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

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WOMEN’S ACCESS TO JUSTICE FOR GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE 163
centres, shelters, hotlines, and medical, psychosocial and
counselling services”. 434
Shelters and women’s centres
Shelters are often associated with domestic violence but can be
places of refuge and support for other women who have been
subjected to, or are at risk of, other forms of violence.
The UN General Assembly has called on States to “establish,
fund and coordinate a sustainable network of accessible
facilities and services for emergency and temporary residential
accommodation, health services, including counselling and
psychological care, legal assistance and other basic needs for
women and their children who are victims of violence or who
are at risk of becoming victims of violence”. 435
Shelters should be available in sufficient numbers to serve all
women at risk. The United Nations has recommended that
there should be ”one shelter/refuge place for every 10,000
inhabitants, providing safe emergency accommodation,
qualified counselling and assistance in finding long-term
accommodation”. 436 Shelters should be accessible and
sufficiently staffed and funded to be able to reach out
proactively to victims. 437
In the case of A.T. v Hungary, the CEDAW Committee recalled
that failure to provide shelters is a breach of Article 2(a)(b) and
(c) of CEDAW. 438 In the same case, CEDAW found that shelters
434
Ibid, paragraph 16(b).
435
Updated Model Strategies and Practical Measures, above note 380,
paragraph 19(a).
436
UN Handbook for Legislation on Violence against Women, above
note 413, page 31.
437
Istanbul Convention, above note 378, Article 23.
438
In the case of A.T. V Hungary, CEDAW Communication No. 2/2003
(26 January 2005), the CEDAW Committee “[recalled] its concluding
comments from August 2002 on the State party’s combined fourth and
fifth periodic report, which state ‘... [T]he Committee is concerned
about the prevalence of violence against women and girls, including
domestic violence. It is particularly concerned that no specific