UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women

1. UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women Supporting action to end violence against women and girls where it matters most – at the country, local and community levels.

2. The UN Trust Fund: Origins United Nations General Assembly Resolution 50/166 (1996UNIFEM administers the UN Trust Fund on behalf of the UN system Inter-agency Consultative Mechanism (20 UN agencies, leading NGOs) UNIFEM reports on the activities of the UN Trust Fund annually to the UN Commission on the Status of Women and the Commission on Human Rights

3. What is the UN Trust Fund? What does it do? • Leading multilateral grant-making mechanism devoted to supporting country and local-level action to address violence against women and girls; • Annual cycle of grant-making – 15th cycle in 2010; • Convenes partners in the process: UN, NGOs, experts (e.g. research organizations, ICRW, MEASURE Evaluation, masculinities); • Outreach and advocacy to engage new actors and non-traditional partners on the issue

4. UN Trust Fund grantees • 1997-2009: Over $50 million awarded in grants to 304 programmes in 121 countries. • Among other things, UN Trust Fund grantees have worked to: • Ensure the access of women and girl survivors of violence to safety, psychosocial, health, legal aid, and other services; • End impunity for perpetrators by supporting the enforcement of laws; • Address the lethal intersections of violence against women and girls and HIV; • Expand efforts to end female genital mutilation / cutting; • Empower especially vulnerable groups including adolescent girls, minority and indigenous women; and • Engage strategic groups such as youth, men and boys, traditional and faith-based leaders in efforts to prevent violence against women and girls.

5. UN Trust Fund grantees funded by Zonta International Al Shehab Foundation for Comprehensive Development Acid Survivors Trust International Association for Women’s Role Development Gender and Development for Cambodia

6. History of UNTF grants funded by ZI

7. UNTF/ZI grantees in the Arab region The UN Trust Fund has had a total of sixteen projects based in Arab states since its first cycle of grant-making in 1997. The Fund currently has four active grants in the Arab region, two of which are funded by Zonta International in Egypt and Syria– totaling over 18% of all funds distributed to current UN Trust Fund grantees in Arab states.

8. Al Shehab Foundation for Comprehensive Development, Egypt,Combating Physical Violence against Women and Supporting the Implementation of Protective and Anti-Discriminatory Laws and Policies Improving the provision of services (legal, medical, psychosocial aid) to women and girl survivors of violence at the community level and promoting effective application of protective and anti-discriminatory laws, polices, and action plans in ending violence against women

9. Background • Egypt has laws and Penal Codes which provide general provisions on violence against women but are constrained by social, cultural and economic barriers. • Moreover, very few shelters to protect women survivors of violence exist in Egypt. • The combination of unequal access to justice and lack of shelters leave women in violent domestic situations.

10. Al Shehab’s Programme • Al Shehab Foundation for Comprehensive Development was awarded a grant of US$ 200,000 in 2007, thanks to Zonta International’s contribution to the UN Trust Fund. The 2 year programme, Combating Physical Violence Against Women and Supporting the Implementation of Protective and Anti-Discriminatory Laws and Polices, was established to: • improve service provision to women survivors of violence at the community level • promote effective application of laws, policies and action plans to protect women survivors • reform legislation discriminating against women

11. Results • Strengthened capacity of shelters to provide quality services to women survivors of violence in six communities of six Egyptian governorates • Increased awareness of women from Ezbet El-Haggana on violence issues • Increased community and public awareness on violence against women

12. Result #1: Strengthened capacity of shelters to provide quality services • Increasingly responding to the needs of vulnerable women • Some shelters such as Eva House began to accept cases and provide shelter to vulnerable women (e.g. female sex workers) • CBOs adopted a Human Rights based approach • El Minya Governorate mainstreamed VAW into illiteracy classes program for men and women in 20 villages • Qena Governorate established a Women’s Club to raise awareness amongst women on their rights and share experiences • Suez Governorate established a Community Committee of tribal leaders, social workers, and lawyers to defend women’s rights and right to inheritance

13. Result #2: Increased awareness of women on violence issues • Workshops for women held on education and awareness • Two workshops were organized (total of 20 women participants) on women’s rights and knowledge on the justice system. • Training and capacity building of couples • Fifty married couples in total were trained and counseled • Referral network built • Vocational training services for women survivors of violence and referrals to NGOs to organize income generation activities for survivors

14. Result #3: Increased community and public awareness on violence against women • Involving more men and community leaders • New inclusive approach for community leaders and men with creation of Community’s Negotiation Council • Increase in the number of men visiting the Center • Forty men in total visited the Center for psychosocial support and marriage counseling • Pioneering a ground-breaking national radio program to increase awareness of VAW, the first of its kind • Al Shehab, in collaboration with UNIFEM and the Egyptian government, broadcast its radio drama series “FARHA” on the National Radio and Television Station to raise awareness on combating VAW and promoting women’s human rights from a community perspective.

