participato- of women in the Asian economies and ing. Since this project began, there has ry and 'gender-sensitive approaches to the need for a gender approach to eco- been a recorded increase in women develop realistic programmes that can nomic policy in order to maximize nation- running for political office in the region. be implemented in each country. al gains and minimize negative social Women in Politics Pacific Center UNIFEM, $28,496 impacts. It also highlights the impact of ' (WIPPAC), UNIFEM,..$256,ioo HUMAN RIGHTS the Asian economic crisis on women and REGIONAL their potential role in economic recovery. Second Global Congress on Women in REGIONAL—SOUTH EAST ASIA UNIFEM, $12,585 Politics focuses on setting the organiza- Facilitating the Fulfillment of ' PAPAU NEW GUINEA, VANUATU, TONGA tional structure and future directions Governments Obligation to Women's Trade and Gender Programme in the fofthe Global Network of Women in Ecjuality aims to establish a foundation Pacific provides governments and the Politics'as well as giving the opportuni- for NGO-led monitoring of state, private sector- with a comprehensive ty to share in the progress of regional compliance with the Convention understanding of the gender impact of commitments made during the First on the Elimination of All Forms of international, multilateral, and regional Global Congress. UNIFEM provided Discrimination Against Women. This will trade on' the economy of the Pap'fic assistance for the travel of some increase awareness of the Convention, Island countries. The project will gener- participants to Manila and also facilitate its implementation and enable ate baseline information on the integra- supports their continued efforts and women's groups to identify, track and tion of gender in trade, and develop aims at transformation of politics for disseminate information about success- advocacy materials to ensure that gen- Good Governance and Gender Equality. ful national activities resulting in der is mainstreamed into the implemen- Women in Politics Institute positive legislative reform. tation of trade agreements. UNIFEM, $19,800. International Women's Rights Action UNIFEM, $236,800'. REGIONAL—WEST ASIA Watch, $ 60,000 LEBANON Regional and Preparatory Meeting for the Regional—South Asia Assistance Programme for Women's Beijing +5 helped member states in South Asia Human Rights Umbrella Economic Empowerment in Lebanon: preparing adequately for Beijing +5 Programme aims to develop strategies Reproductive Health and Economic through assisting in the preparation of and activities to achieve the overall Empowerment aims to advance the national reports on implementation of goal of transforming social values and leadership role of women by strength- • the Beijing Platform' and institution-build- creating a culture of respect for -the ening the capacity of governmental and ing to accelerate its implementation. human rights of women involving a non-governmental organizations to ESCWA, $35,000 . ' multi-pronged approach encompassing deliver training to women- on reproduc- inter-related programme components ' tive health and entrepreneurship. in the areas of: a) promoting the real- Lebanese Ministry of Social Affairs, jzation of women's rights; b) building UNIFEM, $494,000 women's capacity to understand and 29 use human rights instruments; in order to facilitate follow-up of REGIONAL—CARIBBEAN c) promoting the elimination of all women's situations throughout the Wpmen's Leadership Programme: forms of violence against women. subregion and better tailor policies Changing the Paradigm in the Caribbean International Women's .Rights Action to their needs. lonks at the transformational aspects of Watch, World View International, UNIFEM, $80,000 women's leadership with a view to trans- Sakshi,,UN1FEM, $253,600 form governance and leadership in such REGIONAL a way as to ensure the participation of REGIONAL Facilitating Women's Political and women as agents of social change Economic Empowerment in the