ICJ publishes guidance for laws to prevent and address online gender-based violence against women

Global
Issue: Digital Rights and AI, Women's Human Rights
Document Type: Advocacy | Toolkit
Date: 2023

The checklist aims to assist States to draft new laws or amend existing ones to prevent and address online gender-based violence (OGBV) against women in line with their legal obligations under international human rights law and standards.

As internet users, women and girls are disproportionately impacted by OGBV, which constitutes a violation of their human rights, including their right to live a life free from violence and discrimination, their right to privacy and their right to freedom of expression.

Laws that prohibit and criminalize forms of OGBV should be consistent with international human rights law and standards, including standards on women’s human rights. The checklist published by the ICJ is aimed at offering a clear and accessible guidance for States on what OGBV laws should provide to effectively prevent and address OGBV, addressing key issues of:

  • Definition and guiding principles;
  • Prosecution of and punishment for perpetrators of OGBV;
  • Legal protection and reparations for victims/survivors of OGBV;
  • Procedural rules relating to OGBV; and
  • Gender-sensitive implementation of OGBV laws.

The checklist can be downloaded here.

Contact

Daron Tan, ICJ Associate International Legal Adviser, e: [email protected]

Yogi Bratajaya, ICJ Legal Consultant, e: [email protected]

Translate »