Saturday, August 20, 2011

Girls' Guide

Yearly stats from the AIC verify women are more at risk from homicide in their home at the hand of someone they have been, or are in, a relationship with, than any of the vague notions in the mainstream media about independence creating risk, by going out, catching a cab, or the way women and girl's dress, etc etc ad nauseum.

The AHRC has brought out a guide to help women's complain ts be heard, when none of the authorites can or will do anything to help redress a wrong doing or prevent any more.  I know there will be some readers who will be interested in how these independent protection mechanisms can be utilized to better empower women, who typically aren't well cared for under the British Common Law system we have in Australian states.

The human rights violations the Discrimmination Commissioner mentions are of course much broader than solely issues stemming from the inept legislation and practices applied to the management of domestic violence, but that would be a common unaddressed issue for a lot of women and girls.

Australian Human Rights Commission Sex Discrimination Commissioner, Elizabeth Broderick, launched a guide to assist women who have experienced human rights violations, and been failed by processes in Australia, to use international complaint mechanisms to seek redress.

Mechanisms for advancing women’s human rights: A guide to using the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and other international complaint mechanisms, aims to help and encourage advocates, lawyers and women to use international complaint mechanisms when they are left with no other option,” said Commissioner Broderick.

Where domestic remedies have been exhausted, the Optional Protocol enables women in Australia to make a complaint to the United Nations committee responsible for monitoring Australia's compliance with its obligations under CEDAW.

The Commissioner pointed out one case in which a female assault victim in the Philipines complained that her case was dismissed in court due to gender and cultural stereotyping by a judge, and the discrimmination had been subsequently dealt with.'

“Women around the world have used the communication and inquiry procedures under the Optional Protocol to CEDAW to obtain redress for violations of their human rights, but so far no-one in Australia has done so.” 

Commissioner Broderick said, following adverse decisions by the CEDAW Committee, several countries had introduced laws regulating gender-based violence against women or had committed to effectively enforcing existing laws.

“Effects can be very significant - one country responded to a negative decision of the CEDAW Committee by introducing a national strategy on violence against women, building domestic violence shelters and establishing a telephone counselling service."

However for such international complaints mechanisms to be effective tools, women and those advocating on their behalf need to know they exist and understand how to use them, she said.
“It is important that women know how to seek redress for violations of their rights and can challenge gaps in our laws and policies."

The guide features a list of over 70 cases where other international mechanisms have been used by people in Australia to advance human rights.  It  builds on the CEDAW Toolkit, published by the AHRC and the Office for Women. Both can be downloaded from the Commission website at www.humanrights.gov.au/sex_discrimination/publications.html.  If you want a copy you can email publications@humanrights.gov.au.