International Treaties and Instruments
These international statements of law and principle provide a foundation for the right to be free from dowry-related violence.
- The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1948, states that “Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person” in Article 3. In Article 7, it states that “All are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to equal protection of the law.” In Article 8, it declares that “Everyone has the right to an effective remedy by the competent national tribunals for acts violating the fundamental rights granted him by the constitution or by law.”
- The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1966) prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex, and mandates states parties to “…ensure that any person whose rights or freedoms as herein recognized are violated shall have an effective remedy.” (Article 2)
- The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (1976) declares that states parties must “…ensure the equal right of men and women to the enjoyment of all economic, social and cultural rights set forth [therein].” (Article 3)
- The Convention of the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), 1979, defines discrimination against women as:
"...any distinction, exclusion or restriction made on the basis of sex which has the effect or purpose of impairing or nullifying the recognition, enjoyment or exercise by women, irrespective of their marital status, on a basis of equality of men and women, of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural, civil or any other field." (Article 1)
State parties to CEDAW must eliminate this discrimination by adopting “…appropriate legislative and other measures, including sanctions where appropriate…” and must agree “To establish legal protection of the rights of women on an equal basis with men and to ensure through competent national tribunals and other public institutions the effective protection of women against any act of discrimination…” (Article 2). In addition, states are obligated to take appropriate measures to modify social and cultural patterns that discriminate against women, including customary and other practices “which are based on the idea of the inferiority or the superiority of either of the sexes or on stereotyped roles for men and women” (Article 5(a)).
- In General Recommendation 19, 1992, the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women interpreted the term “discrimination” used in CEDAW to include gender-based violence by stating that it is
“…violence that is directed against a woman because she is a woman or that affects women disproportionately. It includes acts that inflict physical, mental or sexual harm or suffering, threats of such acts, coercion and other deprivations of liberty. Gender-based violence may breach specific provisions of the Convention, regardless of whether those provisions expressly mention violence.” (Article 6)
- It also rejects customary or religious justifications for domestic violence:
“Traditional attitudes by which women are regarded as subordinate to men or as having stereotyped roles perpetuate widespread practices involving violence or coercion, such as family violence and abuse, forced marriage, dowry deaths, acid attacks and female circumcision. Such prejudices and practices may justify gender-based violence as a form of protection or control of women. The effect of such violence on the physical and mental integrity of women is to deprive them the equal enjoyment, exercise and knowledge of human rights and fundamental freedoms.” (Article 11) - Finally, the Committee recommends that “States parties should ensure that laws against family violence and abuse, rape, sexual assault and other gender-based violence give adequate protection to all women and respect their integrity and dignity…” 24(b)
- It also rejects customary or religious justifications for domestic violence:
- The United Nations Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women, (DEVAW) 1993, recognizes dowry-related violence as a form of violence against women (Art. 2(a)). It also acknowledges that the root cause of violence against women is the subordinate status of women in society by stating that:
“…violence against women is a manifestation of historically unequal power relations between men and women, which have led to domination over and discrimination against women by men and to the prevention of the full advancement of women, and that violence against women is one of the crucial social mechanisms by which women are forced into a subordinate position compared with men…” Preamble.
DEVAW calls on states to “condemn violence against women” and notes that states “should not invoke any custom, tradition or religious consideration to avoid their obligations with respect to [the elimination of violence against women]” (Art. 4).
- The Beijing Platform for Action from the United Nations 1995 Fourth World Conference on Women calls upon states to “[t]ake urgent action to combat and eliminate violence against women, which is a human rights violation, resulting from harmful traditional or customary practices, cultural prejudices and extremism” (¶ 232(g)).
Regional Treaties
- The American Declaration of the Rights and Duties of Man (1948) states that:
“The American peoples have acknowledged the dignity of the individual, and their national constitutions recognize that juridical and political institutions, which regulate life in human society, have as their principal aim the protection of the essential rights of man and the creation of circumstances that will permit him to achieve spiritual and material progress and attain happiness…” Preamble
It declares that “Every human being has the right to life, liberty and the security of his person.” Article I. In Article V, it states that “Every person has the right to the protection of the law against abusive attacks upon his honor, his reputation, and his private and family life.” The Declaration also states that “Every person may resort to the courts to ensure respect for his legal rights.” Article XVIII.
- The Inter-American Convention on the Prevention, Punishment and Eradication of Violence Against Women (1994) (Convention of Belém do Para) states that women have “the right to be free from violence in both public and private spheres.” Article 3 It declares that a woman has “The right to simple and prompt recourse to a competent court for protection against acts that violate her rights…”Article 4 (g) States parties must exercise due diligence to prosecute, punish and prevent such violence, and “…include in their domestic legislation penal, civil, administrative and any other type of provisions that may be needed to prevent, punish and eradicate violence against women and to adopt appropriate administrative measures where necessary…” Article 7
- The Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa (2003) (The Maputo Protocol) mandates states parties to “…adopt such other legislative, administrative, social and economic measures as may be necessary to ensure the prevention, punishment and eradication of all forms of violence against women.” Article 4. (Article 4). Article 5 of the Protocol calls for States Parties to take all necessary and legislative measures to eliminate harmful traditional practices, including through public awareness initiatives, legal prohibitions and sanctions against such practices, support to victims, and protection of women at-risk for harmful traditional practices.
- The Declaration on the Elimination of Violence Against Women in the ASEAN Region, (2004), includes this agreement by states parties:
“To enact and, where necessary, reinforce or amend domestic legislation to prevent violence against women, to enhance the protection, healing, recovery and reintegration of victims/survivors, including measures to investigate, prosecute, punish and where appropriate rehabilitate perpetrators, and prevent re-victimisation of women and girls subjected to any form of violence, whether in the home, the workplace, the community or society or in custody…” Section 4.
- The Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (the Istanbul Convention) is the first legally-binding instrument in Europe on violence against women and domestic violence. It obliges states to reform laws, implement practical measures to aid victims, and, importantly, allocate adequate resources for an effective response to violence against women and domestic violence. In addition states must involve all relevant actors in the implementation of the Istanbul Convention, including national parliaments and institutions and non-governmental and civil society organizations. The Convention will enter into force once ten countries have ratified it. Eight of the ten ratifying countries must be Council of Europe member states. An ongoing list of signatures and ratifications can be found here. The Convention is available here in 28 languages.
- The European Parliament’s resolution of 5 April 2011 on priorities and outline of a new EU policy framework to fight violence against women (2010/2209(INI)) urges European Union member states to “reject any reference to cultural, traditional or religious practices as a mitigating factor in cases of violence against women.” (¶ 3).
Specific Legislation on Dowry-related Violence
Dowry-related violence may be addressed in the constitutions of states, in criminal codes, civil codes, in administrative provisions, in gender equality provisions and many other contexts. Lawmakers are encouraged to provide protection against dowry-related violence within domestic violence civil and criminal laws that take into account the dynamics of dowry-related violence, including the scope of possible perpetrators, the repeat, low-level injuries, murders disguised as accidents or suicides, the connection between harassment/violence and dowry demands, the explicit or implicit nature of dowry demands, and the need for urgent protective remedies.