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Here’s to commemorating 16 days of Activism against Gender Based Violence 🥂This year’s theme is “UNITE” invest to prevent violence against women and girls. The Gender Based Violence Act No.11 of 2011 defines Gender Based Violence to mean any physical,mental,social or economic abuse against a person because of that person’s gender. unlike general perceptions,that women are the only ones ,that can be victims of gender based violence,men can be victims too. What happens if you have been a victim of gender based violence. In the event that it’s physical one may proceed to a police station,collect a medical form and have a medical examination at a government hospital. Further one can make an application for a protection order under section 10 of the GBV Act No.11 of 2011,this order prevents the Respondent from carrying out any threat or act of GBV against the victim. The protection order has a life span of 12 months and can be extended subject to the court’s discretion.(section 18 of the Gender Based Violence Act No. 11 of 2011). National Legal Aid Clinic For Women is conducting free legal aid services in different locations,feel free to check their Facebook page,for a location near you for free legal consultation.

Advocate #MinahilAli captures 100 years of #womeninlaw in her article on the theme. We are happy to share it as part of #100YearsOfWomenInLaw celebrations and reflections. https://lnkd.in/dxtczgC7

  Rights and justice mean little if people have no access. As we start the 16 Days of Activism against gender-based violence, it is important to focus on practical measures that support victims and survivors to access justice. Legal services play a vital role in helping survivors to navigate laws and procedures and to be with them throughout the process of seeking their rights.   The enactment of the Yezidi Female Survivors’ Law provided reparations to those who have suffered from conflict-related sexual violence and other human rights violations. However, the process to apply for these reparations has become increasingly complex and bureaucratic, especially since the introduction of mandatory criminal complaints last year. Many survivors are left to navigate this process without legal assistance, which significantly hinders their access.   Many survivors are unable to afford private lawyers and few NGOs provide the full legal service that is needed.  This is preventing survivors from fully understanding and exercising their rights under the law.   During these 16 Days, I want to draw attention to the urgent need for donors and civil society to come together to fill this gap so that survivors have advocates going through the process with them, advising them of their rights and options, helping them gather the evidence they need, attending government interviews or going in their place, and covering the cost of transportation for impoverished. Also as more cases are rejected survivors need legal support to file appeals.   One year into the implementation of the Survivors’ Law and more than 1,000 survivors cases have been approved by the Committee which is commendable. We need to focus on the process and overcoming barriers to help more survivors to be successful.   Taboo LLC offers specialized technical consulting services designed to equip lawyers with the necessary skills for client-centered representation, focusing on the needs of survivors of human rights violations. Our training encompasses essential legal practices to engage with victims effectively and advocate for their rights successfully.   #16DaysOfActivism #Justice #LegalAid #HumanRights #Taboo

Advocate #MinahilAli captures 100 years of #womeninlaw in her article on the theme. We are happy to share it as part of #100YearsOfWomenInLaw celebrations and reflections. https://lnkd.in/dancjh_p

Recent changes in India's criminal justice system prioritize addressing crimes against women, children, and the nation. The BNS introduced a new chapter titled 'Offences Against Women and Children' ( Chapter 5) to address sexual offences. These offences were previously included in the chapter on 'Offences Affecting the Human Body' under the IPC. However, I came across a question - whether the new legal framework includes specific laws for men. We know that violence impacts everyone, regardless of gender. The new laws—the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Bhartiya Sakshya Aadhiniyam (BSA), and Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS)—do not specifically address men’s rights, but there is growing support for gender-neutral laws. The changes to some extent include making rape laws gender-neutral, preventing the misuse of dowry and domestic violence laws, and protecting men from domestic violence. These laws aim to prevent arbitrary arrests and ensure men have the right to legal representation and appeal. Despite these advancements, there are still specific provisions for crimes against women but none explicitly for men as I understand, highlighting the need for laws that protect everyone equally. Section 69 of the BNS is considered draconian among few others, which carries a penalty of up to 10 years in prison and a fine, along with the provision - 90 days of police custody. These are seen as harsh and emphasizes the need for balanced legal protections. Similarly, Section 85 of the BNS (formerly Section 498A of the IPC) is considered and highlights the necessity for balanced legal protections. #CriminalJusticeReform #GenderNeutralLaws #LegalRights #IndiaLaw #SocialJustice #LawReform #MenRights #LegalAdvocacy #EqualityInLaw #JusticeForAll #BNS #BSA #BNSS #IPC https://lnkd.in/gF5bnv9H

