Nata Duvvury: Co-Director, Global Women’s Studies Programme, NUI Galway.

Lori Michau: Co-Director, Raising Voices, Kampala, Uganda (via video link).

Carol Wrenn: Gender Equality Programme Officer, Trócaire.

Date: Wednesday, December 7th, 2011.

Location: Irish Aid Volunteering and Information Centre, 27-31 Upper O’Connell Street, Dublin 1.

Nata Duvvury speaking at the event.

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Lori Michau speaking at the event.

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Carol Wrenn speaking at the event.

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Also at the event, the Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore launched the National Action Plan on United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325; Women, Peace & Security.

Speakers on the day included:

Mary Robinson, was the first woman President of Ireland (1990-1997), former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (1997-2002), founder and President of Realizing Rights: The Ethical Globalization Initiative (2002-2010), and has spent most of her life as a human rights advocate. She is the patron of the Irish Joint Consortium on Gender Based Violence.  She was educated at the University of Dublin (Trinity College), King’s Inns Dublin and Harvard Law School to which she won a fellowship in 1967. The recipient of numerous honours and awards throughout the world including the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Obama, Mary Robinson is a member of the Elders, former Chair of the Council of Women World Leaders and a member of the Club of Madrid. She is chair of the GAVI Alliance Board and President of the International Commission of Jurists.  She serves on several boards including the Global Compact, the Mo Ibrahim Foundation, and is a member of the Royal Irish Academy and the American Philosophical Society. She now serves as President of the Mary Robinson Foundation – Climate Justice.

Jeanne Ward, CSW, is an internationally recognized expert on violence against women and girls in conflict-affected settings. Currently based out of Nairobi, Kenya, Ms. Ward has consulted to over 30 countries around the world.  She provides technical leadership, training, assessment and monitoring support in developing and improving VAW-related research, policies, systems, programs and community-based practices.  She is the author of numerous publications on VAW, such as the IRIN publication “Broken Bodies, Broken Dreams:  Violence Against Women Exposed” and the UNICEF publication “From Visible to Indivisable:  Protecting and Promoting the Rights of the Girl Child.”   She has also developed globally-disseminated tools and guidelines for conflict-affected settings, most recently producing a GBV Coordination Handbook (2010) for the global GBV Area of Responsibility Working Group. She has taught at Smith College and Columbia University.

Aisling Swaine has several years experience of GBV programming, management, policy development and implementation with Irish Aid, the Department of Foreign Affairs, UNFPA, Concern, and the International Rescue Committee.  She has spent over seven years living and working full-time in conflict-affected/fragile states.  She is currently conducting qualitative research on gender based violence for the purposes of her PhD.  Some of her many publications include Assessing the Potential of National Action Plans to Advance the Implementation of UNSCR 1325; Voices of Experience: Cross-Learning Process on UNSCR 1325; and Traditional Justice and Gender Based Violence Timor-Leste.

Aisling Swaine speaking at the Irish Joint Consortium Annual Seminar 2011.

Jeanne Ward speaking at the Irish Joint Consortium Annual Seminar 2011.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23ZV3-vzIwk

Mary Robinson speaking at the launch of the National Action Plan on United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325; Women, Peace & Security.

Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore speaking at the launch of the National Action Plan on United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325; Women, Peace & Security.

Susan McKay speaking at the launch of the National Action Plan on United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325; Women, Peace & Security.

Q&A – Annual Seminar 2011

This eight week distance education course focusses specifically on:

* Gender Based Violence against Women.
* Non-Emergency Development Settings.
* Lower Income Countries.

Please see KODE website for more information on the course schedule, outline, tutor bios, fees etc.

www.kodeonline.com

The guest speaker was Dr Gary Barker, PhD. Mr Barker is International Director of Promundo, based in Washington DC, previously being a founding Executive Director of ‘Instituto Promundo’, a nongovernmental organization based in Brazil that works to promote gender equality and reduce violence against children, youth and women.

