PRI at the 33rd session of the UN Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice
The 33rd session of the UN Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (the ‘Crime Commission’) will be held in Vienna and online from 17 – 21 May 2021. The Crime Commission is the principal policymaking body that guides the UN in the field of crime prevention and criminal justice and takes action through resolutions and decisions.
PRI will be at the Crime Commission to raise key trends and emerging issues in prisons and criminal justice systems, including protecting the human rights of women in justice systems during armed conflict, the use of technology in delivering justice, abolition of extreme sentences like the death penalty, and decriminalisation of offences that are ineffective, and disproportionately impact people living in poverty.
Side event at the 33rd Session of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ)
Join us for our flagship event: “Justice-affected women”
Description
Justice-affected women in war: Case studies from Yemen, Sudan and Ukraine
Organiser: Penal Reform International
Supported by: Australia, the Czech Republic, the European Union, the Ministry of Justice of Finland, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and Switzerland, and the Alliance of NGOs on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, the International Legal Foundation, and Pathfinders for Peace, Just and Inclusive Societies.
Date and time: 2.10 – 3 p.m. on Thursday 16 May, Room MOE79, Vienna International Centre (VIC).
The event will be hybrid (in-person, with online streaming)
Context
According to the World Bank’s 2023 report, 17 countries were identified as conflict-affected, with an additional 20 suffering from high levels of institutional and social fragility. Notably, there are strong linkages between injustices and conflict. The Justice for All report notes that
“by driving exclusion and fuelling grievances, injustice increases the risk of political instability and, as in the Arab Spring, violent conflict”.
It also shows that “Fair and effective justice systems play a vital role in reducing the risk of violent conflict”.
Among these 37 fragile and conflict-affected states (FCS), there are around 602,705 individuals in pre-trial detention or serving sentences, with 14 of these countries experiencing prison occupancy levels exceeding 150%. Criminal justice systems in these settings are often overwhelmed, compromising the safety and rights of women, whether as suspects, defendants, detainees, or prisoners. These injustices weaken the trust between people and the state institutions, impacting the social contract and are likely to contribute to further conflict and fragility.
Despite being a minority within the overall prison population, women face significant obstacles in accessing gender-sensitive programs and services, hindered by conflict, inadequate facilities, and systemic legal failures.
This side event will explore the challenges faced by women in Yemen, Sudan, and Ukraine, highlighting the impact of armed conflict on their access to justice and treatment within the criminal justice system.
Key issues
Research indicates several critical issues in the prison systems of fragile and conflict-affected areas:
Infrastructure: Many prisons are in dire need of repair or rebuilding to meet minimum international standards, especially those designed without consideration for women’s specific needs.
Overcrowding: Exacerbated by conflict, overcrowding strains prison management and infrastructure, affecting the detainees’ access to basic needs and exposing them to heightened risks of violence and abuse.
Security: Prisons often become targets during conflicts, complicating the protection of detainees, particularly women.
Gender-based violence: Conflicts may intensify gender-based violence, with legal and social barriers hindering justice for survivors.
Legal system breakdown: Conflicts disrupt legal institutions, delaying trials and exacerbating detention issues.
Access to justice: Women face considerable challenges in accessing justice, further weakened by the erosion of trust in legal systems.
This event seeks to address these issues, emphasising the need for gender-sensitive legal reforms and international cooperation to support women in conflict-affected settings.
Program highlights
The event will feature discussions with experts from Sudan, Yemen, and Ukraine, sharing insights on the effects of war on women and the importance of legal empowerment, legal aid and police support in these contexts. The event aims to foster international solidarity and action towards improving access to justice for women in fragile and conflict-affected contexts.
Languages: English, with Arabic and French interpretation.
Target Audience: CCPCJ delegates, including member states, intergovernmental organisations, and civil society, with online streaming.
Proposed programme (subject to change)
Duration: 50 mins
Opening remarks (5 mins): Ambassador from one of sponsoring member states
Speakers (8 mins each):
Ms. Alia Saleh, Head of the Female Police Unit of the Yemeni Ministry of Interior and Head of the Female Police Academy, Yemen
Mr. Yasser Abu Zaid, Head of the Prison and Rehabilitation Department, Sudan
Judge, Ukraine, to be confirmed
Ms. Olivia Rope, Executive Director, Penal Reform International
Closing remarks from Member State supporters (5 x 2 mins each)
Moderator: Taghreed Jaber, Regional Director for Middle East North Africa, Penal Reform International
Contact person at PRI:
Jérôme Mangelinckx
Global Policy Manager
jmangelinckx@penalreform.org
www.penalreform.org