Sisterhood is Global Institute: Women's towards more equitable societies. Caribbean through Communications Human Rights Education and Knowledge UNIFEM, $142,000 Partnership Programme seeks to strengthens women's economic enhance women's leadership capability, participation by promoting gender- . HUMAN RIGHTS and-increase awareness of women's sensitive policy development and human rights at the grassroots level in reform through the media, and by BOLIVIA, COLOMBIA, ECUADOR, 10 Muslim countries using dialogue, using communications programmes to PERU AND VENEZUELA participation end-culturally and religious- promote women's economic literacy. Promoting Women's Rights in the .sensitive methods. The project aims Red Thread, Bureaus of Women's Andean Sub-region seeks to promote to strengthen women's abilities to Affairs, the Caribbean Policy the implementation of agreements participate in defining their rights.- Development Center, the Caribbean signed by governments regarding Sisterhood is Global Institute, News Agency, and UNIFEM, $115,000 / 'women's~human rights, clearly stipulat- UNIFEM, $200,000 ed in the Beijing Platform for Action GOVERNANCE . i and in the Belem do Para Convention, as well as increase knowledge and LATIN AMERICA AND ARGENTINA,- BRAZIL, CHILE, awareness about women's human rights THE CARIBBEAN PARAGUAY, AND URUGUAY . in order to strengthen women's citizen- Governance and Leadership within the ship in the Andean region. ECONOMIC RIGHTS Framework of the Mercosur Trade UNIFEM, $127,000 MEXICO Treaty Countries builds women's leader- Strengthening Mayan women's ship and increases thei'r full and equal Ecuador Organizations through Training and participation in society, particularly Improvement of Living Conditions of Technical Assistance provides training focusing on leadership development, Working Women and Children in and-technical support to women work- advocacy and gender mainstreaming Ecuador supports productive activities ing with handicrafts and non-traditional in public policies. It has four main of low-income urban and rural workers farm initiatives throughout the produc- components: i) building capacity of and the development of favourable tion and marketing process. local leadership in the MERCOSUR social policies and legislation with a Tun Benkin, UNIFEM, $47,000 countries; 2) fostering the development view to improve their employment and of a common agenda by women lead- living conditions. SURINAME ers from Portuguese-speaking countries; UNIFEM $216,500 Women and Sustainable Human 3) brokering spaces for women leaders Development in Suriname promotes from the Amazon forest to network and CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE/ women's leadership and 'economic give visibility to their demands; and COMMONWEALTH OF empowerment by influencing the 4) highlighting violence against women INDEPENDENT STATES (CEE/CIS) formulation of policies, plans, and as an obstacle to citizenship. programmes which enhance and sup- Movimento Articulado de Mulheres da ECONOMIC RIGHTS port women's productive capabilities. Amazonia, Fora de Mujeres, Fundacio REGIONAL UNIFEM, $500,000 Palmares, UNIFEM, $200,000 Women's Economic Opportunities and NICARAGUA ARGENTINA, BRAZIL, CHILE, Capacities in CEE/CIS seeks to strengthen Economic and Political Empowerment of PARAGUAY, AND URUGUAY the role of women jn economic reform Grassroots Women empowers low Implementation of the Platform for and trade liberalization by training income grassroots women in urban and women in the labour force and through Action in the Southern Cone Countries rural areas through the promotion of the organization of workshops that join supports the development of a group more egalitarian gender relations and policy makers and women's NGOs. of political actors capable of designing, economic alternative's to improve their UNIFEM, $130,000 executing and evaluating public policies own lives and that of their dependents. and a group of social actors capable ROMANIA UNIFEM. $160.000 