Formerly Director, Gender, Violence and Rights at the International Center for Research on Women, Washington, Dr Barker is a social scientist with more than 15 years of experience researching gender equality, men and masculinities, sexuality and HIV/AIDS. He also is an expert in exploring the links between men and violence in conflict and post-conflict settings in parts of Latin America, the Caribbean, sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. He is also co-chair and co-founder of the MenEngage Alliance, a global network working to engage men and boys in gender equality (www.menengage.org).

Learning Brief 6: A learning brief on Engaging Men and Boys to address GBV, that was produced from the Gary Barker event.

Gary Barker seminar – part 1

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Gary Barker seminar – part 2

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Gary Barker seminar – part 3

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Gary Barker seminar – part 4

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Gary Barker seminar – part 5

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Focus of this year’s event:
UN Security Council Resolution 1325 – Women, Peace and Security.
The Monitoring and Evaluation of Ireland’s upcoming National Action Plan (NAP) on UN SCR1325.

Chairing the event: Inez McCormack
Chairperson of the Participation and the Practice of Rights (PPR) Project.

ADDRESSING THE EVENT:

Mary Robinson
President, The Mary Robinson Foundation – Climate Justice.
President, Realizing Rights: The Ethical Globalization Initiative.

Margot Wallström
United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General. (SRSG) on Sexual Violence in Conflict.

Charlotte Onslow
Senior Programme Officer – International Alert.

Minister Mary White
Mininster for Equality, Integration and Human Rights.

Brendan Howlin TD
Labour Party Spokesperson on Human Rights and Vice-President of AWEPA – Parliamentarians With Africa.

Susan McKay
CEO, National Women’s Council of Ireland.

A Good Practice Guide was produced for the day – for the monitoring and evaluation of national action plans on United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security.

Download Good Practice Guide

Good Practice Guide

Download Brendan Howlin TD speech

Brendan Howlin Speech_Nov

Footage November Conference – part 1

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Footage November Conference – part 2

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Footage November Conference – part 3

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Footage November Conference – part 4

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Footage November Conference – part 5

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Footage November Conference – part 6

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Footage November Conference – part 7

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Footage November Conference – part 8

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This year, the day focussed on demonstrating the links between Gender Based Violence (GBV) and the Eradication of Extreme Poverty and Hunger (MDG 1).

Addressing the event were:

• Dr. Nata Duvvury: Dept. of Gender, Globalisation and Development, NUI Galway
• Lina Abirafeh: GBV Co-ordinator for the UN Humanitarian Response, Haiti
• James Okoth: FAO, Uganda
• Gertrude Kabawzi: National Gender Co-ordinator, Concern Universal, Malawi
• Dr. Julia Kim: Image Project South Africa/UNDP
• Savio Carvalho: Demand Dignity Campaign, Amnesty International
• Martha Nemera: Executive Director, Women Support Association, Ethiopia.

Download Learning Brief

Learning Brief 2010

(Vimeo) Video interviews with speakers.

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(Youtube) Video interviews with speakers.

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Brief 2: Effective Responses for Gender Based Violence: Gender Based Violence in Schools.

Brief 3: Effective Responses for Gender Based Violence: Engaging Men to end GBV.

Brief 4: Keeping Gender on the Agenda.

Brief 5: Effective Response to Gender Based Violence: MDG 1 (Poverty & Hunger) and GBV.

Brief 6: Addressing Men & Boys to Address Gender Based Violence.

Brief 7: Addressing GBV in Post-Conflict & Fragile States: A Case Study of Sierra Leone.

Download Issues Paper

Issues Paper: Keeping Gender on the Agenda: Gender Based Violence, Poverty and Development

COMBATING GENDER BASED VIOLENCE MUST REMAIN A PRIORITY DESPITE GLOBAL DOWNTURN

It is crucial that international development programmes, which promote gender equality and reduce the instances of gender based violence, are prioritised even in the face of global recession. That’s according to Mary Robinson, who today (06.11.09) launched “Keeping Gender on the Agenda – Gender Based Violence, Poverty and Development”, a publication of the Joint Consortium on Gender Based Violence.

