UNIFEMAnnual Report 2007-2008 UNIFEM is the women’s fund at the . It provides Mission & financial and technical assistance to innovative programmes and Mandate strategies to foster women’s empowerment and gender equality. Placing the advancement of women’s human rights at the centre of all of its efforts, UNIFEM focuses its activities on four strategic areas:

■ Strengthening women’s economic security and rights;

■ Ending violence against women;

■ Reversing the spread of HIV/AIDS among women and girls;

■ Achieving gender equality in democratic governance in times of peace as well as war.

UNIFEM was created by a UN General Assembly resolution in 1976, following a call from women’s organizations attending the 1975 UN First World Conference on Women in City.

UNIFEM’s mandate is to:

■ Support innovative and experimental activities benefiting women in line with national and regional priorities;

■ Serve as a catalyst, with the goal of ensuring the appropriate involvement of women in mainstream development activities, as often as possible at the pre-investment stage;

■ Play an innovative and catalytic role in relation to the United Nations’ overall system of development cooperation. (GA resolution 39/125)

UNIFEM ANNUAL REPORT 2007-2008 Message by Ine´s Alberdi, Executive Director, UNIFEM 2 Contents Message by Kemal Dervi¸s, Administrator, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) 3

AFRICA Expanding the Scope of National Security 4 Empowering Women in Politics 6

ASIA/PACIFIC & ARAB STATES Legislating Women’s Rights 8 Opening Doors to Decent Jobs 10

LATIN AMERICA & THE CARIBBEAN Planning Municipalities with and for Women 1 2 Engaging Men against Violence 14

EUROPE & CIS Reforming Development for Women 16

GLOBAL Putting Sexual Violence on the Security Agenda 18 Forging New Partnerships to End Violence against Women 20

Financial Statements 22 A Global Network of Support 24 c o v er p h oto by Bruno M oran d i – Hemi s ere Financing for Gender Equality

Sharon Capeling-Alakija and Margaret actors to analyse budgets from a Snyder. This is a watershed moment for gender perspective can contribute to work on gender equality and women’s increasing resources for needed action; empowerment. We are at the halfway and allocating resources to ensure point to the 2015 deadline for achieving implementation of hard-won legislation the Millennium Development Goals and national plans to end violence (MDGs). World leaders will be holding against women is a prerequisite for critical consultations in 2008 – from the reducing the impact of violence on High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness families and communities. Women in Accra to the High-Level Event on the will be watching the outcomes of the MDGs in New York to the Financing deliberations to see what commitments for Development Conference in Doha. for these and other gender equality These will take place as skyrocketing priorities are agreed on by world food and fuel costs, environmental leaders. disasters and entrenched conflicts are UNIFEM will remain an active producing development emergencies proponent of opening new opportunities in many communities. Women pay a for women and promoting their rights, particularly heavy price in the context including in 2008 through its flagship Message by Ine´s Alberdi, of these emergencies and also have a publication, Progress of the World’s Executive Director, UNIFEM unique contribution to make to solving Women, which will pose thought- them. UNIFEM is working with partners provoking and provocative questions on Over the past worldwide to advocate tirelessly at accountability to the global commitment year, UNIFEM these key gatherings of world leaders to advance gender equality and Message support has again for more visibility, voice and resources women’s empowerment. demonstrated dedicated to advancing gender equality I look forward to working with the how innovative and women’s rights. extraordinarily broad base of partners and catalytic efforts can trigger Financing for development, peace and supporters in government, civil visible progress towards women’s and security takes on new urgency in society, the multilateral and bilateral empowerment. In Mauritania, for light of the food crisis and especially communities and the private sector that example, women for the first time for women, given sharp inequities UNIFEM has fostered in the past 32 opened the door wide to political in access to resources, from land to years. This base continues to expand, participation. In the occupied decent wages. As the global community and UNIFEM could not have succeeded Palestinian territories, women started affirms principles for aid effectiveness without it. I also want to publicly to run their own businesses, earning and priorities for development thank the entire staff of UNIFEM and incomes in a fragile economy while effectiveness – and also how to pay my colleagues in the United Nations changing social attitudes towards for these – it is critical that we scale up who have extended me such a warm women’s employment. In Latin America, investments in strategies for women’s welcome and whose dedication and women got involved in urban planning empowerment and gender equality, commitment make me understand what to secure commitments to make cities particularly in those already proven a unique privilege I have been given. more secure. effective. Putting in place temporary I am delighted to be joining UNIFEM special measures can be effective in as its fourth Executive Director since it ensuring that more women will have a was founded in 1976 and to follow on voice in governance; building capacity the great achievements of its previous of ministries of finance and other Executive Directors: Noeleen Heyzer, governmental and non-governmental Ine´s Alberdi