of advocating and monitoring those Economic Empowerment of Rural CUBA, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, policies for the implementation of Women in Romania empowers rural EL SALVADOR, GUATEMALA, MEXICO, the Beijing Platform for Action in the Romanian women economically by £• NICARAGUA, AND PANAMA Southern Cone in the four priority areas finding alternative employment or Elaboration of Socio-Economic of violence, poverty, leadership and ^ entrepreneurial opportunities. This Indicators on Women produces and decision-making. project aims to serve as a.model for disseminates gender statistics as well National Council on Women's Rights other rural areas in the region. as sensitizes data producers and users (CNDM), UNIFEM, $127,000 Government of Romania, $50,000 30 GOVERNANCE AND LEADERSHIP AWARENESS RAISING AND"CAPACITY LATIN AMERICA AND BUILDING TO ELIMINATE VIOLENCE THE CARIBBEAN REGIONAL AGAINST WOMEN AND GIRLS Engendering Governance in Central and Somalia A capacity building and PARTICIPATORY EDUCATION PROGRAMME Eastern Europe and the CIS aims to sensitization training project by the . ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN empower women in the CEE/CIS region Juba Women's Development Centre Honduras The Municipality of Comayagua by improving women's access to the strived to eradicate the traditional prac- coordinated a set of community-based I. market, engendering government,. tice of female genital mutilation and to initiatives, including sensitization-training strengthening.women's role in the advocate for women's human rights: ' for youth by trained peer facilitators in peace-negotiation process, and foster- three neighbourhoods with a high inci- ing respect for women's human rights. - ASIA AND THE PACIFIC dence of gender-based violence. UNIFEM, $320,000 -• PREVENTION AND DETERRENCE OF ADVISORY, TRAINING AND SUPPORT GLOBAL VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN THROUGH TO MUNICIPAL AUTHORITIES POPULAR EDUCATION AND FUNCTIONARIES ECONOMIC RIGHTS Cambodia The Cambodia Women's Crisis Peru Flora Tristan Women's Centre trained government officials in 12 Partnership in Advocacy for Gender- Centre trained village educators, police municipalities to design and implement Inclusive Science and Technology, OFAN forces and community organizers in 18 programmes to address the problem Network aims to highlight women's role communities about laws relating to vio- • of violence against women. in science and technology and advocate lehce against women and • for. the: inclusion of'gende'r, science, appropriate ways to assist victims. TOURISM AND THE SEX TRADE and technology issues into'the Platform 'CLAIMING OUR RIGHTS: A MANUAL FOR IN THE CARIBBEAN for Action. WOMEN'S HUMAN RIGHTS EDUCATION IN Regional—Caribbean The Latin American SATWAC Foundation, India, $100,000 THE MUSLIM WORLD ~ .. Institute for Alternative Legal Services Egypt, Jordan and Lebanon Sisterhood completed a regional research tm HUMAN RIGHTS is Global Institute-developed and test- the relationship between tourism in the region the sex trade, and the problem Women's Human Rights Net: An ed a culturally-sensitive manual on t of trafficking in women. Information and Technology Project issues concerning violence against provides women's groups with access to women for use by activists and human VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN:' crucial information on women's human rights educators working in the region. A COMPARATIVE ANALYSJS OF rights via an international web-based NATIONAL DOMESTIC VIOLENCE LEGISLATION IN THE MERCOSUR information system, the project includes RESEARCH PROJECT AND PROPOSITIONS FOR A information on four overarching issues: Fiji Research aimed at investigating the REGIONAL MODEL LEGISLATION i) advocacy and strategies; 2) UN and nature, forms, incidence and prevalence Regional—MERCOSUR Lugar de Mujer regional systems; 3) training and devel- of domestic violence in Fiji was incor- conducted a comparative regional