15. Al Shehab, Testimony from a beneficiary Case Study of a 31 year old woman, married for 13 years with three children, facing domestic violence. Husband has remarried. I started to participate in the awareness sessions and I benefited a lot from the legal assistance and awareness. In addition to my right in an alimony for myself and my children and my right for custody of the children as well as the provision of housing for them and the expense of tuition fees, Al-Shehab supported me in being granted a personal identification card. Additionally, a general contract for legal issues was made for me as well as following up with my alimony and battering record case. As a result, I was successful in achieving all of my legal rights.

16. Association for Women’s Role Development, Syria,New Hope for Abused Women: towards overcoming GBV Improving the provision of information and services to women survivors of violence and communities with the establishment of One-Stop Centres, which are shelters providing integrated services and are filled with technically qualified staff to respond to specific needs

17. Background • In Syria, violence against women is largely perpetuated by family members (e.g. husbands, fathers or brothers). • Family honor and prestige prevent women from reporting abuse they experience at the hands of male family members. • Syrian law advocates lenient sentences to men who murder women relatives involved in extramarital affairs (known as "honor killings“ which mostly occur in rural and nomadic communities).

18. AWRD’s Programme • A grant of US$ 100,000 was awarded by the UN Trust Fund in 2007, thanks to Zonta International’s contribution, to implement a one-year programme, New Hope for Abused Women: towards overcoming gender-based violence. This programme established an integrated One-Stop Centre and was the first of its kind in Syria, reaching 1000 women a year, to: • build capacity of the Centre’s staff to provide quality services to women survivors of violence • promote the revision of all legislation, policies, customs, and practices that promote violence against women

19. Results • Strengthened capacity of the Centre’s staff to provide quality services to women survivors of violence • Awareness-raising activities for decision makers and leaders on gender equality and violence against women issues

20. Result #1: Strengthened capacity of the Centre’s staff • Eleven training workshops conducted to support capacity development of staff and volunteers of the One-Stop Centre. Skills taught include: • Team building • Active listening • Psychological first aid • Investigating rape cases • Telephone hotline established to reach women throughout Syria with emphasis on privacy and confidentiality

21. Result #2: Awareness-raising activities for decision makers and leaders • A workshop for EVAW organizations and institutions was held on 16 March 2009 in collaboration with UNIFEM and Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor • Built a basis for development of women protection mechanisms • Built cooperation between organizations and institutions • A workshop for the media was held on 2 September 2009 • Further increased involvement of the media in raising awareness of VAW and elimination of GBV • Introduced the services provided in the One-Stop Centre • Explored the importance of media in launching campaigns to promote anti-violence ideas in newspapers and magazines

22. Testimony from a beneficiary A survivor, hereby referred to as Case No. 7, who entered the Centre I, Case No. 7, declare that I benefited from the Shelter by undergoing medical examinations because I have been subject to sexual abuse for eleven months and I am treated for depression by medication prescribed to me. I benefited from the Shelter in terms of learning hairdressing because I was enrolled in a course. The Association helped me have my identity card issued and have my marriage as well as my children parentage registered. The Shelter provided me with protection from sexual abuse since there is no shelter for me to go. This will help select the best safe situation after leaving the Shelter.

23. Gender and Development for Cambodia,Ending Violence against Women through Community Action An integrated approach to mobilizing a cross-section of men and women from citizens to public officials to collectively act to stop domestic violence in their communities by drawing together different components of research, training, outreach and advocacy strategies under one integrated strategy of community mobilization.

24. Background The Prevention of Domestic Violence and the Protection of Victims Law in 2005 (“Domestic Violence Law”) marked a commitment to women’s human rights by the Royal Government of Cambodia. However, challenges to implementation remained. • Lack of awareness of rights and the law, especially in rural areas, existed • Masculine norms permit and encourage violent behavior • Judicial authorities remain reluctant to enforce laws against domestic violence because it is viewed as a private family matter

25. GADC’s Programme • In 2007, Gender and Development for Cambodia received a grant of US$ 300,000 from the UN Trust Fund due to a generous contribution from Zonta International. The 3 year programme, Ending Violence Against Women through Community Action implements an integrated strategy to mobilize men and women to collectively act to end violence against women.

26. Results • Strengthened capacity of women from target communes to monitor the incidence of violence against women and hold local authorities accountable • Engagement of men from targeted communes to end violence against women • Local authorities and police from target communes enforce violence against women-related laws

27. Result #1: Strengthened capacity of women from target communes • Community women’s groups established (one per commune with eight members each) and trained in advocacy skills and Domestic Violence Law • 288 village meetings organized by the community groups, in which 2,176 villagers participated to inform about marriage and land laws • 3,000 women in communes reached by community groups to further disseminate information on laws • 27 cases of violence identified and brought to local authorities by community groups; 13 were resolved and 14 referred to court • Increasing demand of women for land certificates to be issued under names of both husband and wife