2 UNIFEM ANNUAL REPORT 2007-2008 Achieving the Millennium Development Goals

Message by Kemal Dervi¸s, Administrator, UNDP

ender equality is not only a change discriminatory systems and indicator of the growing commitment goal in itself, but a prerequi- attitudes that curtail women’s full of governments to support women’s site for reaching all the other economic and social participation. empowerment. Given the central international development Such investments can create afford- importance of gender equality and goals, including the Mil- able, quality childcare and provide the rising demand for its services, Glennium Development Goals. Just access to clean energy sources and UNIFEM requires further new re- past the halfway mark to the 2015 water in the home so that women sources to continue achieving results deadline for achieving the MDGs, can reconcile paid work and family and expanding the scope of its it is clear that we must do more to life. They can empower women to work. Its knowledge, advocacy and achieve gender equality and promote participate in public decision-making practical experience not only help it women's rights. structures where they have the op- advance women’s rights through its Across the world, too many portunity to shape social and eco- own programmes, but also make it women continue to be under-pro- nomic policies. an important partner and source of tected and underpaid members of UNIFEM has shown how these expertise for other agencies within their societies. In many developing investments pay off, as this annual the UN family.

sy countries today, women are denied report chronicles. Through its pro- As we look towards 2015, we access to property, credit and other grammes around the world, UNIFEM should all redouble our efforts to- ourte c building blocks of development. In is helping to break down barriers wards creating more equitable, pros- oto many cases they still walk for miles to women’s political participation, perous societies that – by upholding h Ph each day hauling water and firewood revise discriminatory labour laws gender equality – achieve the full rigt ; to use in their homes, and have little and address women’s vulnerability promise of the MDGs. unigem

or no time to go to school or to earn to HIV, including from gender-based of

sy enough money to cover their basic violence. needs. There is a need for significantly ourte c With appropriate support, how- enhanced investments in women oto h p ever, women can transform their and girls. The increase in resources

left lives. The right investments can help to UNIFEM in 2007 is a welcome Kemal Dervi¸s,

3 Expanding the Scope of National Security

Sexual and “Freeing this important part of the cases of violence, taking advantage gender-based population from violence is the basis of its presence in communities Africa violence of sustainable development and throughout the country. Knowing threatens human security.” that fast help is available has in turn the safety of Brutal and widespread sexual encouraged more reports of violent millions of women, and destabilizes violence was part of ’s 1994 incidents. A gender-based violence families and communities, yet it genocide; its devastating legacy is desk at military headquarters is often shrouded in shame and still very much felt in the country. coordinates closely with a similar silence. In 2007, the Rwanda Partnering with UNIFEM, and desk for the police. Defence Forces (RDF) broke new drawing on successful initiatives Since prevention and ground by placing the scale and with the National Police, the RDF protection are key, outreach to severity of this kind of violence has embarked on a campaign to communities has been central among the major threats to national train several thousand military to the RDF’s campaign. Clubs to security. “There is no way we officers and cadets to understand, help raise awareness have been can talk about security when our help prevent and respond to sexual established across the country and mothers, sisters and wives are and gender-based violence. Since a community-based watch-dog suffering from serious crimes,” the campaign started, the Rwandan system now provides early alerts on says Captain Aimable Mushabe. army has increasingly acted in violent behaviour.

