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

128 PRACTITIONERS GUIDE No. 12
visits, at least limiting them to supervised visits of
short duration… The authorities’ assessment of the
risk to the author and her daughter seems to have
been obscured by prejudice and stereotypes that
lead to questioning the credibility of women victims
of domestic violence.” 348
‣ Consistency with Article 5 can be achieved through
training of judiciaries and lawyers, and by ensuring
an on-going process to assess whether learning is
implemented in professional practices and working
life.
The CEDAW Committee has made the following
recommendations to address gender stereotypes in legal
systems relating to violence against women:
“(a) Take measures, including awareness-raising and
capacity-building for all actors of justice systems and for
law students to eliminate gender stereotyping and
incorporate a gender perspective in all aspects of the
justice system;
“(b) Include other professionals, in particular health
professionals and social workers, who can play an
important role in cases of violence against women and in
family matters, in these awareness raising and capacity
building programmes;
“(c) Ensure that capacity-building programmes address in
particular:
“(i) The issue of the credibility and weight given to
women’s voices, arguments and testimonies, as
parties and witnesses;
“(ii) The inflexible standards often developed by
348
Carreño v Spain, above note 252, paragraphs 3.9-3.10.