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PRESS RELEASE
UNIFEM ANNOUNCES GRANTS IN SUPPORT OF EFFORTS TO
END
VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN
In East and Southeast Asia, the United Nations
Trust Fund Grants Go to A Joint Proposal from Mongolia
22 November 2006, Bangkok – The
United Nations Trust Fund to Eliminate Violence against Women will grant
US$ 3.5 million to initiatives in developing countries that are
addressing gender-based violence. This is the highest amount ever to be
disbursed by the UNIFEM-managed Trust Fund – up from $1.8 million in
2005 and close to four times more than in 2004. Among the grantees
worldwide is a joint proposal from Mongolia’s Center for Citizens’
Alliance, Center for Human Rights Development and National Center
Against Violence.
As in the previous year, grants mainly go
to groups that work on ensuring that policies and laws to address
violence against women are implemented. Overall, 28 initiatives in 20
countries, including one regional project, will receive grants amounting
to $2.8 million to that end. Grantees will be advocating for the
adoption of pending legislation, review court proceedings to identify
obstacles for the implementation of existing laws, train law enforcement
personnel and the judiciary on the application of new legal provisions,
and build the capacity of community groups to raise awareness on
mechanisms to seek redress. A second round of grants amounting to $0.7
million for groups focusing on the link between gender-based violence
and HIV/AIDS will be announced in early 2007.
“Today, 89 states have adopted legislative
provisions that address domestic violence, including 60 states with
specific domestic violence laws”, said UNIFEM Executive Director Noeleen
Heyzer. “What we often observe, however, is a lack of political will,
resources and capacity to implement these laws. This is our main
challenge and the Trust Fund offers a unique opportunity to support
initiatives around the world in pursuing strategies that have proved to
work to that end”, she added.
In East and Southeast Asia, the grants
will specifically support the joint efforts by Mongolia ‘s CCA, CHRD and
NCAV to address obstacles to the protection of women from violence,
focusing in three most prevalent forms of violence against women in the
country namely domestic violence, trafficking in women, rape and sexual
harassment. The joint project by these three NGOs which are well
respected in the country aims to advocate for improved anti-violence
laws and increased budgetary resources, including by boosting the
lobbying and monitoring capacities of civil society groups. It will also
train media professionals to cover violence against women in informed
and gender-sensitive ways, and challenge gender stereotypes through a
public campaign using the voices of children and youth.
The Trust Fund is a unique multi-lateral
mechanism established by the UN
General Assembly in 1996 and administered
by UNIFEM. Grants are decided collectively by representatives of UN
agencies and international NGOs. Since its establishment, the Trust Fund
has granted close to US$ 13 million to 226 initiatives in over 100
countries.
Contributions come from a diverse group of
governments, nongovernmental organizations, the private sector, and
individuals. In 2006, donors included: the Governments of Austria,
Finland, Iceland, Norway, Slovenia, Trinidad and Tobago, USA; UNIFEM
National Committees in Australia, Singapore, USA, the Berkshire Chapter
of the US National Committee; World Day of Prayer USA, Zonta
International; Johnson & Johnson, Macy’s, TAG Heuer; and many
individuals who contributed on the occasion of UNIFEM’s 30th anniversary
commemoration.
For more information on the Trust Fund and
the complete list of grantees, see
http://www.unifem.org/gender_issues/violence_against_women/trust_fund.php
For more information and global
perspective of violence against women, see
http://unifem.org/campaigns/november25/facts_figures.php
For what UNIFEM has done on this issue in
East and Southeast Asia, please visit:
http://unifem-eseasia.org/projects/evaw/evawindex.htm
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UNIFEM is the women’s fund at the United
Nations. It provides financial and technical assistance to innovative
programmes and strategies to foster women’s empowerment and gender
equality. Placing the advancement of women’s human rights at the centre
of all of its efforts, UNIFEM focuses its activities on reducing
feminized poverty; ending violence against women; reversing the spread
of HIV/AIDS among women and girls; and achieving gender equality in
democratic governance in times of peace as well as war. More
information: www.unifem.org
Updated:
24 November 2006 16:13 +0700 |
