By MediaGlobal
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| The Global Virtual Knowledge Center will enable women and girls from around the world to access information and resources on the issue of gender-based violence. (Photo credit: Creative Commons) |
18 March 2010 [MediaGlobal]: UNIFEM has recently launched a Website that uses comprehensive interactive training tools and resources to empower and inform individuals about gender-based violence. The Global Virtual Knowledge Centre contains a number of informational sections on issues such as prevention, policy and legislation to empower and educate the user on the issue of gender based violence. The module Men&Boys, for example, was developed in conjunction with an organization called MenEngage, which is a global alliance of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and UN agencies that engage boys and men in achieving gender equality.
Modern tools and resources are important now more than ever as, according to UNIFEM, up to 70 per cent of women have still experienced some form of physical or sexual abuse over their lifetime. The Global Virtual Knowledge Center will essentially act as an accessible online resource where activists, victims, researchers, NGO’s and policy-makers can learn from one another’s diverse experiences on the issue and use systematic approaches to working towards ending violence against women and girls.
Dina Deligiorgis, knowledge management specialist in Ending Violence against Women from UNIFEM is the mastermind behind the Global Knowledge Center. Speaking to Mediaglobal Deligiorgis reiterated the importance of the availability of new resources and tools in fighting violence against women and girls, both for advocates and policy makers but also for the victims themselves.“It is important to remember that violence against women and girls occurs within and across every country of the world. In the face of these alarmingly high rates, we are at a promising historical juncture, where we are witnessing an unprecedented demonstration of political will, an elevated awareness among the public at large and mass mobilization of different societal actors to address this gross human rights violation.”
Deligiorgis went on to say: “Because of these efforts, we no longer have to ask the question what needs to be done, but rather, how can it be done? The Virtual Knowledge Centre to End Violence against Women and Girls hopes to contribute in answering this critical question by providing a one-stop resource for policy-makers and practitioners to obtain guidance on policy and programme implementation drawing on the combined expertise and experiences of governments, non-governmental organizations, civil society groups and the United Nations. The Centre provides step-by-step guidance on how to work with different sectors and different groups; offers a compendium of over 600 tools representing more than 40 languages; and makes available a growing database of expert organizations that can be consulted, along with other features to support our collective efforts in bridging the implementation gap.”
Keely Swan from the Center for Women’s Global Leadership (CWGL), an organization that develops and facilitates women’s leadership for women’s human rights and social justice worldwide, spoke to MediaGlobal about the impact of the new Global Virtual Center: “UNIFEM’s new Global Virtual Knowledge Center promises to be an excellent resource for organizations and individuals working to end gender-based violence…We [in the CWGL] know the importance and value of being able to share resources and examples from activists around the world.”
To access UNIFEM’s Global Virtual Knowledge Center readers can go to: http://www.endvawnow.org/