4 UNIFEM ANNUAL REPORT 2007-2008  Reaching out: raising awareness in communities is a key part of a UNIFEM- supported campaign by the Rwandan Defence Forces on sexual and gender- based violence.

Outside Rwanda, in troubled countries assisted by international peacekeeping missions, other communities are also benefiting from the RDF’s efforts to protect women. All Rwandan battalions are trained on gender-based violence before deployment, leading to actions such as providing firewood patrols to safeguard women collecting cooking fuel. In Sudan, RDF soldiers helped build efficient stoves that minimize women’s need to move beyond camp perimeters for fuel. Other initiatives to respond to the security threat of sexual and gender-based violence took place in Africa’s Great Lakes region. UNIFEM built on its support for a from the region and the world,  Keeping safe: fuel efficient stoves, built landmark achievement: the adoption including Liberian President Ellen by Rwandan soldiers on peace-keeping missions, minimize women’s need to leave of a protocol to prevent sexual and Johnson Sirleaf. In Kigali, they camps in search of fire wood. gender-based violence under the adopted a declaration urging 2006 Pact on Security, Stability increased numbers of women A new Regional Women’s Forum and Development. Continued parliamentarians, the integration emerged to press for the ongoing assistance in 2007 helped the of gender in trade policies and implementation of gender equality Rwanda Women’s Parliamentary the establishment of strong laws commitments made by national Forum convene women politicians against gender-based violence. leaders.

Making Politics Work With Women

Burundi: A Blueprint for Peace and Equality

In 2006, the UN Peace- Two women became so that gender perspectives and insecurity, all of which building Commission invited members of the Steering become part of all public the Steering Committee the Government of Committee that in 2007 programmes and policies. ensured were eventually to develop an integrated produced the Burundi During the negotiations, reflected in the Strategic peacebuilding strategy, Strategic Framework. Its the women representatives Framework. They also a blueprint for actions comprehensive provisions maintained close ties with agreed on indicators to and resources to help the for women include pledges a coalition of experienced monitor implementation of country recover from its to involve them in all aspects women’s groups. With the Framework, such as new a d

an brutal civil war. UNIFEM was of peacebuilding, expedite UNIFEM assistance, this laws and support centres to

–Rw involved from the start in their economic recovery, end mobilized 3,000 women protect victims of violence. io d

Stu assisting women’s groups to discriminatory legal practices across Burundi to define Their continued engagement ar d a participate in negotiating the and reduce violence against top development priorities. will ensure that this national F/R D strategy and ensure it would women. It calls on women’s Collectively, they identified agreement translates into real R BY s become a tool for advancing organizations to engage with these as pervasive poverty, change in women’s lives. oto

Ph gender equality. government decision makers violence against women

5 Empowering Women in Politics

When in 2007 UNIFEM in collaboration with and in the executive branch and Mauritania held UNDP, the United Nations local government. Africa its first free Population Fund (UNFPA) and Since the elections, women’s elections since the United Nations Children’s expanded influence has been felt independence, Fund (UNICEF). It was launched in draft legislation to stop female women celebrated a double when 80 women’s associations genital mutilation, the introduction victory. Not only had the long from across the country, female of quotas for public sector years of authoritarian governments politicians, journalists, trade company boards and initiatives to peacefully come to a close, but unionists and lawyers convened address the overlooked problems a record number of women had to issue a charter calling for of rural women, including dismally become members of Parliament quotas to advance women’s high maternal mortality rates. and been appointed as prominent political participation as among A new women’s ministry has ministers, ambassadors and the top priorities for activism. emerged, with triple the budget regional governors. Women Advocates divided into small of the small women’s unit that now comprise 22 per cent of groups and began meeting with preceded it. parliamentarians, up from 3 per politicians, including the 20 In other countries, UNIFEM cent previously, and nearly 30 per candidates running for president. assisted in setting up institutional cent of local administrators. Endorsement of quotas by all 20 infrastructures to support women’s This success stemmed led to sweeping new regulations political aspirations. Work in from a year of careful political stipulating high positions for Nigeria aided the Independent strategizing, supported by women on party candidate lists National Election Commission