Legal services save lives. We can not stress this enough. Womens legal services provide an essential and highly specialised function for women who flee violence- we need them. 52,000 women are turned away every year- and they are the ones who know they CAN access a service. The NLAP is critical and requires commitment from all governments across the country as a matter of urgency. Women's Legal Service NSW Women's Legal Centre ACT & Region Women's Legal Service Queensland #savecommunitylegalcentres

👏 A step step forward. We at Spark Legal and Policy Consulting look forward in following the developments and fine-tuning of this law and how EU countries will implement and apply it! The new law covers: ❌ Actions to prevent rape and increase understanding of #consent ⚖ Forced marriage and #female genital mutilation considered #crimes 🤳 Disclosing #private information online without consent is prohibited, as is #“cyber-flashing” 🤝 Specialised assistance for victims

"DeSantis is hardly the only one targeting progressive prosecutors—a broad term that carries different meanings in different jurisdictions and frequently signals support for policies aimed at reducing mass incarceration. It’s not just happening in Florida. Georgia and Texas recently passed legislation that could lead to the removal of prosecutors seen as too easy on arrestees, while lawmakers in more than a dozen other states have introduced bills aimed at curbing prosecutors’ discretion. Critics of these initiatives, such as Mona Sahaf, director of the Vera Institute of Justice’s Reshaping Prosecution, say they threaten to undermine prosecutorial independence by effectively encouraging prosecutors to make decisions based on political considerations, instead of factors like the strength of the evidence or the wishes of the victims. “No prosecutor has ever charged every case that comes across their dockets,” Sahaf says. “We’re always making decisions based on individual case characteristics.” “Prosecutors need independence from the governor in order to seek justice,” adds Tina Luongo, chief attorney at the Legal Aid Society’s Criminal Defense Practice, and chair of the ABA Criminal Justice Section. Opponents also say it’s anti-democratic for a state official to remove an elected local official over policy disagreements. Laws enabling such removals override local residents’ ability “to determine what public safety should look like in their home communities,” says Josh Rosenthal, legal director at the Public Rights Project, which is challenging the new Georgia law.... Daniel Richman, a professor at Columbia Law School and a former federal prosecutor, said, "The politics of this are horrible.” “In a world in which, in many states, you have Republican governors and big city prosecutors who are Democrats, the risk—and it’s unavoidable and real—is that each side is going to be using their interaction for political gain.”... Whether the laws and suspensions targeting prosecutors over their policies are upheld could depend on how state courts interpret their constitutions." https://lnkd.in/gzHgSR3J

Sexual violence is shockingly prevalent in Australia. It is a gendered issue that has devastating and long-term impacts on those who experience it. Many victim-survivors choose not to report sexual violence for fear that they will not be believed, or that they will be forced to go through the criminal process.   A recent report by the Victorian Law Reform Commission showed that one in five women over the age of 15 has experienced sexual assault in their lifetime.  SMLS has been advocating and calling for change for many years. Earlier this year, along with the Federation of Community Legal Centres, we made 12 key recommendations in a joint submission for reform. This is our Director of Advocacy and Development Ashleigh Newnham with a copy of that submission prior to the Senate Inquiry on Australia's national consent laws. Our latest op-ed on our website covers the key areas of reform needed. It can be found here: www.smls.com.au/op-ed/ CLCs, like SMLS, play an important role in providing legal assistance to victim-survivors as part of an integrated response. We, and our partners, will continue to call for strong and consistent legislation to protect and support victim-survivors of sexual violence. Because things must change. As the Leader of the Australian Greens Senator Larissa Waters emphasised in a recent post on X, formerly Twitter;    “The adversarial nature of criminal law, courtroom design, and power dynamics within the legal system can mean survivors are traumatised even with a guilty verdict. We need to look at how to improve the whole system to deliver justice.”  We all deserve to be safe, equal and respected. Read more about the current global campaign #16DaysOfActivism against Gendered-Based Violence led by the United Nations. The campaign is calling to prevent and eliminate violence against women and girls. Find out how your organisation can get involved by following Respect Victoria. Please reach out to 1800 RESPECT for free and confidential help. Additionally, if you or anyone you know needs legal assistance, please contact your local community legal centre.  Op-ed graphic by: Tariq Khan