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.
STATEMENT OF THE INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LAW ORGANIZATION
33rd Session of the Human Rights Council: The Causes and Consequences of Violence Against Indigenous Women and Girls, Including Those with Disabilities
September 20, 2016
Geneva
‘No-one left behind is of course a very ambitious endeavor but it is absolutely essential if Agenda 2030 is to be transformative,’ stressed Irene Khan, Director General of the International Development Law Organization (IDLO) at the first meeting of the UN High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) s
In 100 countries worldwide, women are barred from doing certain work solely because they are women. Over 150 countries have laws that are discriminatory to women, and only 18 countries are free of such laws. In 32 countries, women cannot apply for passports in the same way as men.
While Tunisia has long served as a regional model of women’s rights, actual implementation of the Constitution’s provisions on women’s rights and the eradication of all forms of gender-based violence (GBV) remains a challenge.
In 1996, Lesley Ann Foster set up a women’s support centre in South Africa, where incidents of violence against women and girls remain one of the highest in the world, despite human rights laws passed by the government.
The Upper House of the Afghan National Assembly has recognized the work of IDLO legal trainer and adviser Gul Ghutai Afzalyar with an award for her efforts to reform and clarify the Legislation for the Elimination of Violence Against Women (LEVAW) in Afghanistan.
Rome – “The underlying issues that the poor face in the finance sector can teach us valuable lessons for the justice sector: in many places, the law serves only the people who can afford it,” said Professor Muhammad Yunus, who received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006 for his pioneering work on microcredit and women’s empowerment.
Representatives from government, civil society and the private sector gathered in New York at the United Nations to discuss the importance of promoting equal participation of women in international positions of authority to promote sustainable development.
In a briefing at IDLO’s Headquarters in Rome, Member Parties heard from staff working in Afghanistan about the progress being made there in combatting violence against women. Field staff discusse
STATEMENT OF THE INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LAW ORGANIZATION
60TH SESSION OF THE COMMISSION ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN
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