CSW Communications Procedure on Women Rights Violations – Note for CSW 2013

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https://wunrn.wpengine.com

 

https://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/csw/communications_procedure.html#where

 

Any
person or organization with a communication should write by 1 August 2012.

 

Any individual, non-governmental organization, group or
network may submit communications (complaints/appeals/petitions) to
the Commission on the Status of Women containing information relating to
alleged violations of human rights that affect the status of women in any
country in the world. The Commission on the Status of Women considers such
communications as part of its annual programme of work in order to identify
emerging trends and patterns of injustice and discriminatory practices against
women for purposes of policy formulation and development of strategies for the
promotion of gender equality.

 

The current communications procedure of the Commission on
the Status of Women has its roots in Economic and Social Council resolution 76 (V) of 5 August 1947,
as amended by the Council in resolution 304 I (XI) of 14 and 17 July 1950. The mandate of
the Commission on the Status of Women to consider communications has been
reaffirmed and the modalities of the procedure have been further modified by
the Council (see Council resolutions 1983/27 of 26 May 1983, 1992/19 of 30 July 1992, 1993/11 of 27 July 1993, 2009/16 of 28 July 2009 and decision 2002/235 of 24
July 2002).

What types of communications are sought?
What information
should be included in a communication?
The procedure
Examples of
categories of communications received and trends and patterns identified in
recent years
Where to submit
a communication to the Commission on the Status of Women

What types of
communications are sought?

Accurate
and detailed information relating to the promotion of women’s rights in
political, economic, civil, social and educational fields in any country
anywhere in the world.

What
information should be included in a communication?

It is
advisable that communications should:

• 
  Identify
  as far as possible the woman victim, or women victims

• 
  Indicate
  clearly where (the particular country/several countries) the alleged
  violation(s) or pattern of violations have occurred or are occurring

• Provide,
  when available, dates and circumstances of the alleged violations

• 
  Explain
  the context by providing relevant background information

• Provide,
  when available, copies of documentation

WEBSITE
INCLUDES PROCEDURE DIAGRAM.

Examples
of categories of communications received and trends and patterns identified in
recent years

• 
  Arbitrary
  arrests of women
  

• Deaths and
  torture of women in custody

• 
  Forced
  disappearances or abductions of women

• 
  Discriminatory
  application of punishments in law based on sex, including corporal and
  capital punishment
  

• 
  Violation
  of the rights of women human rights defenders to freedom of expression and
  assembly

• 
  Threats or
  pressure exerted on women not to complain or to withdraw complaints

• 
  Impunity
  for violations of the human rights of women

• 
  Stereotypical
  attitudes towards the role and responsibilities of women

• 
  Domestic
  violence

• 
  Forced
  marriage and marital rape
  

• 
  Virginity
  testing

• 
  Contemporary
  forms of slavery, including trafficking in women and girls

• 
  Sexual
  harassment of women in the workplace

• 
  Unfair
  employment practices based on sex, including unequal pay

• 
  Lack of
  due diligence by States to adequately investigate, prosecute and punish
  perpetrators of violence against women

• 
  Discrimination
  against women under immigration and nationality laws

• 
  Violations
  of the rights of women to own and inherit property

• 
  Discrimination
  against women in accessing international humanitarian aid

• Forcible
  evictions of women in conflict situations

All claims must be submitted in writing and signed by e-mail, fax, or regular mail. However, the author’s identity is not made known to the Government(s) concerned unless she/he agrees to the disclosure.

Please note that the Commission on the Status of
Women does not take decisions on the merit of communications that are submitted
to it and, therefore, the communications procedure does not provide an avenue
for the redress of individual grievances.

Where to submit a
communication to the Commission on the Status of Women

Any person or organization with a communication
should write by 1 August 2012 to:

CSW Communications Procedure
Human Rights Section
UN Women
220 East 42nd Street, 17th floor,New York, NY10017 USA or

Send an e-mail message to: cp-csw@unwomen.org