UNDP Argentina and UNDP Seoul Policy Centre (USPC), in collaboration with the Provincial Government of Córdoba, jointly organized a regional workshop dedicated to exchanging experiences on strengthening survivor-centred support mechanisms for gender-based violence (GBV). Held from 11 to 15 November 2025, the workshop marked a key milestone under the USPC-UNDP Argentina SDG Partnership programme, which has supported the institutionalization of a monitoring and evaluation (M&E) model inspired by the Republic of Korea’s Sunflower Centers, strengthening integrated GBV services in Córdoba and enabling their expansion to Salta Province.

Bringing together delegations from Argentina, Ecuador, Paraguay, Brazil, Mexico, Uruguay, the Republic of Korea and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the workshop provided a platform for peer learning on institutional coordination and South-South and Triangular Cooperation to advance more effective and sustainable GBV responses.

From knowledge to action: Strengthening survivor support systems

Claudia Martinez, Secretary for Women of the Provincial Government of Córdoba, and Laura Jure, Minister of Social Development and Employment Promotion, opened the workshop, underscoring the importance of shared learning and sustained political commitment. Anne Juepner, Director of USPC, emphasized that coordinated governance, strong institutional foundations and locally owned M&E frameworks can translate global knowledge into sustainable national systems, as demonstrated by the Córdoba partnership as a flagship example of South-South cooperation in action.

Experts from the Republic of Korea, supported by USPC, shared Korea’s experience in building comprehensive survivor support mechanisms. Soon Ae Cho, Strategic Response Team Manager at the National Center for Digital Sexual Crime Response (NCDSCR) under the Women’s Human Rights Institute of Korea (WHRIK), highlighted the rapidly evolving nature of GBV and the need for integrated systems linking survivors to counselling, legal assistance and specialized services, underpinned by strong institutional and legal frameworks. Hye Young Park, former Vice Director of the Sunflower Center in Seoul, presented the evolution of Korea’s one-stop service model and its M&E approach, emphasizing continuous quality assurance as essential to sustaining effective, survivor-centred services.

Regional experiences and measurable impact

Delegations from Córdoba and Salta shared how the Sunflower Centre’s M&E model was successfully adapted through the SDG Partnership. In Córdoba, Polo Integral de la Mujer reported improved response times and increased user satisfaction, demonstrating tangible improvements in efficiency and service quality. The expansion to Salta further illustrated the catalytic role of South-South and Triangular Cooperation in generating scalable and sustainable impact.

Participants from Ecuador, Brazil, Mexico, Paraguay, Uruguay and the Democratic Republic of the Congo also exchanged national experiences and policy approaches to GBV survivor support. UNDP’s Regional Bureau for Latin America and the Caribbean (RBLAC) synthesized these discussions, underscoring the need for future-ready systems and stronger regional and global networks to advance SDG 5 on gender equality.

Towards sustained and transformative impact

Discussions focused on sustaining institutional gains and driving long-term, systemic change, including approaches to engaging women, men and youth and embedding integrated support within national systems. Participants also reflected on emerging challenges such as technology-facilitated GBV, highlighting the importance of robust national coordination mechanisms capable of responding to new and complex forms of violence.

The workshop concluded by reaffirming the value of cross-sectoral and cross-regional collaboration. The successful adaptation of the Sunflower Center’s M&E model in Córdoba and Salta has positioned Córdoba’s integrated approach as an emerging regional reference for coordinated, multi-sectoral GBV response. By linking global experience with locally led action, the workshop strengthened collective efforts to advance gender equality and survivor-centred support across regions.

Building on this momentum, USPC will continue working with UNDP Argentina through a new SDG Partnership on integrated support mechanisms for survivors of technology-facilitated GBV, further strengthening coordinated and survivor-centred responses to emerging forms of violence.

*For additional details on the workshop, please see UNDP Argentina’s coverage: https://www.undp.org/argentina/news/cordoba-undp-co-organized-international-meeting-strengthening-monitoring-and-support

**UNDP Seoul Policy Centre (USPC) shares Korea’s tested-and-proven policy tools with other countries through SDG Partnerships. SDG Partnerships provide a combination of support, including partnership development with Korean institutions, seed funding, technical assistance, and policy advisory services. It utilizes UNDP’s global network of country offices and the policy expertise and know-how of partner organizations.