The brief has been developed under the ‘Enhancing Access to Justice for Women in Asia and the Pacific’ Regional Programme, jointly implemented by UN Women, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and the International Commission of Jurists, with generous support from the Government of Sweden.

This report is a summary of the technical dialogue between women with HIV/AIDS and about 100 experts and parties, such as donors and community members, about the multiple forms of gender-based violence (GBV) and the denial of human rights that women with HIV/AIDS and other women in Papua New Guinea (PNG) face. These women include those physically challenged or disabled, sex workers, lesbians, and transwomen.

This ‘Easy Read’ document highlights the key learnings and recommendations discussed during the joint event ‘Access to Justice for Women With Intellectual and Psychosocial Disabilities,’ led by UN Women in partnership with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the Irish Centre for Human Rights, University of Galway and the International Disability Alliance, during the World Justice Forum 2022.

This brief provides an overview of the Rights of Nature, how the global movement is being translated into regional action, and its connection with indigenous knowledge and systems of living in harmony with nature. 

This issue of the WA2J Quarterly Brief highlights the project initiatives from April - November 2021 under the joint UN Women, ICJ, and OHCHR project titled "Enhancing Women’s Access to Justice in the Asia Pacific: Bridging the gap between formal and informal systems through women’s empowerment." The aim of the joint project is to make justice accessible for women by strengthening the formal justice system and creating an enabling environment for justice seekers by working with civil society organizations, women human rights defenders, and community-based justice mechanisms as well as initiating regional, national and community dialogues. The project is generously supported by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency SIDA.

The Bangkok Rules commit states, including the Philippines, to reduce the incarceration of women, and if they are already in prison, protect their rights and uphold their dignity.

The use of digital technologies in the justice sector has gained considerable momentum against a background of global trends in accelerating technology advancement, combined with an urgency to transform processes in the justice chain amid improve limited access to courts during the COVID-19 pandemic. What does this mean for access to justice for women and gender equality in the justice system? Read more in this op-ed titled What are the digital dividends for women seeking e-Justice?

The programme Enhancing Access to Justice for Women in Asia and the Pacific: Bridging the gap between formal and informal systems through women’s empowerment aims to make justice accessible for women by strengthen the formal justice system and to create an enabling environment for justice seekers by working with CSOs, women human rights defenders, and community-based justice mechanisms.

This Resource Pack for Orientation of Justice Sector Stakeholders has been developed by UN Women Pakistan to orient justice sector officials in Pakistan for understanding the process of legal aid/ assistance/ advice, client handling, and management of cases of Gender-Based Violence for better dispensation of justice. It details pro-women laws and legislative provisions and serves as a reference guide that can be adapted to respond to the needs of each particular audience.

The alternative dispute resolution (ADR) landscape in Timor-Leste is a dynamic and important source of justice provision. In the context of a formal justice system, as yet unable to deal effectively with its caseload, the operation of ADR is largely positive, allowing community members to deal with conflicts quickly, restore balance to the community and avoid further pressure on the courts. This UN Women research examines...

As the formal justice system in Timor-Leste develops to meet the needs of the population, many disputes and conflicts continue to be resolved outside of the formal system, using alternative dispute resolution (ADR), such as customary justice, mediation or arbitration. The Ministry of Justice, recognizing the importance of ADR in accessing justice, is working on draft legislation related to informal justice processes and has received support from the Ministry of Justice in Japan. The Ministry...

This study provides new insights into how women perceive the justice system in Viet Nam and how the victims are treated. When the very actors tasked with facilitating access to criminal justice instead “counsel” and pressure victims to settle cases out of court, or treat them without regard for their dignity or privacy, it should come as no surprise that many women eventually give up on a system which is often unresponsive to their needs. When the criminal justice system...

GENDER ASSESSMENT OF VIET NAM’S HIV RESPONSE presents a situation analysis of the gender dimension of HIV epidemic in Viet Nam. It identifies opportunities, gaps and challenges in mainstreaming gender equality and empowerment of women in the national HIV response, and provides a set of recommendations for improved HIV policies and programmes...

This study, the first of its kind in the Asia-Pacific region, seeks to analyze how the varying criminal justice systems in Thailand and Viet Nam respond to reported cases of rape and sexual assault, and to identify the key institutional factors associated with the disposition of cases in these countries. In doing so, the study aims to understand where and how attrition of sexual violence cases occurs and identify strategic entry points for strengthening the administration of justice in this area. The research incorporated the mapping of the sexual violence legislation and legal processes in each country, a quantitative review of a minimum of 120 police and/or court case files ...

The primary purpose of this Guidance on Gender Responsive Budgeting (GRB) for the HIV response in Asia and the Pacific is to offer top management, national planners, and civil society organizations a resource on how to integrate gender equality into HIV policy and planning. The note is based on a paper prepared for UN Women on Applying GRB to the HIV Responses: A Case Study of Cambodia, Indonesia, and Thailand , and serves as a stand-alone framework for applying gender responsive budgeting to...

The Asia-Pacific region has witnessed progress in ending the HIV epidemic, with a decrease in AIDS-related deaths, increased access to treatment, higher domestic financing, and notable improvements in addressing stigma and discrimination. Yet, challenges related to ending the HIV epidemic persist with respect to gender relations and inequalities. An adequate response to the gender dimension of the HIV epidemic requires public policies that include and prioritize women’s equality, and that...

Part of UN Women’s Stories of Change series, this publication tells the story of Najiba and Lalbibi, two survivors of violence who sought help at a UN Women-funded Women’s Protection Centre, help that likely saved their lives.

Part of UN Women’s Stories of Change series, this publication tells the story of Zarmeena, a survivor of violence who sought help at a UN Women-funded Women’s Protection Centre. The support services, legal support and vocational training has helped her return to school and escape violence.

An overview of the level of violence that women and girls face in Afghanistan, including local context, statistics and recommendations for work that needs to take place to end such violence.

An introduction to UN Women’s Survivors Empowerment Journey programme, which takes a holistic approach to empowering women survivors of violence through survivor-centric protection services and economic empowerment, while also fostering an enabling environment for community-level prevention and legal reform.