Enhancing Access to Justice for Women in Asia and the Pacific

UN Women, the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) are jointly implementing a five-year programme, generously funded by the Government of Sweden, entitled Enhancing Access to Justice for Women in Asia and the Pacific: Bridging the gap between formal and informal systems through women’s empowerment. The project will be implemented at the regional level, with initially six countries of focus: Indonesia, Philippines, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Timor-Leste and the Pacific Island Countries. The project aims to enhance access to justice for women in formal and informal systems by ensuring laws and court decisions are consistent with international standards, including CEDAW; combatting gender discriminatory attitudes in the justice system; and empowering grassroots women’s organizations to better document, monitor and liaise with justice providers in their communities.