Preventing and Addressing Sexual and Gender-Based Violence in Places of Deprivation of Liberty: Workshop for Monitoring Mechanisms
When
Where
Organized by
The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) will hold a workshop on 21 July 2021 to raise awareness about sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) in places of deprivation of liberty and explore how oversight mechanisms in the OSCE region can better integrate the issue into their regular monitoring, in particular using ODIHR's tools.
The interactive workshop will bring together experts on the topic and representatives of monitoring bodies including National Preventive Mechanisms, ombuds institutions and civil society organisations accredited to monitor criminal justice detention facilities.
Why is it important?
As much as it is a widespread reality, SGBV often remains a taboo for detainees and state authorities alike, being accepted as “collateral damage” of detention. SGBV may constitute torture, as confirmed by the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Torture, when it is carried out by, or at the instigation of, or with the consent or acquiescence of, public officials. Victims are in the majority of cases reluctant to report for fear of punishment and also because of the stigma attached to it.
Programme
The webinar will consist of:
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An introduction to understanding SGBV in places of deprivation of liberty;
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An interactive discussion with breakout session focussing on how oversight mechanisms can use new monitoring methodologies to address related challenges when examining SGBV.
The event will present available knowledge gathered to date by ODIHR on SGBV in detention and its manifestations in the OSCE region, while pointing to ways in which monitoring mechanisms can be part of the solution by providing effective responses.
Working language
Simultaneous interpretation between English and Russian will be provided.
Registration
This webinar is a closed event.
Background and further information
In August 2019, ODIHR released the first ever comprehensive resource at the international level on the issue of SGBV in detention. The publication tracks action by OSCE participating States while providing guidance to criminal justice practitioners, law- and policymakers, civil society and international organizations on the safeguards to effectively prevent such violence. On the basis of this resource, a methodological document was produced in January 2021 in the form of a step-by-step guidance note for monitoring bodies in view of their role in identifying risk factors, detecting misconduct and providing recommendations on how to tackle this form of violence.
The workshop is part of ODIHR’s project to strengthen the protection of persons deprived of liberty in the OSCE region.
If you would like to find out more about this event and ODIHR's work in this area, please contact Graziella Pavone, Human Rights Officer at Graziella.Pavone@odihr.pl.