International Day of Women Judges

  Are women any less corrupt than men?  Many would instinctively say “yes, probably”, even if they had not reflected on the issue before. When asked in public opinion surveys whether men or women are more corrupt, far greater numbers of respondents tend to pick men, though this varies across countries. When polled about policy preferences, those who prioritize a need for more ethical government are more likely to say they intend to vote for a female candidate.  What is the relationship between gender and corruption?  Research into links between gender and corruption began around the turn of the millennium with studies commissioned by the World Bank that reported correlations between the proportion of women in positions of power in different countries and anti-corruption measures in those countries. The preliminary conclusion seemed clear: with more women in power there was less corruption. Today, we recognize that gender aspects influence and shape cultures across th...

  Women are the fastest growing prison population across the world . As further outlined in this toolkit, poverty, discrimination, violence and punitive legal responses are some of the key underlying causes behind the increase in female imprisonment. The harmful and negative impact of imprisonment on women, their families and communities has been widely documented . Since the adoption of the United Nations Rules on the Treatment of Women Prisoners and Non-custodial Measures for Women Offenders ( The Bangkok Rules ), which complements the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules on Non-custodial Measures ( The Tokyo Rules ) and the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules on the Treatment of Prisoners ( The Nelson Mandela Rules ), there has been increased attention dedicated to the gender-responsive treatment of women in prison . This toolkit seeks to provide support and guidance on taking steps to ensure that women in contact with the law are not detained or imprisoned unnecessari...

  The UNODC sees  equality, non-discrimination and respect for women’s rights  as key components of a robust criminal justice framework guided by the core principles of the rule of law, due process and protection of human rights. The present publication has been developed with the conviction that an  effective criminal justice response to terrorism  must include a gender perspective, adopt an approach based on gender mainstreaming and human rights, and take account of the multifaceted and distinct ways that women and men are involved in, and impacted by, terrorist acts.  Women and men, girls and boys are among the victims of acts of terrorism , such as hostage-taking, explosives attacks in public places, or aeroplane hijacking. Terrorist groups, however, also specifically target women through acts of sexual and gender-based violence – such as rape, sexual slavery and forced marriage – as a means of achieving tactical, strategic and ideological aims. Many te...