Violence against Women

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Violence against Women

• In CEDAW, DEVAW and ICESCR
• By research fellow Tone Linn Waerstad

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Contact information

• t.l.warstad(at)jus.uio.no
• 22 85 02 36

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Starting point

• Why focus on violence against women?
• Why focus on Human rights?

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Amnesty Internationals answer

• http//www.amnestyusa.org/The_International_Violen
  ce_Against_Women_Act/Slide_show_II_International_V
  iolence_Against_Women/page.do?id1091588n13n23
  9n31504

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Amnesty Internationals answer

• AI has used a human rights framework to guide its
  campaigning work to stop violence against women.
  By using a human rights framework to oppose
  violence against women, we help to change the
  perception of violence against women from a
  private matter to a public concern that requires
  action from recognized authorities. Use of the
  framework also enables Amnesty International to
  use international human rights standards and laws
  to cut across national boundaries, cultures and
  religions to protest violence against women in
  all its forms. And perhaps most importantly, it
  makes it possible to use international remedies
  to hold governments accountable if they fail to
  meet their obligations to protect women from
  violence, regardless of who commits it or where
  it's committed.

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Outline of the lecture

• Legal sources
• CEDAW
• -GC 19
• -State reports/committee's response
• -Optional Protocol
• - Individual complaints

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Outline of the lecture

• Declaration on the elimination of violence
  against women
• The International Convention on Economic, Social
  and Cultural Rights
• - GC no. 16
• Regional instruments

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Outline of the lecture

• 2. Work in groups
• - Fatma Yildirim (deceased) v. Austria, 6/2005
• 3. Summary
• Womens rights of freedom from violence.
• State accountability
• -The private and the public sphere
• -Due diligence

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CEDAW

• The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms
  of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW)
• Adopted in 1979 by the UN General Assembly.

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CEDAW

• The topic of violence against women in the text
  of the convention?

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GEN.REC no. 19, VaW.

• Background
• 1. Gender-based violence is a form of
  discrimination that seriously inhibits women's
  ability to enjoy rights and freedoms on a basis
  of equality with men.

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GC 19, para. 6

• 6. The Convention in article 1 defines
  discrimination against women. The definition of
  discrimination includes gender-based violence,
  that is, violence that is directed against a
  woman because she is a woman or that affects
  women disproportionately. It includes acts that
  inflict physical, mental or sexual harm or
  suffering, threats of such acts, coercion and
  other deprivations of liberty. Gender-based
  violence may breach specific provisions of the
  Convention, regardless of whether those
  provisions expressly mention violence.

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GC19, para. 7

• 7. Gender-based violence, which impairs or
  nullifies the enjoyment by women of human rights
  and fundamental freedoms under general
  international law or under human rights
  conventions, is discrimination within the meaning
  of article 1 of the Convention. These rights and
  freedoms include
• (a) The right to life
• (b) The right not to be subject to torture or to
  cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or
  punishment
• (c) The right to equal protection according to
  humanitarian norms in time of international or
  internal armed conflict
• (d) The right to liberty and security of person
• (e) The right to equal protection under the law
• (f) The right to equality in the family
• (g) The right to the highest standard attainable
  of physical and mental health
• (h) The right to just and favourable conditions
  of work.

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Paras. 8 and 9

• 8. The Convention applies to violence perpetrated
  by public authorities. Such acts of violence may
  breach that State's obligations under general
  international human rights law and under other
  conventions, in addition to breaching this
  Convention.
• 9. It is emphasized, however, that discrimination
  under the Convention is not restricted to action
  by or on behalf of Governments (see articles
  2(e), 2(f) and 5). For example, under article
  2(e) the Convention calls on States parties to
  take all appropriate measures to eliminate
  discrimination against women by any person,
  organization or enterprise. Under general
  international law and specific human rights
  covenants, States may also be responsible for
  private acts if they fail to act with due
  diligence to prevent violations of rights or to
  investigate and punish acts of violence, and for
  providing compensation.

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GC19, para.11

• Articles 2(f), 5 and 10(c)
• 11. Traditional attitudes by which women are
  regarded as subordinate to men or as having
  stereotyped roles perpetuate widespread practices
  involving violence or coercion, such as family
  violence and abuse, forced marriage, dowry
  deaths, acid attacks and female circumcision.
  Such prejudices and practices may justify
  gender-based violence as a form of protection or
  control of women. The effect of such violence on
  the physical and mental integrity of women is to
  deprive them the equal enjoyment, exercise and
  knowledge of human rights and fundamental
  freedoms. While this comment addresses mainly
  actual or threatened violence the underlying
  consequences of these forms of gender-based
  violence help to maintain women in subordinate
  roles and contribute to the low level of
  political participation and to their lower level
  of education, skills and work opportunities.

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GC 19, para 22

• Article 16 (and article 5)
• 22. Compulsory sterilization or abortion
  adversely affects women's physical and mental
  health, and infringes the right of women to
  decide on the number and spacing of their
  children.

