Violence against women represents a violation of dignity, safety, and human rights. The issue of violence against women is immense, particularly in the context of domestic violence, conflict and war, and human trafficking. Yet it is often seen as a private matter, something that goes on behind closed doors. It is not - it is a crime, and the state has a responsibility to protect women that are victims of violence.

Some countries lack laws that criminalize violence against women. Others have the laws, but fail to implement them. In order to assist Member States to enact and implement laws in this area, the United Nations has produced the Model Strategies and Practical Measures on the Elimination of Violence against Women in the Field of Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice services. Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, Spanish NEW! 

UNODC offers assistance in:

• Strengthening women and girls' access to justice;

• Supporting the development of legislation that protects the rights of women and girls and reflects regional and international law and human rights standards;

• Developing training programmes on how to apply international and regional laws and human rights standards on criminal justice in the domestic setting; and

• Building the capacity of women to serve at all levels of the criminal justice system, including positions of authority.

For further information on gender in the criminal justice system, please follow the links below:

• Strategies and measures on the elimination of violence against women (Report on the meeting of the intergovernmental expert group to review and update the Model Strategies and Practical Measures on the Elimination of Violence against Women in the Field of Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice held in Bangkok from 23 to 25 March 2009 (E/CN.15/2010/2))

• Responses to violence against women and girls (Report of the Secretary-General on crime prevention and criminal justice responses to violence against women and girls (E/CN.15/2008/2))

• Violence against women (Note by the Secretariat on Aspects of violence against women that pertain directly to the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (E/CN.15/2008/CRP))

• Elimination of violence against women - workshop (Background paper by the United Nations Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Programme Network (PNI) - Workshop on Eliminating Violence Against Women: Forms, Strategies and Tools (E/CN.15/2008/CRP.3))

• United Nations Rules for the Treatment of Women Prisoners and Non-Custodial Measures for Women Offenders (the Bangkok Rules) English, Arabic , Chinese , French, Russian, Spanish NEW!

More information

Извор: WUNRN – 17.01.2015