6 UNIFEM ANNUAL REPORT 2007-2008  Record numbers: women in Mauritania politicians from gained 22 per cent of parliamentary seats in 2007. Their expanded influence can be four countries seen on issues ranging from female genital – Cameroon, mutilation to the overlooked problems of Ghana, Kenya rural women. and Lesotho – in establishing a gender unit together with and training 300 staff members InterPress Service before the 2007 elections. At a journalists. The national conference, commission politicians picked members met with over 200 up tips to engage women candidates and gender the media and advocates to discuss the issues interview skills, that women face, and they agreed practicing what to take steps to protect women they learned candidates from election-related in a final press violence. UNIFEM also supported conference the creation of an electronic and on South database of women candidates to African national track their performance, a voter television. Since education manual and guidelines the workshop, on gender and political parties. the journalists UNIFEM has focused in other have increased parts of Africa on the low visibility their reporting on of women politicians in the media, women in politics a constraint to their campaigns and gender and constituency outreach. A issues, while regional initiative aims to improve the politicians coverage by building bridges are encouraging between women politicians other women to  Ensuring participation: In Nigeria, and journalists. A 2007 pilot use media outreach to compete in UNIFEM assisted the Independent Electoral workshop in South Africa brought upcoming elections. Commission in setting up a gender unit.

Making Politics Work With Women Kenya: A Coalition Helps Stem a Crisis The longstanding support by Aid International, Vital Voices, ment in the national talks that As Kenya moves towards UNIFEM for women’s political Nairobi Peace Initiative and produced agreement on the peace, the Women’s Coalition participation in Kenya posi- Urgent Action Fund-Africa principles for a new govern- will continue its campaign, tioned it to join with others to produced an urgent appeal ment. In a formal declara- building on earlier progress. offer assistance after the dis- for action that drew national tion, the Coalition called for Women gained a record 21 ruptions of the 2007 national and international attention to women to play a role in all parliamentary seats in the elections. As conflict spread, women and children as the public institutions and across elections, while advocates an international mediation majority of those displaced all phases of implementing succeeded in lobbying for a team was put together led by by the conflict and the prima- the 2008 National Accord and Presidential Directive that es- former UN Secretary-General ry victims of increased sexual Reconciliation Act. It pushed tablished a 30 per cent quota v el / Cor b i s; rig h t Ph oto by P iu s U tomi Ek pei --AFP/G ett y image Kofi Annan and supported crimes and gang rapes. for recognition that gender for women when recruiting by the African Union. Diverse Mr. Annan quickly af- disparities have been part of for government positions. women’s groups also formed firmed that peace would de- the long legacy of inequality This helps make a future case the Women’s Coalition for pend on women’s full partici- that sparked the crisis – for applying similar measures tlanti d e Ph ototra Sustainable Peace. Consulta- pation at the peace table and including that Kenya’s to the larger arena of parlia- tions facilitated by UNIFEM beyond. The mediation team Constitution still does not mentary and local govern-

left Ph oto by A and partners such as Action- welcomed women’s involve- grant women full citizenship. ment representation.

7 Girls advancing: in Indonesia, boys and girls now enjoy nearly equal access to education. UNIFEM supports countries throughout the region in implementing CEDAW to promote women’s rights.

