International Day of Women Judges

  On March 12th, starting at 9:00 AM EST/3:00 PM CET and WAT/ 5:00 PM EAT, the International Association of Women Judges, UNDP and UN Women will held an event entitled “ Women Judges Holding the Line ” by the International Association of Women judges (IAWJ) . The event will bring together women judges and gender equality experts to examine strategies for expanding women’s leadership in justice systems worldwide . The event will also explore how the Gender Justice Platform — the partnership framework between UNDP and UN Women — supports women’s leadership in justice through institutional reforms, regional judicial networks, and data-driven accountability mechanisms Register here!

 This report presents the outcomes of the evaluation of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) project funded by United Nations Development Account (UNDA) on Improving Access to Legal Aid for Women in Western Africa (1819U). It aims to ensure accountability towards the project stakeholders , equip them with learning, and inform decision making about possible future comparable initiative s.  PROJECT DESCRIPTION AND OBJECTIVES  The project aimed to improve women's access to Legal Aid services in Liberia, Senegal, and Sierra Leone through three components:  1. Legal aid normative framework (legislative, regulatory, policy, institutional);  2. Legal aid provision;  3. Empowerment of women to use legal aid.  The project was funded by UNDA, with a total budget of 619,000 USD. It was implemented by UNODC Justice Section, with UN Women as an implementing partne...

  Discriminatory justice systems deny women and their families protection, accountability and reparation—leading to impunity for perpetrators and a cyclical pattern of further violations. Justice is a right in itself as well as an enabler of all other rights. Yet many women and girls— particularly those who face multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination —experience the justice system not as a bastion for the vulnerable but rather as a preserve of a privileged few. The effective implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is not conceivable without access to justice . If the commitment of leaving no one behind is to be attained, justice services must reach the excluded. When women’s rights are protected through effective justice systems , pathways are created for inclusion, poverty reduction and sustainable peace. This Practitioner’s Toolkit on Women’s Access to Justice Programming harnesses experiences, lessons and promising practices to ensure non-di...