Universal-Womens-accesss-to-justice-Publications-Practitioners-Guide-Series-2016-ENG

V
WOMEN’S ACCESS TO JUSTICE FOR GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE 121
As explained by the CEDAW Committee, the purpose of
temporary special measures is to: “accelerate the improvement
in the position of women to achieve their de facto or
substantive equality with men, and to effect the structural,
social and cultural changes necessary to correct past and
current forms and effects of discrimination against women, as
well as to provide them with compensation”. 329
Temporary special measures have an important role to play in
addressing violence against women. A diverse judiciary, legal
profession and police force are extremely important in
providing an appropriate and gender-competent service to
women. This is particularly important for the enforcement of
protection orders and the investigation, prosecution and
punishment of those who are guilty of committing acts of
violence against women. Other State and non-State actors
have an important role in providing medical and psychological
assistance to victims of crime, including gathering of medical
evidence in a way that preserves victims’ sense of dignity and
also providing social and practical assistance in seeking
accommodation, social services, benefits and the like. For
example, to ensure rights-based penal policies for women in
any form of detention, there must be sufficient numbers of
women officers.
States have an obligation to confront and remove barriers to
women’s participation as professionals within all bodies and
levels of judicial and quasi-judicial systems, 330 to ensure that
there are more women participating across all institutions that
to political, social, cultural or economic considerations within the
State.”
329
CEDAW General Recommendation No 25, “Temporary special
measures”, adopted by the CEDAW Committee during its thirtieth
session (2004), paragraph 15.
330
CEDAW General Recommendation No 33, above note 232,
paragraph 15(f).