12th أغسطس 2020

Rape as a grave and systematic human rights violation and gender-based violence against women

On 27 May 2020, the UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences (UN SR VAW), Ms. Dubravka Šimonović and the Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights (OHCHR), in collaboration with Equality Now, co-organized a virtual Expert Group Meeting (EGM) on rape as a grave and systematic human rights violation and gender-based violence against women.

Download your file

Missing gravity form id.

Key recommendations

More than 30 experts participated in the meeting, including academics, gender equality and women’s rights activists, practitioners, UN and independent mechanisms experts, and civil society organisations from around the world.

Read the full report from the EGM, including information on the evolution of the international human rights framework on rape, international standards regarding its definition and prosecution, the challenges and gaps in criminal legislation worldwide on rape, and the implementation of that legislation.

The concept note and some of the presentations made are also available on the UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women’s website.

The deadline for submissions in response to the Special Rapporteur’s questionnaire on the criminalisation and prosecution of rape has been extended until 31 December 2020. Contact the Special Rapporteur on VAW via email with any specific questions on the process.

Explore more resources

1

2

3

Good practices on compensation for victims/survivors of sexual violence in South Asia

A regional analysis of compensation frameworks for survivors of sexual violence in six South Asian countries, with good practices and recommendations to strengthen access to justice.

Advocacy framework for withdrawing reservations to some provisions of the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa

A practical advocacy framework by the Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Women in Africa in collaboration with Equality Now and the SOAWR Coalition, raising awareness on and encouraging states to withdraw reservations to the Maputo Protocol and ensure full protection of women’s rights across Africa.

Exploring the interlinkages between child marriage and family laws in South Asia

Equality Now’s report examines how gaps in child marriage and family laws across Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and the Maldives expose girls to harm and require urgent legal reform.

Newsletter Sign-up

Make a donation

I want to donate