Pre-ADF Technical Workshop on ending violence against women and girls

Organised by the United Nations development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and UNECA

18 November 2008 at the UN Conference Centre, Addis Ababa

Context and Objectives:

The pre-ADF technical workshop will be a forum for in-depth discussions on violence against women and girls by a core group of practitioners who will then provide leadership in the sessions on VAW at the ADF. While the ADF focuses on violence against women in conflict and post conflict situations, harmful traditional practices and institutions, and trafficking of women and girls, the pre-Forum technical workshop aims to place the ADF dialogue in a broader context in which women and girls experience violence throughout the life cycle and in diverse range of situations beyond the focus of the ADF. The participants will review the policy commitments made by African countries on ending violence against women and then focus on the challenges of implementation, good practices that are showing positive results, and agree on 4-5 strategic actions that would significantly accelerate implementation of existing commitments.

Expected Outcomes:

1. 4-5 Strategic actions to accelerate delivery on commitments as inputs into the ADF final plan of action and outcome document.

2. An active core group of resource persons to guide discussion particularly on breakout sessions.

Agenda:

1. Key international, regional, and sub-regional policies and commitments on ending all forms of violence against women and girls, including agreed monitoring frameworks

2. Key challenges and lessons learned from regions

3. Focus on good practices

4. Agreement on strategy/roles/responsibilities during ADF

Participants

The participants should be:

1. Experts on the field of violence against women

2. A member of the CEDAW Committee

3. A member of the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child

4. An expert from Latin America and Asia

Working Languages: English and French

Partnership and roles

The AU and different UN Agencies will be invited to partner with UNIFEM, UNICEF and UNECA in the planning, organising and hosting the workshop.

Note:

Participation is by invitation only. For further information please contact: Florence Butegwa at Florence.butegwa@unifem.org , and Akila Belembaogo at abelembaogo@unicef.org .