Dec 5, 2013 | Events, News
The 4th ICJ Geneva Forum of Judges and Lawyers opened today. This year’s forum promotes the role of women in the judiciary, focusing particularly on women judges and lawyers from Africa and the Middle East.Scheduled on 5-6 December, it forms part of a broader ICJ initiative on women judges, lawyers and human rights defenders as agents of change.
The Forum is convened annually by the ICJ’s Centre for Independence of Judges and Lawyers, bringing together legal practitioners from around the world to help safeguard the independence and impartiality of the judiciary and the legal profession.
The 2013 edition of the Forum is supported by the République and Canton de Genève, Australian Aid, and PeaceNexus Foundation.
ICJGeneva Forum 2013-Final Agenda-event-2013 (download in pdf)
ICJGeneva Forum 2013-Participants list-event-2013 (download in pdf)
Picture: ICJ Commissioner Sanji Monageng (Botswana) will chair the session on stories from the frontline.
Dec 3, 2013 | Agendas, Events
The ICJ was at the Club de la Presse in Geneva for a roundtable ahead of the Fourth ICJ Geneva Forum of Judges and Lawyers. The event was live streamed.
Moderated by Leah Hoctor, Senior Legal Adviser at ICJ, the event was a unique opportunity to share the real life experiences of two African women, who have overcome the challenges of poverty and discrimination to become two of Africa’s most senior and admired judges.
Justice Yvonne Mokgoro (photo) was the first black woman judge in South Africa and a former justice of its post-apartheid Constitutional Court.
Justice Lilian Tibatemwa-Ekirikabinza is an academic leader in Uganda. She was the first Ugandan woman to qualify for an award of a Ph.D. in Law.
The Press Club event came ahead of the Fourth ICJ Geneva Forum of Judges and Lawyers on 5-6 December.
The Forum is convened annually by the ICJ’s Centre for Independence of Judges and Lawyers, bringing together legal practitioners from around the world to help safeguard the independence and impartiality of the judiciary and the legal profession.
This year’s forum promotes the role of women in the judiciary, focusing particularly on women judges and lawyers from Africa and the Middle East.
It forms part of a broader ICJ initiative on women judges, lawyers and human rights defenders as agents of change.
Watch the event here:
Nov 24, 2013 | News
Women judges and lawyers from across the Middle East and North Africa participated in the ICJ Colloquium on Women and the Judiciary in MENA on 22 and 23 November in Tunis.
The event brought together women of different generations from a range of countries including Bahrain, Egypt, Kuwait, Libya Morocco, Palestine and Tunisia.
They discussed the significant personal and professional challenges faced by women judges and lawyers in the region.
Sharing their personal testimonies and experiences, participants underscored the specific challenges which arise for women judges and lawyers in situations of transition, conflict and occupation or in contexts where women’s participation in the judiciary is not possible or subject to significant restrictions.
They identified recommendations for change and highlighted the need for increased cross-regional support networks and opportunities for dialogue and joint action.
The Colloquium marks the initial phase of an ICJ initiative to support women judges, lawyers and human rights defenders in the Middle East and North Africa as agents of change.
Nov 15, 2013 | News
The ICJ and Amnesty International urge the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to increase efforts to protect the rights of women and children.
ASEAN must act in light of the newly adopted Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women and Elimination of Violence against Children, which was recently adopted at the 23rd ASEAN Summit in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam, the rights groups said.
The Declaration states the commitment of all 10 ASEAN member states to further “prevent and protect [women and children] from and respond to all forms of violence, abuse and exploitation of women and children particularly for those who are in vulnerable situations”.
AI and ICJ welcome this commitment, which allows for no exceptions or discrimination, while expressing concern that no explicit mention was made of lesbian, bisexual, transgender and intersex women and children in the non-exhaustive list of those requiring particular protection from discrimination and violence that follows this general statement.
The Declaration details a wide array of measures that Member States should take, within “a holistic, multi-disciplinary approach”, in order to eliminate violence against women and children.
These include changes to legislation, policies and practices; training and education; investigation, prosecution, punishment and where appropriate rehabilitation of perpetrators; creating an enabling environment for the participation of women and children; and the development of strategies for the elimination of harmful practices.
AI and ICJ pointed out that the Declaration suffers from some serious deficiencies in substance, as well as in the process of its adoption.
In terms of process, most ASEAN Member states failed to meaningfully consult with national civil society in the elaboration of the Declaration.
Only Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam held consultations, which in some of these states were limited.
This problem was compounded once the ACWC had finalised its draft, as the discussions and approval processes thereafter were completely shrouded in secrecy.
This final draft was never circulated to women’s and children’s groups in the region, despite written requests from several civil society groups calling for its release.
This unacceptable lack of transparency violates international guidelines on consultation with civil society, the ICJ and AI stressed.
AI and ICJ also deplore the fact that the Declaration reaffirms the General Principles of the discredited ASEAN Human Rights Declaration (AHRD), some of which are wholly incompatible with international law and allow for impermissible restrictions on human rights.
The two organizations reiterate their call to revise the AHRD, particularly by repealing or substantially amending General Principles 6-8, so as to bring it into line with international human rights law and standards.
AI and the ICJ further underline that international law allows no justification for violence against women and children and requires States to comply with their obligations to prohibit, prevent, investigate, punish and ensure reparations for victims of such violence in all circumstances.
Nothing in the Declaration may be construed to circumvent ASEAN Member States’ obligation to eliminate “prejudices and customary and all other practices” as well as “harmful and discriminatory traditional practices” that amount to, result in or perpetuate violence against women and children.
In addition, a significant omission of the Declaration is the lack of a reference to economic barriers to protection, assistance and justice faced by women and children in situations of violence.
ASEAN Member States should ensure that financial means do not impede access to justice, particularly of those living in poverty.
The rights groups also highlighted that ACWC rejected the proposal from women and children groups to have two separate declarations.
Although both women and children share similar vulnerabilities necessitating for additional protection, there remains certain rights, approaches and differing needs that are specific to each groups that could only be adequately addressed by having two separate declarations.
AI and the ICJ stated that ASEAN’s determination to end violence against women and children will ultimately be measured only by effective implementation of the Declaration in a manner which complies with their international obligations.
The Declaration tasks the ACWC to promote the implementation of the Declaration and review its progress.
AI and the ICJ call on the ACWC to actively implement this mandate, and for ASEAN Member States to cooperate with the ACWC in fulfilling this role.
Oct 4, 2013 | Events
On 2 and 3 October 2013, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights held a workshop on business and gender with the Human Rights Council’s Working Group on Discrimination against Women.
The ICJ participated in the workshop, addressing some of the ways in which business actors may be involved in women’s rights abuses and how States may fail to discharge due diligence obligations in this context. The ICJ’s presentation had a particular focus on accountability and the right to redress, and also explained the relevance to those issues of States’ extraterritorial obligations in respect of economic, social and cultural rights.
ProgrammeAgenda-BusinessAndGenderWorkshop (download the programme agenda for the workshop)