opment; and 4) resource materials. , porated into an awareness-raising analysis of legislation in MERCOSUR Centre for Women's Global Leadership campaign and was also used to inform to identify best legal practices for in collaboration with other NGOs, the government on how best to work protection of women from violence UNIFEM, $103,650 toward meeting its commitments to and recommended mainstreaming such the Beijing Platform for Action through laws in all MERCOSUR countries. TRUST FUND IN SUPPORT OF ACTIONS revision of laws and policies, which TO ELIMINATE VIOLENCE AGAINST negatively affect victims of domestic "* CEE/CIS WOMEN - 1998 GRANTS violence. ADVOCACY FOR WOMEN'S HUMAN RIGHT AFRICA IEGAL VICTIMIZATION OF WOMEN • TO LIFE WITHOUT VIOLENCE IN THE ARAB WORLD: THE PALESTINIAN Bosnia-Herzegovina Infoteka worked PROGRAMME TO COMBAT DOMESTIC CASE-STUDY to improve legal, medical and social VIOLENCE IN MAURITIUS Occupied Palestinian Territory The, services delivered to women survivors Mauritius A Government project to Women's Centre for Legal Aid and of violence in this post-war society. strengthen the institutional and Counseling undertook-a pilot study on technical capacity of government honour killings in Palestinian society DIRECT INTERVENTION WITH HIGHEST agencies to address, gender-based ' and developed guidelines for service RISK GIRLS TO AVERT UNWITTING violence represents a model for providers on how to target potential RECRUITMENT-INTO INTERNATIONAL intervention on a nation-wide scale. victims as mobilizers for legal change. • SEXUAL SLAVERY AND ECONOMIC IMPRISONMENT SEXUAL VIOLENCE PROJECT Russia Miramed conducted an aware- Republic of Congo International Rescue ness-raising campaign,in remote Committee implemented an Awareness- provinces to educate young orphaned raising campaign to sensitize community girls and orphanage staff on risks and health care providers and build local and means of protection from interna- capacity to respond to increased sexual tional trafficking in young women violenceMn post-conflict situations. and sexual slavery. 31 r"t vr^vr^-> i •" ^ STATEMENT OF INCOME AND EXPENDITURE For the year ended 31 December All figures included in this report are expressed in US dollars ' . 1998 1997 INCOME Voluntary contributions from governments ' . $ 15,766,140 $ 12,177,373 Cost sharing contributions ' 2,832,095 4,153,123 ' Sub-trust fund contributions 4,054,588 1,170,780 Donations 81,493 62,383 Interest income 884,339 535,484 Miscellaneous income/(expenditure) General resources and cost-sharing 10,586 47,449 Sub-trust funds 20,296 (2,284) Income from reimbursable services -915,916 579,047 ft Total income 24,565,453 18,723,355 I' EXPENDITURE Project costs: . General resources 10,134,585 6,646,251 Cost sharing 1,796,373 2,743,916 Sub-trust funds 2,119,356 • 986,293 Subtotal 14,050,314 . 10,376,460 Reimbursement of programme-support costs to executing agencies: * General resources 2,340 (2,092) Cost sharing 146,510 202,086 Sub-trust funds . 277,825 122,143 Subtotal 426,675 322,137 Biennial support budget: •• . Technical-support costs 1,977,887. 1,826,750 'Management and administrative costs 1,529,005 1,153,752 • Reimbursable support-services costs 112,785 90,515 Subtotal r 3,619,677 3,071,017 Other expenditures 200,648 185,000 Total expenditure 18,297,314 13,954,614 Excess of income over expenditure $ 6,268,139* $ 4,768,741 *The amount of $6.3 mil/ion includes $4.8 mi/lion already allocated to projects.for V)9g and 2000. 32 , S -JJ -. CONTRIBUTIONS FROM GOVERNMENTS AND OTHER DONORS 1998 CORE CONTRIBUTIONS . EARMARKS:) CONTRIBUTIONS COST SUB-TRUST GOVERNMENTS SHARING FUNDS TOTAL . Netherlands 3,168,317 217,929 126,356 . 3,512,602 Japan 1,440,000 909,000 2,349,000 Norway 2,015,605 47,517 2,063,122 United Kingdom 837,571 . 