There are some important issues that programme planners will want to consider as they design a justice reform programme focused on the informal sector:
- Addressing concerns about restorative justice and mediation
- Protecting women’s safety in all aspects of programme work
- Considering Minority and indigenous peoples’ rights
These programming considerations are also important issues in designing formal justice programmes.
Restorative justice practices and mediation are dangerous in cases of violence against women. Restorative practices can minimize the effect that violence has had in women’s lives, can perpetuate discrimination, and can compromise the safety of women and girls in favor of harmony within a social group. Mediation is predicated on the assumption that the parties have equal bargaining power, which often does not exist in cases of violence against women and girls. For more information see the Guiding Principles section.
Because many informal sector programmes contain elements of restorative justice or mediation, it is important to continually refer back to the concerns about these methods in cases of violence against women. These concerns should be specifically addressed in programme design.