Legislating Women’s Rights

UNIFEM has At four-year intervals, CEDAW access to education. The CEDAW Asia Pacific & assisted govern- States parties comprehensively re- Committee Chair later applauded ments around port on their women’s rights-related these preparations, requesting that Arab States the world in policies and laws to the CEDAW UNIFEM provide similar training to all implementing Committee. Committee members, all interested governments. the provisions of the 1979 Conven- respected international experts, ask UNIFEM has also been instru- tion on the Elimination of All Forms probing questions about shortfalls mental in backing legal and policy of Discrimination against Women and recommend improvements. To changes in individual countries. Ad- (CEDAW). The Convention is often assist the Indonesian Government in vocacy in India, for instance, focused referred to as the women’s bill of preparing for the presentation of their on enshrining gender and equality rights, and 185 countries have rati- report in August 2007, UNIFEM across the National AIDS Policy. Dis- fied it. In 2007, UNIFEM support in replicated a practice that it had crimination makes women vulnerable Indonesia backed the passage of an developed to help countries in the to HIV and reduces their treatment amendment to the Law on Political Pacific get ready for their CEDAW and testing options. The policy calls Parties to require new parties to have reporting. It sponsored mock ses- for taking systematic actions to em- at least 30 per cent female member- sions with stand-in “experts” posing power women to protect themselves ship. Women must also comprise 30 questions, while a former CEDAW – for example, through greater par- per cent of managerial and political chair offered tips. The sessions ticipation and involvement of women appointments. An additional amend- focused on questions such as how living with HIV and AIDS – and pays ment to the Law on General Elec- to compile detailed data to define special attention to particularly vul- tions in 2008 makes it a requirement gaps and achievements – for exam- nerable groups such as widows and that every third candidate on party ple, the fact that Indonesian women survivors of trafficking or violence. All lists is a woman. and girls now enjoy nearly equal activities carried out by the National

8 UNIFEM ANNUAL REPORT 2007-2008  Protecting the vulnerable: In India, the National AIDS Policy calls for systematic protection of women and pays special attention to vulnerable groups, such as widows and survivors of violence.

AIDS Control Organization will take their potential gender implications into account. The policy will also help key ministries in adopting gender and HIV strategies. In Nepal, despite political turmoil, UNIFEM has steadfastly stood by efforts to revise discriminatory provi- sions and pass a new law on foreign employment. Advocacy began in 2002, with a view to remove restric- tions on women working abroad. A previous cabinet decision had prohibited women from seeking employment in Gulf countries. The 2007 Foreign Employment Act not only bans discrimination based on gender but also adopts special measures to guarantee women’s security and rights when seeking jobs abroad. Nepali women migrants now receive information about the contractual obligations of the em- ployer and about migrant assistance centres in destination countries. The new law also contains provisions to regulate recruiting agencies and includes programmes for the families of migrant workers.

Making Politics Work With Women Timor-Leste: “I Can” Make a Difference in Politics

All women have a role to play in in four candidates on party lists been established during the the dynamic, diverse roles democratic politics, whether as for parliamentary elections must previous legislative period. women play in public life. It voters, candidates or office be female. In the run-up to the UNIFEM also launched the spread the message that holders. In Timor-Leste, 2007 elections, UNIFEM “Hau Bele” (“I Can”) campaign women can overcome UNIFEM has helped broaden mobilized women’s groups and in collaboration with the United discrimination. “Women require the space for women’s political national election officials to Nations Integrated Mission in greater confidence,” said the participation through a novel sponsor workshops for political Timor-Leste (UNMIT), the Office Chair of KOMEG, a national programme that combines parties. Women from 12 for the Promotion of Equality election-monitoring group policy advocacy, engagement competing parties met to debate and the Women’s Network, assisted by UNIFEM. ”They with political parties and a the challenges they faced and Rede Feto. It featured striking need to remember that, quite dynamic public outreach received expert advice. They posters of women leaders, simply, they can.” campaign. also agreed to continue coming radio spots with a popular In the elections, women Timor-Leste’s 2006 National together in a women’s theme song and public service won almost 30 per cent of the

h ur --R euter s/ Cor b i s –Ph otonon s top / SuperSto ck; rig h t Ph oto by B M at left Ph oto by J.- C . & D P ratt Electoral Law stipulated that one parliamentary caucus that had television broadcasts profiling seats in the legislature.

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