Gender and Human Rights Program activities

Since 2000, NPWJ has organized conferences, seminars, and workshops, promoted public mobilization actions and conducted lobbying and advocacy actions in order to stimulate the political commitment of institutions, authorities, women’s rights activists and communities throughout Africa and Europe to promote the adoption of legal measures as positive and long-lasting tool of social progress.
 
Over the past years, No Peace Without Justice (NPWJ) Gender and Human Rights Program focused on a campaign for the adoption of a Resolution to explicitly ban female genital mutilation (FGM) by the United Nations General Assembly, which saw its successful culmination on 20 December 2012 (A/RES/67/146).  Following this landmark step, NPWJ continues to work with women’s rights activists across the world to target this and other forms of violence against women that tend to be addressed as cultural issues, rather than as violations of universal human rights. In addition to FGM, these include forced and child marriage, marital rape, sex work, denial of reproductive rights and other violations that are manifestations of women’s subordinate status.
 
Among recent and ongoing initiatives carried out by NPWJ, we can highlight the BEFORE project (Best practices to Empower women against Female genital mutilation, Operating for Rights and legal Efficacy), supported by the European Union’s Rights, Equality and Citizenship Programme (2014-2020); EMANCIPA-MI, supported by The Circle, the Municipality of Milan (Italy) and Fondazione Bracco; and a study on the prevalence of forced and early marriage in Italy, with the support of The Circle. 
 
 

 
List of events and activities
 

2022

• “Women’s Strength”, Spazio Europa - European Union Representation in Italy, Rome, 6 December 2022
• Make Community PACTs. Contro ogni violenza di genere per costruire un futuro di diritti", Fabbrica del Vapore, Milano, 30 novembre 2022
• "GIRLS’ RIGHTS ARE HUMAN RIGHTS: towards girls’ autonomy and self-determination worldwide", European Parliament, Brussels, 11 October 2022
• Specialised training sessions for Italian legal practitioners on environmental and human rights issues, Rome, 15 July 2022
• Conferenza "I diritti umani in Afghanistan", Milano, 9 marzo 2022
• Out of “The Bush School”. Acting against FGM in Liberia and beyond, 8 February 2022

 
2021

• “Spose Bambine: Indagine sui matrimoni minorili in Italia” - Conferenza stampa su iniziativa della Sen. Emma Bonino, 10 dicembre 2021
• "Con le donne afghane, contro ogni violenza nel mondo", Roma, Italia, 24 novembre 2021
• The Role of Women’s Civil Society Organisations in Combatting GBV among Syrian Refugee Communities, Online event, 30 March 2021
• Empowering Syrian Refugee Women and Girls, Online event, 25 March 2021

 
2020

• Conference “Fighting FGM in Europe. Increasing the impact of policies against Female Genital Mutilations”, European Parliament, Brussels, 10 December 2020

• "Her Voices, Her Journey: The Gendered Experiences of Rohingya Women", Rohingya Women Webinar Series, 24 July 2020

• "Beyond Covid-19: Lockdown on women's rights?", Live stream webinar, 17 April 2020

• Stakeholders Consultations on Recommendations to contribute to an increased efficacy of the legal and policy framework to prevent and combat FGM in Belgium, France and Italy, European Parliament, Brussels, 4 February 2020

 
2019

• “Sostenere la lotta contro le MGF: tutelare i diritti delle donne esigendo la piena applicazione della legge”, Mattatoio, Roma, 8 marzo 2019
• Supporting the Fight against Female Genital Mutilation: Promoting Women's Rights by Demanding the Full Enforcement of Law, European Parliament, Brussels, 6 February 2019
• Diritti Doveri Donne, una lezione di Emma Bonino, Teatro Franco Parenti, Milano, 14 gennaio 2019

 
2018

• Photographic exhibition UNCUT - La rivoluzione delle donne contro le mutilazioni genitali femminili, Casa delle Letterature, Rome, Italy, 12-18 October 2018
• High level event “From vulnerable to protagonist: empowering women against human rights denial committed “for her own good”, UN Headquarters, New York City, 25 September 2018
• National Workshop to strengthen the capacity of the police and the judiciary in ensuring compliance with the law banning FGM, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, 26 February 2018
• Awareness activity to strengthen the legal and political framework against FGM in The Gambia, Kanifing, The Gambia, 21 February 2018
• BanFGM Campaign Advocacy at the African Union, AU 30th Summit, Addid Ababa, 28-29 January 2018
• National Workshop "BanFGM: for the elimination of female genital mutilation", Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, 16-17 January 2018