28. Result #2: Engagement of men from targeted communes • Three community men’s groups established (eight members each) and trained in gender and masculinities, counseling, and communication skills • 34 village meetings organized in 34 villages with participation of 1,200 men to discuss: • Gender in spousal relations • Human rights for women • Men’s responsibility to prevent violence against women • 1,000 men reached by community groups; 13 men counseled • White Ribbon Campaign • 600 people attended three public meetings (one per commune) • 2000 households visited in target communes and pledged support

29. Result #3: Local authorities and police enforce violence against women-related laws • Training workshop for 44 local authorities on Domestic Violence Law • Addressing violence against women as a social issue • Responsibilities of local authorities to enforce existing law • Collaborate with community groups to address cases of violence against women • A decrease in the rate of VAW cases in the three communes • Incidents of VAW have dropped by 20% on average across the three communes • Decline was highest in KhnaToteung, at 30%, due to extensive information dissemination activities and capacity building of community groups

30. GADC, Testimony from a local leader Today, it has been seen that community people have gained more understanding and knowledge about the laws, women’s human rights, violence against women. Women are more aware of their rights and more courageous to talk about violence openly and report their case of violence. Men are also aware of women’s human rights and they started to recognize that violence against women is against the law; particularly men who perpetrate violence have rapidly transformed their violent behavior. Mr. Khek Sophal, Chief of Pongro commune, Rolea B’ierDistrict, Kampong Chhnang Province, reporting on the progress of project monitoring on January 15, 2010.

31. Acid Survivors Trust International,Towards a comprehensive strategy to end burns violence against women Addressing the interconnected dimensions between acid violence and violence against women in Nepal, Cambodia, and Uganda with the piloting of new approaches to end burns violence and up-scaling of successful strategies used in Pakistan and Bangladesh

32. Background • Interconnectedness between VAW and burns violence is based on the reality that domestic violence is accepted in the societies of the project countries. • Acid attacks are a very particular form of VAW which occurs in very poor countries with weak legal systems and inadequate law enforcement. • Acid attacks are far-reaching beyond certain countries and lines of race, religion, and creed.

33. ASTI’s Programme The programme will: • Build capacities of local staff and provide medical services to acid violence survivors; • Aid survivors’ recovery by offering access to medical treatment, rehabilitation, counseling, justice and aid in reintegration to society; • Locate acid violence in the broader context of violence against women fed by poverty, insecurity, alienation from human rights, the failure of policing and the judiciary and negative gender constructs;

34. ASTI’s Programme • Build the capacities of local police, health professionals and other public servants to respond to acid violence, and of local communities; • Emphasis on increasing public awareness of acid violence at both national and international levels.

35. Project Countries: Uganda, Cambodia, Nepal ASTI plans to use the skills, knowledge, and best practices used in Bangladesh and Pakistan and apply these to the project countries, Cambodia, Uganda, and Nepal. The project seeks to build national responses in these project countries in the areas of policy analysis, advocacy, research, publicity, and reintegration.

36. In Uganda According to Acid Survivors Foundation Uganda’s 2008 Annual Report, ASFU registered 35 new acid attacks every year, 57% of which are attacks on women. Legal provisions in Uganda, which exist to arrest and convict perpetrators of acid violence (e.g. Uganda Penal Code Section 216(g)), are either little known or inconsistently applied. Only 20 % of acid violence cases since 2004 have been successfully concluded—80 % are still pending. Source: Project proposal in 2010 of Acid Survivors Trust International to the UN Trust Fund

37. In Nepal In Nepal, a 2005 study conducted by the Family Planning Association in eight selected districts revealed that 35% of women experienced burns violence. While the Nepalese Civil Code (Muluki Ain) remain subject to interpretation and have shown to be ineffective in convicting perpetrators. In a socio-cultural context, domestic violence is seen as part of a woman’s fate. Domestic violence reports do not specifically connect to burns violence which has received little attention and funding.

38. In Cambodia Causes of Acid Violence in Cambodia in 2008 Acid and burns violence are widespread in Cambodia and tolerated by society. Cambodia’s Penal Code contains provisions against “torture and barbarous acts”, but these do not extend to specific penalties for acid and burns violence. Majority of acid violence survivors are poor rural women. Children often become the indirect targets of attacks as they are held by their mothers when acid is thrown. Source: Cambodia Acid Survivors CharityASTI’s partner in Cambodia

39. Project’s Beneficiaries,Benefiting women and girls, as well as society as a whole • Primary Beneficiaries are: • Women living within the model communities; • Women from lower socio-economic groups and more vulnerable to domestic violence; • Women who are less well-educated; • Survivors of acid violence and other forms of burns-related violence from the model communities; • Members of survivors’ families.

40. Project’s Beneficiaries,Benefiting women and girls, as well as society as a whole Secondary Beneficiaries are: • Health sector- To establish new notification and referral networks between health care providers and expand existing networks; • Judiciary- To give confidence in the public perception of the judicial system; • Policy makers- To formulate policies and practices that allow human rights and national laws to be formulated according to the demands of the community; • Model Communities- To build a safer environment, less prone to violence, with greater community cohesion.

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