Holy See: Dismantle the barriers that prevent women from accessing justice

Ensuring access to justice for women and girls across the world means addressing fundamental issues such as poverty and discrimination, the Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See to the United Nations said in a statement for the 70th Commission on the Status of Women, taking place in New York from March 9 to 19.

“Ensuring access to justice for women and girls requires more than just formal legal protections,” the statement underlined. “It also involves addressing the root causes that put them at risk, prevent them from seeking justice and ultimately undermine their God-given human dignity.”

“Ensuring access to justice is vital for achieving a just society” and requires “a holistic approach involving the eradication of poverty, the combatting of discrimination and violence, the strengthening of institutions, and education,” the statement said.

The Permanent Mission of the Holy See to the UN emphasized the importance of recognizing and dismantling “the barriers that women and girls face, such as violence and discrimination” and called for “effective systems of accountability and a culture of responsibility” to prevent abuse and address violations.

The statement noted that “failure to tackle these issues also puts women and girls at risk of revictimization and exploitation,” especially when it comes to human trafficking. They explained that women and girls constitute the majority of trafficking victims and are often exploited for prostitution or forced into marriages, surrogacy or criminality.

The statement also insisted on the importance of respecting the rights of women and girls who have been accused of crimes, such as ensuring “fair trial guarantees, adequate legal representation,” “safe, hygienic, single-sex detention facilities,” and adequate care for mothers and pregnant women.