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CEDAW article 17

• 1. For the purpose of considering the progress
  made in the implementation of the present
  Convention, there shall be established a
  Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination
  against Women (hereinafter referred to as the
  Committee) consisting, at the time of entry into
  force of the Convention, of eighteen and, after
  ratification of or accession to the Convention by
  the thirty-fifth State Party, of twenty-three
  experts of high moral standing and competence in
  the field covered by the Convention. The experts
  shall be elected by States Parties from among
  their nationals and shall serve in their personal
  capacity, consideration being given to equitable
  geographical distribution and to the
  representation of the different forms of
  civilization as well as the principal legal
  systems.

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CEDAW art. 18

• Article 18 1. States Parties undertake to submit
  to the Secretary-General of the United Nations,
  for consideration by the Committee, a report on
  the legislative, judicial, administrative or
  other measures which they have adopted to give
  effect to the provisions of the present
  Convention and on the progress made in this
  respect
• (a) Within one year after the entry into force
  for the State concerned
• (b) Thereafter at least every four years and
  further whenever the Committee so requests.
• 2. Reports may indicate factors and difficulties
  affecting the degree of fulfilment of obligations
  under the present Convention.

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CEDAW art. 20

• 1. The Committee shall normally meet for a period
  of not more than two weeks annually in order to
  consider the reports submitted in accordance with
  article 18 of the present Convention.

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CEDAW, Article 21

• 1. The Committee shall, through the Economic and
  Social Council, report annually to the General
  Assembly of the United Nations on its activities
  and may make suggestions and general
  recommendations based on the examination of
  reports and information received from the States
  Parties. Such suggestions and general
  recommendations shall be included in the report
  of the Committee together with comments, if any,
  from States Parties.

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UN Doc. A/51/38, para. 245, 246 (Iceland)

• 245. While noting that the State party has taken
  a positive legal and welfare approach towards
  preventing violence against women, including
  domestic violence, the Committee expresses
  concern at the light penalties for crimes of
  sexual violence, including rape.
• 246. The Committee urges the State party to
  continue its efforts to implement and strengthen
  current laws, policies and programmes aimed at
  combating violence against women, and to increase
  its awareness-raising activities and work with
  male perpetrators. It also urges the State party
  to reconsider the current penal provisions which
  impose light sentences on perpetrators of sexual
  violence, including rape. It also encourages the
  State party to consider the issue of violence
  against women under the provisions of the
  Convention and the Committees general
  recommendation 19 on violence against women. The
  Committee requests the State party to provide
  more information in the next report on efforts to
  combat violence against women, including measures
  taken to provide training of the police and the
  judiciary

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UN Doc. A/58/38 (part I), para 370 (Canada)

• 370. The Committee urges the State party to step
  up its efforts to combat
• violence against women and girls and increase its
  funding for womens crisis
• centres and shelters in order to address the
  needs of women victims of violence
• under all governments.
• UN Doc. A/58/38 (part I), para. 119 (Switzerland)

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UN Doc. A/58/38 (part I), para. 119 (Switzerland)

• 119. The Committee recommends that the State
  party urgently take all
• appropriate measures, including legislation, to
  eradicate the harmful
• traditional practice of female genital mutilation.

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UN Doc. A/58/38 (part I), para. 212 (Kenya)

• 212. The Committee urges the State party to
  accord priority attention to the
• adoption of comprehensive measures to address
  violence against women and
• girls, taking into account its general
  recommendation 19 on violence against
• women. The Committee calls on the State party to
  enact or review, as
• appropriate, legislation on all forms of violence
  against women, including
• domestic violence, as well as legislation
  concerning all forms of sexual
• harassment, in order to ensure that women and
  girls who are victims of
• violence and sexual harassment have access to
  protection and effective redress and that
  perpetrators of such acts are prosecuted and
  punished. The
• Committee also recommends gender-sensitive
  training for public officials,
• particularly law enforcement personnel, the
  judiciary and health services
• providers. It also recommends the establishment
  of shelters and counselling
• services for victims of violence and sexual
  harassment.

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Optional Protocol to the Convention on the
Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination
against Women

• Entered into Force on 22 December 2000
• Allows either individuals or groups of
  individuals to submit individual complaints to
  the Committee.

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Individual complaints

• A.T. v. Hungary, 2/2003
• A.S v. Hungary, 4/2004
• Sahide Goekce (deceased) v. Austria, 5/2005
• Fatma Yildirim (deceased) v. Austria, 6/2005

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Declaration on the Elimination of Violence
Against Women.

• article 1-2 Definition and content
• Article 1
• For the purposes of this Declaration, the term
  "violence against women" means any act of
  gender-based violence that results in, or is
  likely to result in, physical, sexual or
  psychological harm or suffering to women,
  including threats of such acts, coercion or
  arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether
  occurring in public or in private life.