 
2017

• Forum of ECOWAS member countries’ First Ladies, Niamey, Republic of Niger, 2-5 October 2017
• BanFGM Conference on the global ban on female genital mutilation, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Italian Senate, Rome, 30 January – 1 February 2017
• National Workshop in Burkina Faso to increase effectiveness of judicial mechanisms in the fight against FGM, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, 19-20 January 2017
• National workshop in Guinea to increase effectiveness of judicial mechanisms in the fight against FGM, Conakry, Guinea 19-20 January 2017

 
2016

• National Workshop in Côte d’Ivoire to increase effectiveness of judicial mechanisms in the fight against FGM, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, 27-29 December 2016
• National Workshop in Senegal to foster effective implementation of UNGA resolution banning Female Genital Mutilation, Dakar, Senegal, 20 December 2016
• Ministerial Sub-Regional Consultation in Senegal to foster effective implementation of UNGA resolution banning Female Genital Mutilation, Dakar, Senegal, 26-27 April 2016
• National workshop on "BANFGM: towards the elimination of female genital mutilation", Nouakchott, Mauritania, 8-9 February 2016
• National workshop “Ban FGM: A Law Ending FGM in The Gambia”, Banjul, Gambia, 6 February 2016
• National workshop on "BANFGM: towards the elimination of female genital mutilation", Gueckédou, Guinea, 6 February 2016

 
2015

• 23rd CIMED Colloquium: Western Africa in the 21st century, Paris, France, 16 June 2015
• National consultation in Gambia to foster the adoption of a law banning Female Genital Mutilation, Kaira Konko, Gambia, 21 May 2015
• National Workshop in Senegal to foster effective implementation of UNGA resolution banning Female Genital Mutilation, Dakar, Senegal, 12 May 2015
• National Workshop in Niger to foster effective implementation of UNGA resolution banning Female Genital Mutilation, Niamey, Niger, 6-7 May 2015
• International Women’s Day: "Wounded to Death" in Tunis with Emma Bonino, 8 March 2015
• National Workshop in Mauritania to foster effective implementation of UNGA Resolution banning FGM, Nouakchott, Mauritania, 10-11 February 2015
• UNAF “IV International Conference on FGM: Prevention and Eradication Measures”, Madrid, Spain, 5-6 February 2015
• National Workshop to foster effective implementation of UNGA resolution banning Female Genital Mutilation, Abidjan, Ivory Coast, 4-5 February 2015

 
2014

• International Conference “Strengthening the bridge between Africa and the world to accelerate Zero Tolerance towards FGM and child marriages”, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, 24-26 April 2014
• High Level Parallel Event “Ban FGM worldwide: Taking action on UNGA Resolution 67/146”, CSW 58th Session, New York, 11 March 2014
• High Level Meeting « For a Region without FGM: Banning all forms of female genital mutilation, including the Sunnah practice », Djibouti, 6 February 2014 

 
2013 

• Roundtable discussion “Analysis on full implementation prospects of Ban FGM Resolution, one year after its adoption by the UNGA”, Rome, 20 December 2013
• NPWJ contributes to the Conference on “Eliminating Violence Against Women in Europe: Intersectoral Approaches and Actions”, Vienna, Austria, 26 November 2013
• NPWJ contributes to High Level Event “Action to achieve commitments in UNGA Resolution 67/146. Intensifying global efforts for the elimination of female genital mutilations”, Rome, Italy, 22-25 October 2013
• NPWJ contributes to Ministerial Working Meeting “Making UNGA Resolution 67/146 to Eliminate Female Genital Mutilations a Reality for Millions of Girls and Women”, New York, 68th session of the United Nations General Assembly, 27 September 2013
• NPWJ contributes to High Level Panel on “Harmful Traditional Practices - Violence Against Women & Girls”, New York, 57th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women, 8 March 2013
• NPWJ contributes to UN DPI Briefing on “Intensifying Global Efforts for the Elimination of Female Genital Mutilations”, New York, 7 February 2013
• High Level Event on the Worldwide Ban on Female Genital Mutilation, Rome, Italy, 3-5 February 2013

