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

8 PRACTITIONERS GUIDE No. 12
broader consequences for the realization of human rights of
women.
This Practitioners Guide can be used to support a number of
initiatives to promote the rule of law:
Advising legal practitioners and other human rights
defenders (referred to in this Guide as “advocates”)
about relevant international human rights law and
standards that address the measures that States and
State officials are required to take in order to prevent,
provide remedies and reparation to victims of, and hold
accountable those responsible for acts of gender-based
violence. This will facilitate an assessment as to the
effectiveness of domestic law and practice through
enabling a comparison with international human rights
laws and standards.
Advising practitioners about existing good practice in
seeking protection for women who have been subjected
to gender-based violence, including through litigation
against impunity of perpetrators and to secure effective
remedies and reparation for victims. The advice draws
on the experience of expert lawyers who have sought
justice for women within their own countries and
through taking cases to international authorities.
Advising practitioners and other human rights
defenders, as well as legislators and policy makers,
about implementing international human rights law in
domestic law reform, using the transformative promise
of international human rights law as a complement to
individual casework. More systemic change can then be
sought through changes in law and practice.
Across the regions of the world, the experience of genderbased
violence and the reasons for its prevalence and
persistence are largely similar – a vicious mix of social attitudes
and laws that give women a subordinate, discriminated role in
society and permit impunity. Because of these common causes,