full version - World Organisation Against Torture

Violence Against Women: 10 Reports / Year 2003individuals and recognises that this violence can amount to torture whichis prohibited by article 7 in the Covenant. The paragraph reads:“To assess compliance with article 7 of the Covenant, aswell as with article 24, which mandates special protectionfor children, the Committee needs to be provided informationon national laws and practices with regard to domesticand other forms of violence against women, including rape.It also needs to know whether the State party gives access tosafe abortion to women who have become pregnant as aresult of rape. The States Parties should also provide theCommittee information on measures to prevent forced abortionor forced sterilisation. In States Parties where the practiceof genital mutilation exists, information on its extentand on measures to eliminate it should be provided. Theinformation provided by States parties on all these issuesshould include measures of protection, including legal remedies,for women whose rights under article 7 have been violated.”In light of the lack of information provided on violence against women inMali, this report will focus on the linkage between gender and violenceagainst women in Mali. The report places particular emphasis on domesticviolence, early and forced marriages, the dowry system, polygamy andfemale genital mutilation. The report ends with conclusions and recommendations.1.1 Mali’s International ObligationsMali became a member State of the United Nations on 28 September1960. Mali acceded the ICCPR on 16 July 1976 and to the First OptionalProtocol to the Covenant on 24 October 2001. It is not a State party to theSecond Optional Protocol to ICCPR aiming at the abolition of the deathpenalty.Mali acceded to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhumanor Degrading Treatment or Punishment (hereafter the Convention againstTorture) on 26 February 1999. Mali is also a State Party to other internationaland regional human rights instruments prohibiting torture, andother cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment directed against women.272