303,913 916,667 2,058,151 Canada 874,017 211,328 " • 1,085,345 Sweden 628,141 349,359 ' 977,500 European Economic Community 965,767 s 965, 767 Germany 909,214 • " 909,214 USA 850,000 850,000 Brazil 773,235 773,235 New Zealand 175,439 582,369 757,808 Switzerland 522,388 522,388 Denmark 462,250 462,250 Luxembourg 368,421 65,550 433,971 Belgium 433,526 433,526 Finland 369,433 369,433 Italy .240,240 240,240 Australia 226,490 226,490 Suriname 170,000 170,000 Ireland 161,713 . 161,713 Austria 60,000 ' 60,000 France . 57,032 57,032 Spain 47,923 . v 47,923 Singapore 40.0QO 40,000 China 30,000 30,000 South Africa 20,311 20,311 ROK ' 17,623 *" 17,623 Senegal 16,613 16,613 Iceland 14,881 14,881 Turkey 12,500 12,500 Mexico 10,000 -' 10,000 Philippines 7,982 7,982 Liechtenstein 5,479 • 5,479 Indonesia 5,000 5,000 Poland 4,879 4,879 Greece 3,600 3,600 Burkina Faso 3,427 /• 3,427 Pakistan 2,503 2,503 Samoa 2,000 2,000 Thailand 1,865 1,865 Maldives 1,500 1,500 Barbados 1,000 1,000 Lesotho • 206 206 Mauritius 131 131 TOTAL FROM GOVERNMENTS 13,992,188 2,428,873 3,267,149 19,688,210 . UNFIP/UN Foundation , 1 734,825 734,825 UN agencies 253,126 ' 253,126 NGOs 42,210 11614 43,824 MacArthur Foundation 51,000 51,000 UNIFEM National Committees* 80,087 - 80,087 Ford-Foundation ^ .... 27,799 27,799 TOTAL FROM OTHER DONORS 403,222 787,43.9 1,190,661 TOTAL 13,992,188 2-,832,095 4,054,588 20,878,871 Amount pledged in 1997 but received in 1998 from; Japan 1,760,000 1,760,000 India / 12,952 12,952 Bangladesh 1,000 1,000 GRAND TOTAL 157766,140 : 2,832,09ir 4,054', 588 " " " 2 2~65 ~2,82 3 T *UW(FEM National Committees also contributed $81,193 as donations. NETWORK OF SUPPORT UNIFEM REGIONAL PROGRAMME ADVISORS E-mail: [email protected] UNIFEM GENDER ADVISORS Algeria^ Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, South Asia Chandni Joshi Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, English Speaking West Africa Regina Amadi 228 Jor Bagh, New Delhi no 003, India Congo, Cote d'/voire, Democratic Republic of Lagos, Nigeria Mailing Address: c/o UNDP, 55, Lodi Estate, the Congo, Equatorial Guinea^ Gabon, Gambia, Phone 234-1-269-2006 • Fax: 234-1-269-0885 New Delhi-no 003, India Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, E-mail: [email protected] Phone: 91-11-469-8297 Morocco, Niger, Sao Tome and Principe, Ghana, Liberia, -Nigeria, Sierra Leone Fax: 91-11-462-2136, 462-7612 Senegal, Togo, Tunisia Northeast Asia Lanyan Chen E-mail: [email protected] East, Central,.and Horn of Africa Web site: www.unifem.org.in Beijing, People's Republic of China (also headquarters for AFWIC programme) Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Iran, Phone: 86-10-6532-3730 up to Laketch Dirasse • . 3740, 6532-4423/4424 Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka UN Gigiri Complex - Block Q, Rooms 100-109 Fax: 86-10-6532-2567 Western Asia Haifa Abu Ghazaleh Phone: 254-2-621234 & 254-2-624383/4/5/6 E-mail: [email protected]' 18 Abdeen Street, near Tyche Hotel Fax 254-2-624494/90/89 China, Mongolia, Democratic People's P.O. Box 830 896 Amman 11183 Jordan E-mail: [email protected] Republic of Korea Phone: 962-6-5678 586/7 Burundi, Comoros, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fax: 962-6-5678 594 Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, Sudan, Uganda North Africa Zineb Touimi-Benjelloun E-mail: [email protected] Rabat, Morocco Web site: www.unifem.org.jo Phone: 2132-691-212 Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, , Mexico and Central America . E-mail: [email protected] Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Yemen, Guadalupe Espinosa-Gonzalez Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia Presidente Mazaryk No. 29, Piso 10 West Bank, Gaza, UAE - Latin America and the Caribbean " • Colonia Polanco, 11570 Mexico, D.F. Maddalena Pezzotti East and Southeast Asia Lorraine Corner Phone: 52-5-203-1894 • Fax: 52-5-255-0095 Guatemala City, Guatemala United Nations Building, 12th Floor E-mail: [email protected] Fax: 502-2-370-304 . ,Rajdamnern Avenue, Bangkok 10200, Thailand. Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, E-mail:: [email protected] Phone: 66-2-288-1934 or 66-2-280-3810 El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua Fax: 66-2-280-6030 Nicaragua, Panama E.mail: [email protected] CEE/C1S Damira Sartbaeva Web site: http://www.unifem-eseasia.org Andean Regional Monica Munoz Vargas Almaty, Kazakhstan Cambodia, China, Democratic Republic P.O. Box 17-03-4731, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan of Korea, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, Edifido Naciones Unidas Myanmar, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Calle Foch No. 265 y Av. 6 de Didembre, Thailand, Vietnam Quito, Ecuador Phone: 593-2-500-366 • Fax: 593-2-500-564 GENDER-SPECIALISTS - Pacific Laufitu Taylor E-mail: unifem.'[email protected] United Nations Volunteers 19-13 Cummings Street-2nd floor Web site: http://wwW4.ecua.net.ee/unifem/ backstopped by UNIFEM and UNDP . House of Lords, Suva, Fiji Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela Phone: 679-301-178 • Fax: 679-301-654 Botswana Ingun Borg E-mail: [email protected] Caribbean Joycelin Massiah Web site: http://www.unifempacific.com Room 27 Beckwith Mall ' Cambodia Jyotsna Roy Fiji, Pacific Island countries, Papua New Guinea Bridgetown, St. Michael, Barbados, W.I. 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Ms. Marie-Cecile Moreau, President Mrs. Olga Severino-Martel, President NON-GOVERNMENTAL COMMITTEE OF ORGANIZATIONS IN CONSULTATIVE STATUS WITH UNIFEM — All India Women's Conference International Alliance of Women Rotary International Altrusa International International Council of Women Soroptimist International American Association of Retired Persons International Federation of Business Trickle Up Program Inc. Associated Country Women of the World and Professional Women World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts Baha'i International Community International Federation for Home Economics World Federation for Mental Health Friends World Committee for Consultation International Federation of University Women World Union of Catholic Women's Organizations International Federation of Settlements International Institute of Rural Reconstruction World Union for Progressive Judaism and Neighborhood Centres Pan-Pacific Southeast Asia Women's Association World Young Women's Christian Association Zonta International PHOTO CAPTIONS/CREDITS — - Cover: Woman in Eastern Africa Page 10: A woman casts her vote in a suburb Page 21: From top to bottom: Secretary-General' © United Nations/John Isaak of Maputo, Mozambique Kofi Annan speaks with Goodwill Ambassador, Page 2: James Gustave Speth, © United Nations/P. .Sudhakaran Julie Andrews © UN/DPI/Milton Grant UNDP Administrator Page 11: Free and fair elections in Namibia First Lady Hillary Clinton presented a medal Page 3: Noeleen Heyzer, UNIFEM © United Nations honouring her contribution, to improving human • Chief Executive Director © Lehtikuva Oy Page 14: Women's candle light march in South rights at a luncheon © UN/DPI/Evan Schneider Page 6: Young woman laying bricks in Africa © Cedric Nunn/impact Visuals Ms. None Annan with UNIFEM's Goodwill Rajasthan, India © Doranne lacobson Page 15: A man drags his wife through the streets Ambassador, Julie Andrews, and Noeleen Heyzer Page 7: Female chief engineer in Turkey of Dhaka, Bangladesh © UNICEF/Tapas Barua © Rick'Guidotti reviews plans with co-worker Page 16: "Living with the Enemy". Janice crying. Alice Karikezi with 1TN moderator Daljit Dhaliwal © loanna Pinneo/Aurora © Donna Ferrato/Domestic Abuse Awareness,. Inc. © UN/DPI/Eskinder Debebe Page 9: Peace march in Lima, Peru Page 20: A march for "Women Against Violence" . Page 24: Map illustration by Matt Kania, © Mariana Bazo/lmpact Visuals in Bangladesh © UNICEF/Selimullah Selim/Drik St. Paul, MN . United Nations Development Fund for Women 304 East 45th Street, isth Floor, New York, NY 10017 Telephone: 212-906-6400 Facsimile: 212-906-6705 e-mail: [email protected] Internet: http://www.unifem.undp.org WomenWatch e-mail: [email protected] . Internet: http://www.un.org/womenwatch United Nations Development Fund for Women