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DEVAW

• Article 2
• Violence against women shall be understood to
  encompass, but not be limited to, the following
• (a) Physical, sexual and psychological violence
  occurring in the family, including battering,
  sexual abuse of female children in the household,
  dowry-related violence, marital rape, female
  genital mutilation and other traditional
  practices harmful to women, non-spousal violence
  and violence related to exploitation
• (b) Physical, sexual and psychological violence
  occurring within the general community, including
  rape, sexual abuse, sexual harassment and
  intimidation at work, in educational institutions
  and elsewhere, trafficking in women and forced
  prostitution
• (c) Physical, sexual and psychological violence
  perpetrated or condoned by the State, wherever it
  occurs.

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DEVAW

• Discrimination
• Article 3
• Article 3
• Women are entitled to the equal enjoyment and
  protection of all human rights and fundamental
  freedoms in the political, economic, social,
  cultural, civil or any other field. These rights
  include, inter alia
• (a) The right to life 6/
• (b) The right to equality 7/
• (c) The right to liberty and security of person
  8/
• (d) The right to equal protection under the law
  7/
• (e) The right to be free from all forms of
  discrimination 7/
• (f) The right to the highest standard attainable
  of physical and mental health 9/
• (g) The right to just and favourable conditions
  of work 10/
• (h) The right not to be subjected to torture, or
  other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or
  punishment. 11/

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DEVAW

• Article 4
• States should condemn violence against women and
  should not invoke any custom, tradition or
  religious consideration to avoid their
  obligations with respect to its elimination.
  States should pursue by all appropriate means and
  without delay a policy of eliminating violence
  against women and, to this end, should
• a-q.

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DEVAW article 4 c

• (c) Exercise due diligence to prevent,
  investigate and, in accordance with national
  legislation, punish acts of violence against
  women, whether those acts are perpetrated by the
  State or by private persons

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The International Convention on Economic, Social
and Cultural Rights

• adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1966

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General comment No. 16

• The equal right of men and women to the enjoyment
  of all economic, social and cultural rights (art.
  3 of the International Covenant on Economic,
  Social and Cultural Rights).

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ICESCR article 3

• Article 3
• The States Parties to the present Covenant
  undertake to ensure the equal right of men and
  women to the enjoyment of all economic, social
  and cultural rights set forth in the present
  Covenant.

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General comment No. 16, para. 27

• 27. Article 10, paragraph 1, of the Covenant
  requires that States parties recognize that the
  widest possible protection and assistance should
  be accorded to the family, and that marriage must
  be entered into with the free consent of the
  intending spouses. Implementing article 3, in
  relation to article 10, requires States parties,
  inter alia, to provide victims of domestic
  violence, who are primarily female, with access
  to safe housing, remedies and redress for
  physical, mental and emotional damage to ensure
  that men and women have an equal right to choose
  if, whom and when to marry - in particular, the
  legal age of marriage for men and women should be
  the same, and boys and girls should be protected
  equally from practices that promote child
  marriage, marriage by proxy, or coercion and to
  ensure that women have equal rights to marital
  property and inheritance upon their husbands
  death. Gender-based violence is a form of
  discrimination that inhibits the ability to enjoy
  rights and freedoms, including economic, social
  and cultural rights, on a basis of equality.
  States parties must take appropriate measures to
  eliminate violence against men and women and act
  with due diligence to prevent, investigate,
  mediate, punish and redress acts of violence
  against them by private actors.

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Regional instruments

• The European Convention on Human Rights
• The American Convention on Human Rights
• Inter-American Convention on the Prevention,
  Punishment and Eradication of Violence Against
  Women (Convention of Belem do Para)
• AFRICAN (BANJUL) CHARTER ON HUMAN AND PEOPLES'
  RIGHTS
• PROTOCOL TO THE AFRICAN CHARTER ON HUMAN AND
  PEOPLES' RIGHTS ON THE RIGHTS OF WOMEN IN AFRICA

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Group Work, VaW

• Individual complaint, CEDAW committee
• Fatma Yildirim (deceased) v. Austria, 6/2005
• Read paragraphs 1-2.14 (facts of the case) and
  12.11-12.3 (Consideration of the merits).
• Discuss in groups
• 1. Find the legal sources
• 2. How does the committee apply the legal
  standards on the facts of the case?
• 3. What is said about due diligence and state
  obligations for violations in the private sphere?
• 4. What recommendations does the committee give
  Austria?

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Individual complaints

• AT, Fatma Yildirim, Sahide Goecke
• Domestic violence in all cases and subsequent
  murders in F and S
• Article 2 a and c-f (read together with other
  provisions of the convention.)
• GR 19 para. 9
• (A.T v. Hungary Also violation of article 5.)

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Individual complaints

• A.S v. Hungary
• Art 16 paragraph 1 e and GR 19 paragraph 22.

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Summary

• The concept of VaW in human rights law
• The distinction between the public and the
  private sphere
• The concept of due diligence

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The Concept of Due Diligence

• -minimum acceptable level of effort which a state
  must undertake to fulfil its responsibility to
  protect individuals from abuses of their rights.