Sun, 22 Nov 2009 09:11:54 +0000 Sun, 22 Nov 2009 09:11:54 +0000 http://www.unfpa.org UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, is an international development agency that promotes the right of every woman, man and child to enjoy a life of health and equal opportunity. UNFPA supports countries in using population data for policies and programmes to reduce poverty and to ensure that every pregnancy is wanted, every birth is safe, every young person is free of HIV/AIDS, and every girl and woman is treated with dignity and respect. UNFPA – because everyone counts. en-us serrano@unfpa.org (Alvaro Serrano) gruber@unfpa.org (Kimberly Gruber) http://www.unfpa.org/images/unfpalogoxs.gif 80 36 The world's largest international source of funding for population and reproductive health programmes http://www.unfpa.org/public/publications/pid/1913 This is the second volume in a series that documents best practices in preventing and responding to violence against women. These eight case studies feature initiatives from Algeria, Guatemala, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe, implemented by governments and other partners with support from UNFPA. They can inform efforts on ending violence against women, which is both a human rights violation and a public health concern. http://www.unfpa.org/public/publications/pid/1565 This publication identifies priority areas for intensified action on gender-based violence: policy frameworks, data collection and analysis, sexual and reproductive health, humanitarian responses, adolescents and youth, men and boys, faith-based networks, and vulnerable and marginalized populations. It aims to provide a common platform and technical guidance for UNFPA at country, regional and global levels and effectively guide capacity-development initiatives, resources and partnerships. http://www.unfpa.org/public/publications/pid/2944 The goal of the Joint Programme is to contribute to the accelerated abandonment of female genital mutilation/cutting in 17 countries in Africa by creating a rapid shift in social norms. This annual report documents achievements, challenges and expenditures in the programme's first year, and presents recommendations for moving forward. A companion brochure provides background information about the issue and the joint programme. http://www.unfpa.org/public/publications/pid/4106 This interactive workshop manual is intended for training UNFPA and other UN-related development practitioners on the basics of how to communicate, negotiate and mediate about culturally sensitive issues. It includes an important programming tool - the Culture Lens - developed by UNFPA, as well as discussion of how it relates to international development goals, and how it can be applied. It also includes case studies from different national contexts and articles/reference documents related to culture. http://www.unfpa.org/public/publications/pid/1294 UNFPA and UNICEF are working  towards  accelerated abandonment of female genital mutilation/ cutting within 17 countries by 2012. The focus of this joint funding proposal is to leverage social dynamics towards abandonment within selected communities that practice FGM/C. The main strategic approach is to gain the support of an initial core group, which decides to abandon FGM/C and mobilises a sufficient number of people to facilitate a tipping point and thereby create a rapid social shift of the cutting social convention norm. http://www.unfpa.org/public/publications/pid/2562 Building on a legacy spanning three decades, UNFPA Country Offices in the Asia-Pacific region and their faith-based partners came together for a two-day consultation to assess the nature and impact of these partnerships in the areas of maternal health, gender equality, migration and youth welfare. This report documents the experiences and lessons learned from the varied initiatives of faith-based organizations, as well as the best practices emanating from these strategic alliances around the region. The discussions, recommendations for action and the many voices of critical faith-based actors, are all documented in this report. http://www.unfpa.org/public/publications/pid/1585 This booklet provides a snapshot of UNFPA's programming efforts to advance gender equality and empower women. It reports on activities undertaken in six priority areas, based on contributions from the global, regional and country levels over the course of two years (2007-2008). http://www.unfpa.org/public/publications/pid/1383 This Youth Supplement to UNFPA's State of the World Population 2008 focuses on the interactions among culture, gender and human rights and the critical importance of culturally sensitive approaches for effective development policies and programmes. The report, which is the third in a series, addresses culture as it shapes and nurtures the lives of young people and shows how young people develop their own subcultures, which are often different from and may conflict with the dominant culture. The youth report points out the value to young people of protecting the culture in which they grew up, but it also speaks on behalf of their right to embrace their own cultures in their own ways.   http://www.unfpa.org/public/publications/pid/366 This report documents a workshop to train Iraqi women leaders in tools and procedures to enhance their effectiveness and that of their organizations. UNFPA has long recognized the distinct experience of women in conflict and post-conflict settings and has developed a strategy for gender mainstreaming in such situations. The workshop trained leaders of Iraqi NGOs in the skills to participate in rehabilitation and peace processes. http://www.unfpa.org/public/publications/pid/388 The Millennium Declaration set 2015 as the target date for achieving most of the goals associated with it. This report, issued midway through the 15-year period for accomplishment of the Millennium Development Goals, presents the most comprehensive global assessment of progress to date, based on a set of data prepared by a large number of international organizations within and outside the United Nations system, including UNFPA. http://www.unfpa.org/public/publications/pid/1382 Culture is and always has been central to development. As a natural and fundamental dimension of people's lives, culture must be integrated into development policy and programming. This report shows how this process works in practice. The starting point of the report is the universal validity of the international human rights framework. The focus is therefore on discussing and showcasing how culturally sensitive approaches are critical for the realization of human rights in general and women's rights in particular. http://www.unfpa.org/public/publications/pid/382 Many studies have recognized the importance of improving the status of impoverished women. This workshop report describes a number of approaches used to date to empower women economically, including microcredit. The report includes a review of the literature on women's economic empowerment and a summary of presentations from the workshop. http://www.unfpa.org/public/publications/pid/400 UNFPA's Strategic Framework for Gender Mainstreaming and Women's Empowerment 2008-2011 articulates a corporate strategy for working with Governments and partners in promoting gender equality. At a time when the global community is increasingly focused on poverty reduction and broader national development goals, the Framework outlines UNFPA's policy and programme priorities for the empowerment of women and girls and for incorporating a gender perspective across its mandate, in the areas of sexual and reproductive health, and population and development. http://www.unfpa.org/public/publications/pid/399 This handbook, intended primarily for development practitioners, provides practical points to consider when designing and implementing projects addressing violence against women. It is a collection of good practices drawn from ten case studies described in a complementary volume Programming to Address Violence Against Women. The approaches are based on an appreciation of culture and the role it plays in this issue. http://www.unfpa.org/public/publications/pid/386 This volume documents UNFPA's experience addressing many forms of violence against women. Intended primarily for development practitioners and others seeking to change attitudes and practices, it offers lessons that can help scale up responses. Projects in Bangladesh, Colombia, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritania, Mexico, Morocco, Romania, Sierra Leone and Turkey are discussed. Some of the principles derived from the case studies are summarized in a complementary handbook, Ending Violence Against Women.