Joint statement to the UN Human Rights Council on eliminating and preventing domestic violence against women and girls, June 2015

PRI and the Friends World Committee for Consultation (Quakers) made a joint statement at the 29^th Regular Session of the UN Human Rights Council. The statement notes the extremely high proportion of women deprived of their liberty who have suffered domestic violence, and says that this plays a significant role in the lives of women and pathways to prison. Furthermore, many criminal justice systems do not meet the complex needs of women who have experienced such violence, and sometimes do not protect women from further violence in prison.

The statement stresses the importance of implementing the UN Bangkok Rules, and asked the panel to address the following questions:

• How can national criminal justice systems take into account the impact of domestic violence on women who are accused or convicted of criminal offences?
• What can be done to improve the implementation of the UN Bangkok Rules, specifically to address the needs stemming from violence experienced by women prior to imprisonment?
• Can you provide good practice examples or steps being taken to address the impact of domestic violence on women in prison?