Since 2005, a consortium of 16 organisations¹ – comprising human rights, humanitarian and development organisations, together with Irish Aid (the Government’s Overseas Aid Programme at the Department of Foreign Affairs) and the Defence Forces – has been working to tackle gender based violence in its development and human rights work. Mrs Robinson acts as a special advisor to the consortium.

According to Mrs Robinson: “The global recession may expose more women in the developing world to the risk of gender based violence, as household incomes shrink and programmes to combat gender inequality are compromised. Failing to address Gender Based Violence and gender equality can have significant economic and social costs which undermine international development efforts. Increased levels of gender based violence could have far-reaching consequences, including higher levels of malnutrition among children, increased levels of HIV and AIDS and reduced participation of women in economic development.

“Investing in the prevention of gender based violence and incorporating responses to it in national development plans and poverty reduction strategies will have long term benefits for individuals and societies. Leadership and continued action is essential to ensure continued investment and scale up of effective responses to gender based violence,” she said.

The paper, written by Dr Nata Duvvry of NUI Galway, launched by Mrs Robinson examines the cost of gender based violence and shows how failure to address it will impact on the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals. For instance, the paper cites a study of women in antenatal clinics in South Africa which found that women reporting violence were 50 per cent more likely to be HIV positive. This undermines the Millennium Goal which centres on combating HIV and AIDS.

“Gender based violence inhibits successful development: it affects productivity, health and the wellbeing of women and children. Unless we address gender based violence in our international policy, the Millennium Development Goals will not be achieved,” said Mary Robinson. Also speaking at today’s event was, Minister for European Affairs, Dick Roche TD; Finola Finnan, Trócaire’s Programme Leader HIV and Gender Equality, who acts as Chairperson of the Joint Consortium on Gender Based Violence, and Dr Nata Duvvury, Co Director of the Global Women’s Studies programme at NUI Galway .

In his address at today’s event Minister Dick Roche TD, Minister for European Affairs, also stressed the importance of continuing the Joint Consortium’s important work in addressing – what he described as ‘the scandal’ – of gender based violence. Minister Roche said: “we are very conscious that focusing on gender equality, and such violence as a key manifestation of gender inequality, significantly strengthens the impact of our development efforts. We must maintain our commitment to this critical development and human rights issue.”

According to the Chairperson of the Joint Consortium, Finola Finnan , the members of the Consortium remain committed to keeping gender based violence at the heart of their work despite the downturn: “NGOs in Ireland have been greatly affected by the downturn. This, in turn, has impacted on the scale and reach of our development, advocacy and humanitarian programmes. However, after five years of making gender based violence a core focus of our work, we realise the critical importance of maintaining this focus, despite diminishing resources.

“Consortium members continue to be involved in programmes that address and respond to gender based violence, in a number of developing countries. Irish aid agencies, as well as Irish Aid – the Government’s Overseas Aid Programme at the Department of Foreign Affairs – are actively engaged in partnership projects in many countries across Africa, Asia and Latin America where levels of gender based violence are worryingly high.

Dr Nata Duvvury, Co-Director of the Global Women’s Studies programme at NUI Galway said: “Our knowledge of what works in addressing gender based violence has expanded enormously. There are successful examples of responses to address gender based violence that need to be scaled-up and replicated widely. Particularly important is the replication of interventions engaging men and boys who play a key role in the reduction and, ultimately, elimination of gender based violence.”

ENDS.
CONTACT: Catherine Heaney / Martina Quinn, DHR Communications @ 01-4885808 / 087-2309835 /
087-6522033

1. The Joint Consortium on Gender Based Violence includes: Action Aid Ireland, Amnesty International, Childfund Ireland, Christian Aid, Concern Worldwide, Defence Forces, Dtalk, GOAL, Irish Aid (Government’s Overseas Aid Programme at the Department of Foreign Affairs), Irish Red Cross, KODE (Kimmage Open and Distance Education), Oxfam Ireland, Plan Ireland, Self Help Africa, Trócaire and World Vision.