The ASEAN Regional Framework on Protection, Gender, and Inclusion in Disaster Management 2021-2025 (ARF-PGI) aims to articulate a common vision for promoting PGI in disaster management in the ASEAN region, in line with One ASEAN One Response. The Framework aims to support the implementation of the ASEAN Agreement on Disaster Management and Emergency Response (AADMER) Work Programme 2021-2025 and other regional declarations and plans by: Consolidating regional commitments across sectors on...

This paper is a review of gender mainstreaming principles and examples of interventions by countries and organisations in Asia and the Pacific region. It also includes tools and approaches to mainstream gender into climate change and disaster risk reduction policies.

The linkages between organized crime, including trafficking in persons, and violent extremism are a global concern. These linkages are starting to receive some attention, but this is limited to specific conflict contexts such as Iraq and Syria. In recognition of the link between violent extremism and trafficking in persons and the gendered nature of both, the UN Security Council adopted its first resolution on trafficking in persons in areas affected by armed conflict in 2016 (UNSCR 2331). But overall, there is little understanding of the relationship between violent extremism and trafficking in persons, or of how gender informs this interaction.

As the formal justice system in Timor-Leste develops to meet the needs of the population, many disputes and conflicts continue to be resolved outside of the formal system, using alternative dispute resolution (ADR), such as customary justice, mediation or arbitration. The Ministry of Justice, recognizing the importance of ADR in accessing justice, is working on draft legislation related to informal justice processes and has received support from the Ministry of Justice in Japan. The Ministry...

Women and girls inKachin State are bornto experience the natureof earth’s beauty,and to contributepeace, harmony and well-being in theirfamilies, communities, overall societyand the nation to shape the processfor sustainable development for all. OnJune 9, 2011, human-made armed conflictemerged in Kachin State, and hassince then resulted in extensive loss oflife, damage to infrastructures, destructionof livelihoods and protracted andcontinuous displacement of more...

The importance of gender equality and women’s empowerment and leadership as a central element of humanitarian action, and across the humanitarian-peace-development nexus, has been recognized in international normative frameworks to which the Government of Myanmar is a signatory. These include the World Humanitarian Summit Agenda for Humanity and the Grand Bargain, the Sustainable Development Goals, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms...

A Pacific Regional Consultation on Prevention of Violence against Women and Girls - To advance the regional dialogue and action on primary prevention, UN Women convened a three-day consultation bringing together key stakeholders from the region to discuss current prevention programming practice, and hear from global practitioners and researchers working on violence prevention. Forty-two participants attended from across seven countries...

The discussion paper “Unpaid Care and Domestic Work: Issues and Suggestions for Viet Nam” is developed specifically to help policymakers gain a better understanding of what unpaid care work is and how this affects women’s participation in the social and economic life; and recommend policy measures that would help recognize, reduce and redistribute unpaid care work...

As Viet Nam is taking further steps to operationalize the gender equality principles set out in the State Budget Law 2015, this discussion is designed to help policymakers and relevant stakeholders understand the linkages between gender inequalities, tax laws, and tax policy options. Specifically, the paper examines the gender impact of tax laws and tax incentives in Viet Nam, including in relation to personal income taxes, corporate income taxes, consumption taxes such as the Value Added Tax,...

The Asia Pacific Regional Symposium on National Action Plans for Women, Peace and Security gathered over 80 experts from 17 countries to consider the regional thematic and emerging priorities for NAPs-WPS and to evaluate how NAPs-WPS can benefit women affected by conflict. This Symposium Report concludes that effective NAPs-WPS are driven by strong leadership and must be accompanied by financing and localization strategies, and robust monitoring and evaluation systems. Most importantly, the development and effective implementation of NAPs-WPS must be inclusive and reflect civil society perspectives, especially women's groups, on women's peace and security...

This paper, discussed at the Asia Pacific Regional Symposium on National Action Plans for Women, Peace and Security, presents the findings of a critical review of the nine Asia-Pacific WPS NAPs: Afghanistan, Australia, Indonesia, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Nepal, New Zealand, the Philippines and Timor-Leste. The review assesses the degree to which the needs, rights and well-being of women and girls in the region are central to these NAPs, as intended under resolution 1325.

This paper, presented at the Asia-Pacific Regional Symposium on National Action Plans on Women Peace and Security, explores the gender and security challenges with respect to preventing violent extremism and promoting a culture of peace and tolerance, and responding to the causes and effects of mass displacement and climate change. These emerging issues are having a visible and growing impact on peace and security in the Asia-Pacific region, in particular on the achievement of women and...

Addressing the need for the ensuring gender responsiveness of the legislation in Afghanistan is one of the important aspects of efforts to ensure gender equality. Over the last several years the efforts to improve legislation from gender perspective has been successful however still there is a number of issues that needs to be addressed. Issues including age of marriage, forced marriage, rape, sexual assault, sexual harassment are among are still among the controversial issues that should be...

Inclusive Cities. Toward gender equality, youth empowerment, and non-discrimination.