A/HRC/28/3 to the revision of the Committee’s terms of reference led to the inclusion of the protection of the rights of persons in accordance with international human rights and humanitarian law as an overall objective and principle of the Committee. OHCHR focused on supporting implementation of the Committee’s protection priority, particularly through its co-chair role, with the task team of the Global Protection Cluster responsible for facilitating said priority. 94. In the past year, OHCHR placed 26 human rights officers at the disposal of the interagency rapid response mechanism to strengthen the operational protection capacity of the system to respond to major crises. 95. OHCHR rapid and surge deployments in the context of humanitarian action increased. Missions were dispatched to the Philippines, following typhoon Haiyan; to the Central African Republic, in the context of the declaration of the level-3 crisis; to Gaza, following the July crisis; to Ukraine, to support the role of OHCHR as co-chair of the protection sector; and to Mauritania, to support the lead role of OHCHR in the protection sector. OHCHR also took the leadership of two regional protection clusters in the Philippines, in the aftermath of Typhoon Haiyan, and had overall leadership of the protection cluster in Liberia in the context of the Ebola crisis – in addition to maintaining this role in Haiti, Palestine, Mauritania and the Pacific (as co-lead). 5. Sexual and gender-based violence, trafficking and related exploitation 96. Global guidance was developed to promote accountability for sexual and genderbased violence, followed by concrete activities in the field. In June, the guidance note of the Secretary-General on reparations for victims of conflict-related sexual violence, developed jointly by OHCHR and UN-Women, was launched (see para. 55 above). The implementation of the note was promoted in a number of contexts and resulted in legislative revision (in Kosovo),28 the introduction of a specific reparation programme (in the Republic of Moldova) and pilot assistance programmes for victims (in the Democratic Republic of the Congo). 97. In addition, a protocol for the investigation of gender-motivated killings of women was launched in Latin America and widely disseminated within the region. The protocol aims at providing prosecutors, judges, police officers and forensic experts with practical guidance for investigation and complying with due diligence standards. 98. OHCHR launched a study on wrongful gender stereotyping by the judiciary in cases of sexual and gender-based violence. OHCHR Guatemala presented the study to the judicial school, which agreed on a project to review judgements of ordinary and specialized courts and to integrate the issue of gender stereotypes into the curriculum of the judiciary. In the Republic of Moldova, OHCHR supported a process to review prosecutorial guidance in cases of rape, to address harmful gender stereotypes and to ensure objective investigations. 99. In Kosovo, OHCHR worked towards the increased and meaningful participation of women in public processes, in particular those related to sexual and gender-based violence. OHCHR also supported the implementation of the recommendations of its report on reparations for survivors of sexual violence related to armed conflict.29 28 29 18 All references to Kosovo in the present report should be understood to be in full compliance with Security Council resolution 1244 (1999), without prejudice to the status of Kosovo. Victoria S. Rames, Healing the Spirit: Reparations for Survivors of Sexual Violence related to the Armed Conflict in Kosovo (Prishtinë/Priština, OHCHR Stand-alone Office in Kosovo, 2013).

Select target paragraph3

Connect to a paragraph
Connect to an entity
Disable highlights
Add to table of contents