UNODC workshops for judges on GBV

The Center for International Legal Cooperation (CILC), with the support of a grant from the Rijksdienst voor Ondernemend Nederland (RVO), embarked on a collaborative initiative with the United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC) to conduct workshops aimed at strengthening the capacities of Egyptian judges in addressing gender-based violence (GBV). These workshops were a significant step towards improving access to justice for women in Egypt.

The initiative was part of a broader strategy to align with the Netherlands Embassy’s objectives in Egypt, focusing on enhancing female participation in the judicial system and advancing women’s rights. The National Strategy for the Empowerment of Egyptian Women 2030, published in 2017, highlighted the increasing political will in Egypt to improve women’s safety and position in society. It provided a comprehensive framework that included interventions to eliminate sexual harassment, violence against women and girls (VAWG), and support services for marginalized female-headed households.

UNODC’s involvement in capacity building on GBV spans over six years, with prior efforts concentrated on training judges and police officers. The workshops built upon a national workshop held in February 2020, which identified challenges related to women’s access to justice. Building on the success of this workshop, UNODC expanded its focus to judges of First Instance courts, who handle a significant number of relevant cases.

The workshops had four main objectives:
• Enhancing the technical capacities of targeted judges by raising awareness of international requirements related to preventing and combating all forms of GBV.
• Identifying difficulties and gaps in current practices and proceedings before courts of first instance and discussing ways to address these challenges.
• Discussing legislative and institutional amendments based on the operational experiences of targeted judges.
• Formulating an integrated concept on legislative amendments to support the national authorities in drafting balanced laws that ensure women’s equity.

To achieve these objectives, CILC contracted three international experts to deliver presentations on GBV during each workshop’s second day. These experts shared their experiences in international protocols and mechanisms that protect women, stimulating discussions among participants and UNODC.

Upon completion of the nine workshops, UNODC will finalize a policy note containing recommendations for national-level changes to address GBV in Egypt. This note will be presented to the Minister for Justice and Human Rights. Currently, the policy note is with UNODC for translation and will be shared with CILC experts for feedback once available in English.