The UIA Women's Committee proclaimed the Charter of Fundamental Principles on Access to Justice for Women Victims of Violence on 8 March 2022, at the end of the seminar it organised jointly with the French Conseil national des Barreaux (CNB) on the occasion of International Women's Day.
The Charter states, among other things, that "Women victims of violence have the right to an unhindered and easy access to justice as well as to an effective remedy for the harm they have suffered. They are entitled to competent and highly qualified legal services and representation during judicial proceedings and to legal aid if they lack sufficient means. They must always be treated with respect of their dignity and their privacy and protected from repeated violence."
It calls on Bars and lawyers to play a fundamental role in particular "in accompanying and supporting women victims of violence who seek protection and legal assistance as well as in providing them an effective access to pro bono legal services and to legal aid."
If your Bar Association wishes to endorse the Charter of Fundamental Principles on Access to Justice for Women Victims of Violence, please inform the UIA through this link.