“Gender-based violence against women and girls continues to occur at an alarming rate around the world. It doesn`t stop at International Women`s Day. In recent decades, the international community has created important normative frameworks for gender equality and non-discrimination. First, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). Although violence against women has not been specifically mentioned in the Convention, the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women has clarified in its interpretation that violence against women is a violation of human rights and a serious form of discrimination against women prohibited by international law. International electoral standards form the basis of legal electoral frameworks. The right to full participation in a country`s political and electoral processes are fundamental human rights recognized in a wide range of international and regional legal instruments such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR, 1948)[i] and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR, 1966). [ii] (1) Direct incorporation of the rights recognized in the international instrument into what may be called a “Bill of Rights” in the national legal system. (3) Autonomous functioning of international legal instruments in the national legal order.
Law and legal frameworks provide the basis for building strong institutions and policies to help countries address their most pressing development challenges. These, in turn, contribute to changing norms and behaviours that promote progressive development outcomes, benefit women and men equally in all areas and improve society as a whole. But many challenges remain in all countries, with issues such as child marriage, female genital mutilation and domestic violence remaining prevalent as various forms of gender-based violence. How can countries improve their laws and policies to address these forms of gender-based violence? What exists and what remains to be done in all countries to improve the legal frameworks that would address these problems? In addition to the conventions, there are a number of global, regional and national policies that support and advocate meaningful youth participation in decision-making and make concrete proposals on how national, bilateral, regional and multilateral organizations can increase youth political participation. These have undoubtedly helped to bring youth issues to the forefront of government priorities and EMB attention. See Appendix: Chronology of International Youth Participation in Democracy and Peace, which provides further details on international and regional frameworks for promoting youth political participation. The United Nations Convention against Corruption is the only universal, legally binding instrument against corruption. The Convention`s ambitious approach and the binding nature of many of its provisions make it a unique instrument for developing a comprehensive response to a global problem. The Convention covers five main areas: preventive measures, criminalization and prosecution, international cooperation, asset recovery, technical assistance and exchange of information. The Convention covers many different forms of corruption, such as bribery, trading in influence, abuse of power and various acts of corruption in the private sector. While the international community recognizes the importance and increasing role of international law in promoting the rights of persons with disabilities, national legislation remains one of the most effective means of facilitating social change and improving the status of persons with disabilities.
Strengthening of the coordination of emergency humanitarian assistance of the United Nations (A/RES/46/182 and subsequent resolutions); that describe the role of the United Nations in coordinating the efforts of the international community to assist affected countries Together, these legal instruments raise standards of protection for women and girls. Its implementation is supported by independent international and regional monitoring mechanisms, which are brought together in the Platform of Independent Expert Mechanisms on the Elimination of Discrimination and Violence against Women (EDVAW Platform). Based on solid legal standards and taking into account the current epidemic of violence against women, especially in times of conflict, the EDVAW Platform calls on the international community, first and foremost States, to reaffirm the existing legal framework and redouble its efforts for its effective implementation, so as not to undermine the established rights that protect these frameworks. (2) Adoption of various legislative measures in civil, criminal and administrative law to implement the rights recognized in international instruments.