CEDAW/C/GC/33
victims through the prohibition of image capturing and broadcasting in cases
where doing so may violate the dignity, emotional condition and security of
girls and women;
(g) Protect women complainants, witnesses, defendants and prisoners
from threats, harassment and other forms of harm before, during and after
legal proceedings and provide the budgets, resources, guidelines and
monitoring and legislative frameworks necessary to ensure that protective
measures function effectively. 7
19. With regard to the provision of remedies, the Committee recommends that
States parties:
(a) Provide and enforce appropriate and timely remedies for
discrimination against women and ensure that women have access to all
available judicial and non-judicial remedies;
(b) Ensure that remedies are adequate, effective, promptly attributed,
holistic and proportional to the gravity of the harm suffered. Remedies should
include, as appropriate, restitution (reinstatement), compensation (whether
provided in the form of money, goods or services) and rehabilitation (medical
and psychological care and other social services). 8 Remedies for civil damages
and criminal sanctions should not be mutually exclusive;
(c) Take full account of the unremunerated domestic and caregiving
activities of women in assessments of damages for the purposes of determining
appropriate compensation for harm in all civil, criminal, administrative or
other proceedings;
(d) Create women-specific funds to ensure that women receive adequate
reparation in situations in which the individuals or entities responsible for
violating their human rights are unable or unwilling to provide such
reparation;
(e) In cases of sexual violence in conflict or post-conflict situations,
mandate institutional reforms, repeal discriminatory legislation and enact
legislation providing for adequate sanctions, in accordance with international
human rights standards, and determine reparation measures, in close
cooperation with women’s organizations and civil society, to help to overcome
the discrimination that preceded the conflict; 9
(f) Ensure that non-judicial remedies, such as public apologies, public
memorials and guarantees of non-repetition granted by truth, justice and
reconciliation commissions, are not used as substitutes for investigations and
prosecutions of perpetrators when human rights violations occur in conflict or
post-conflict contexts; reject amnesties for gender-based human rights
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International guidance and best practices in the protection of victims and their families from
intimidation, retaliation and repeat victimization should be followed. See, for example, article 56
of the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and
Domestic Violence.
See paragraph 32 of general recommendation No. 28 which indicates that “such remedies should
include different forms of reparation, such as monetary compensation, restitution, rehabilitation,
and reinstatement; measures of satisfaction, such as public apologies, public memorials and
guarantees of non-repetition; changes in relevant laws and practices; and bringing to justice the
perpetrators of violations of human rights of women”.
See the Nairobi Declaration on Women’s and Girls’ Right to a Remedy and Reparation.
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