Gender Equality

Gender inequality is an affront to human dignity, a challenge to the rule of law and an obstacle to development. Denying women of their rightful place in society – by depriving them of equal access to education, justice or livelihood – means robbing societies of the talent and potential of half of their members. In securing every social need from peace to food, the role of women has been shown to be paramount.

Although gender equality is increasingly a feature of national Constitutions, the law often continues to restrict women's rights and freedoms, dictates their submission to male relatives, or limits what they may own or inherit.

Strengthening the domestic violence response in Mongolia

Domestic violence in Mongolia is increasingly recognized as a significant problem. Law enforcement officials report that in 2016 domestic violence cases increased by 25 per cent in the first seven months of the year compared to the previous year. In response, the Government of Mongolia has begun to take legislative and policy steps to improve its response to the issue. While important steps continue to be taken, significant challenges remain.

Gender and the rule of law: Synergies between SDG 5 and 16

Rea Abada Chiongson, Senior Gender Adviser and Nupur Prakash, Gender and Law Associate

Interview with Afghanistan's Attorney General

H.E. Farid Hamidi is the Attorney General of Afghanistan. In November 2016, he spoke to IDLO as a special guest at the Assembly of Parties.

I was appointed as the Attorney General of Afghanistan in April of this year, 2016. Building the judicial capacity of Afghanistan is a dire need for implementation of justice and rule of law, as well as for ensuring human rights.

Agreement signed between IDLO and Honduras’ Ciudad Mujer

Languages: English, Español

Empowering rural women and local communities

IDLO works to empower rural women by enhancing legal knowledge and rights awareness, giving them tools to promote justice in their local communities, and promoting their professional participation in the justice sector. Many women living in rural communities are excluded from decision-making processes and unable to access formal justice structures.

Strengthening the rule of law, justice and security in Liberia

Over a decade has passed since the end of conflict in Liberia, but incidence of sexual and gender-based violence has not diminished. Numerous studies reveal an extremely high prevalence of sexual and gender-based violence. According to an IDLO study, in 2015 1396 cases were reported to the Montserrado five one-stop clinics alone. Among those cases, 267 were reported to the Women’s and Children’s Protection Section within the Liberia National Police, 119 received an indictment, while only 3 cases went through to trial.

Supporting Women Judges in the Southern and Eastern Mediterranean Region

Women in the Southern and Eastern Mediterranean region, including Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, and Tunisia, are significantly affected by considerable inequalities. Discriminatory legal frameworks and neutral laws enforced with underlying biases and stereotypes continue to hold women in the region back from fully participating in society. Crucially, this is also the case in political and other leadership and decision-making positions. Enhancing the contributions of women judges is particularly important as gender justice remains elusive in many aspects.

Advancing gender parity in international justice

“The rule of law is fundamentally about equality. We are all equal in the eyes of the law and entitled to equal protection,” remarked Director-General Irene Khan at the Opening Ceremony of the GQUAL Conference on 3 October. “The meaningful participation of women in international bodies is a right well-recognized in international documents, but a long way from realization.”

36th Session of the Human Rights Council: Annual Discussion on the Integration of a Gender Perspective

STATEMENT OF THE INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LAW ORGANIZATION

36th Session of the Human Rights Council: Annual Discussion on the Integration of a Gender Perspective throughout the Work of the Human Rights Council and that of its Mechanisms

September 15, 2017

Geneva, Switzerland

Key Initiatives

Evaluation of the project "DREAMS: HIV services for adolescent girls and young women"

As part of IDLO’s continuous commitment to accountability and results-based management, IDLO is pleased to share this Evaluation Brief for the project, "Integrating Legal Empowerment and Social Accountability for Quality HIV Health Services for Adolescent Girls and Young Women". The evaluation has been conducted by independent evaluation experts, supervised by IDLO’s Evaluation Unit. This exercise utilized a theory-driven, mixed-method approach, in line with the IDLO Evaluation Guidelines and OECD DAC standards.
Evaluation of the project "Support to Kenyan Constitutional Implementation Process with a Focus on Devolution and Gender Reforms"

As part of IDLO’s continuous commitment to accountability and results-based management, IDLO is pleased to share this Evaluation Brief (summarised evaluation report): “Thematic Evaluation of the International Development Law Organization's (IDLO) Support to the Kenyan Constitution Implementation Process with a Focus on Devol