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CEDAW COMMITTEE CONSIDERS GENERAL RECOMMENDATION ON WOMEN'S ACCESS TO JUSTICE

The CEDAW Committee also recommendations on any issue affecting women to which it believes the States parties should devote more attention.

http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cedaw/comments.htm

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http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cedaw/accesstojustice.htm

The UN CEDAW Committee is engaged in a process of elaborating a "General Recommendation on access to justice". The purpose of the general recommendation is to provide appropriate and authoritative guidance to States Parties on the measures to be adopted to ensure full compliance with their obligations to protect, respect and fulfil women’s human rights to access to justice.

• Article 2, and in particular:

• Article 2 (b) providing that States parties undertake to adopt appropriate legislative and other measures, including sanctions where appropriate, prohibiting all discrimination against women;
• Article 2 (c) providing that States parties undertake to establish legal protection of the rights of women on an equal basis with men and ensure through competent national tribunals and other public institutions the effective protection of women against any act of discrimination;

• Article 15 (1) providing that States Parties shall accord to women equality with men before the law; and
• Article 15 (2) providing that States parties shall accord to women in civil matters, a legal capacity identical to that of men and the same opportunities to exercise that capacity. In particular, they shall give women equal rights to conclude contracts and to administer property and shall treat them equally in all stages of procedure in courts and tribunals.

Organization Contributions to CEDAW Committee consideration of General Recommendation on Access to Justice:

http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cedaw/WrittenContributions2013.htm

Concept Note - 15 Pages:

http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cedaw/docs/Discussion2013/ConceptNoteAccessToJustice.pdf

This Concept Note refers to an event at the UN in Geneva to review the Committee consideration of a Special Recommendation on Women's Access to Justice. Though it may not be possible for many WUNRN readers outside Geneva to attend this event, the Concept Note contains important information on the background, process and evolution of a CEDAW COMMITTEE GENERAL RECOMMENDATION ON ACCESS TO JUSTICE.