 
2012

• Press Conference and Reception on the adoption of the worldwide ban on FGM, New York, 19 December 2012
• NPWJ calls for a Worldwide Ban on Female Genital Mutilation at the Trust Women Conference, London, 4-5 December 2012
• International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women: mobilisation of Italian citizens in support of a universal ban on Female Genital Mutilation, Rimini, Italy, 25 November 2012
• High Level Side Event “Intensifying Global Efforts for Eliminating Female Genital Mutilation”, United Nations General Assembly, New York, 25 September 2012
• Ban FGM Campaign: The Belgian Senate hosts the launch of an Appeal calling for a Resolution by the United Nations General Assembly in 2012, Brussels, 3 May 2012
• National Workshop in Djibouti in support of the Ban FGM Campaign, Djibouti, 15 April 2012
• Roundtable discussion with Imam Cissé on the Ban FGM Campaign, Brussels, 16 March 2012
• High Level Parallel Event “A worldwide ban on FGM: from the Decision of the African Union to a UNGA Resolution”, New York, 27 February 2012
• “International Day of Zero Tolerance to FGM”: For a worldwide ban on this human rights violation in 2012, 6 February 2012
• UIP-IGAD: Declaration by the Caucus of Women Parliamentarians in support of a UNGA resolution banning FGM worldwide, Djibouti, 9 January 2012

 
2011

• National event in support of a UNGA resolution to Ban FGM worldwide, Dakar, Senegal, 20 December 2011
• Ban FGM Stocktaking and Strategy meeting, Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire, 19-21 November 2011
• NPWJ participates at the Commission on the Status of Women, 55th Session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), New York, 22 February-4 March 2011
• Celebrating the International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation, Rome-Addis Abeba-African Countries, 6 February 2011

 
2010

• Roundtable Discussion on "The Universal Ban on Female Genital Mutilation is a goal within close reach", Rome, Italy, 27 September 2010
• High Level Meeting on the International Campaign for a UNGA resolution banning FGM, New York, 23 September 2010
• Dakar Inter-parliamentary Conference on FGM: “Towards the ban of the practice at the United Nations”, Dakar, Senegal, 3 and 4 May 2010
• National Parliamentary Workshop on “Female Genital Mutilation and the Law”, Nouakchott, Mauritania, 3- 4 February 2010

 
2001-2009

• High-Level Meeting “From Cairo to Ouagadougou: Towards a Global Ban of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)”, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, 9-10 November 2009
• National Parliamentary Workshop: “Engaging Parliament towards Ending Female Genital Mutilation”, Banjul, The Gambia, 29 October 2009
• Cairo Declaration on FGM +5 High Level Meeting, Cairo, Egypt, 14 – 15 December 2008
• Parliamentary Workshop on FGM legislation, Djibouti, 8-9 October 2008
• Regional Conference on the Elimination of FGM, Asmara, Eritrea, 27 - 28 March 2008
• Workshop on Female Genital Mutilation legislation and the African Union Protocol on the Rights of Women in Africa, Khartoum, Sudan 15 - 17 December 2007
• Never Again: Female Genital Mutilation, a Question of Human Rights, Salerno, Italy, 10 December 2007
• International Conference on Female Genital Mutilation and Forced/Early Marriages, Brussels, 8-11 February 2007
• Protecting Girls from Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting - a matter of gender equality and social change, Rome, 13 December 2006
• Sub-Regional Conference on FGM and on the implementation of the Maputo Protocol, Bamako, Mali, 21-22 February 2006
• Book Launch «Mutilée - the cry of an excised woman», Brussels, 7 December 2005
• Sub-Regional Conference "Towards a political and religious consensus against FGM", Djibouti, 2-3 February 2005
• International Conference on Female Genital Mutilation: "Developing a political, legal and social, environment to implement the Maputo Protocol", Nairobi, 16-18 September 2004
• STOP FGM: The Fendi Gala Dinner to support the Stop Female Genital Mutilation Campaign, Rome, 31 March 2004
• The Afro-Arab Expert Consultation on Legal Tools for the prevention of female genital mutilation, Cairo, Egypt, 21-23 June 2003
• Stop FGM: “Female Genital Mutilation: information and services to immigrant women. From the Cairo Conference to national and regional initiatives”, Bologna, 27-28 October 2003
• Conference on "Stop Female Genital Mutilation", Brussels, European parliament, 10-12 December 2002
• STOP FGM: Proposals for change, "Sala Marini" – Chamber of Deputies - Rome, 6 March 2001