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

160 PRACTITIONERS GUIDE No. 12
The UN Secretary-General’s In-depth study on all forms of
violence against women noted a number of general principles
that indicate good practice in the provision of services to
women that have been subject to gender-based violence.
Those principles should:
Promote well-being, physical safety and economic
security of women;
Enable women to overcome the multiple consequences
of violence to rebuild their lives;
Ensure access to appropriate services;
Ensure that support options are available that take into
account the particular needs of women facing multiple
discrimination;
Ensure that service providers are skilled, gendersensitive,
have ongoing training and conduct their work
in accordance with clear guidelines, protocols and ethics
codes and, where possible, provide female staff;
Maintain confidentiality and privacy;
Cooperate and coordinate with all other service
providers for women subject to violence;
Monitor and evaluate services provided;
Reject ideologies that excuse or justify gender-based
violence or blame victims; and
Empower women to take control of their lives. 427
Taking into account the most recent understandings of what
works in service provision, the Maputo Protocol requires that
States parties provide “necessary support to victims of harmful
practices through basic services such as health services, legal
and judicial support, emotional and psychological counselling as
well as vocational training to make them self-supporting”. 428
427
“In-depth study on violence against women”, above note 379,
paragraph 321. See also Updated Model Strategies and Practical
Measures, above note 380, paragraph 19.
428
Maputo Protocol, above note 394, Article 5(c).