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Justice for Women

In a world where billions of women and girls are not yet able to obtain justice, achieving gender equity and delivering justice for all by 2030 will require us to use justice systems to create opportunities for women and girls to participate fully in their societies and economies.

ethnic woman holding loudspeaker smiling at camera

Achieving justice for all requires a deep understanding of the most common justice problems that women and girls face, in addition to their experiences as they try to resolve them. Linking global advocacy and policy development to national action and local experiences is essential as we work to double down on justice for women. 

We are currently working on:

Building the movement: quarterly calls among those working for justice for women
Capturing the momentum of the High-Level Group on Justice for Women and the commitments made at the Generation Equality Forum, we host quarterly calls on Justice for Women. The discussions bring together people and organizations from across regions to inspire one another, share information, align efforts, create synergies, and form a powerful network to effect change.

A study on gender-sensitive justice financing
Pathfinders is supporting UN Women, IDLO, and the World Bank to produce a report that makes the case for financing justice for women. The study will examine the extent to which national budgets respond to women’s justice needs and the gender justice gap, using Uganda and Canada as case studies. UN Women is financing a broader literature review, which will explore public budget processes globally.

a black woman and white woman hold hands in the air
a womans hands at a podium

Building on the momentum of the High-Level Group report, Pathfinders joined forces with The Elders in 2021 to develop sample commitments and the following key messages on justice for women to shape the ‘Blueprints for Action by the Generation Equality Action Coalitions’:

  • Increase the number of women in the justice sector
  • Increase funding for legal empowerment and justice services for women
  • Provide people-centered justice services to survivors of gender-based violence
  • Invest in data and analysis on women’s justice problems and experiences
  • Reduce incarceration of women by increasing the use of alternatives sentences

women marching with signs for womens rights

The report of the High-Level Group on Justice for Women, published by the Pathfinders, UN Women, IDLO and the World Bank examines:

The justice gap for women and girls
What do women and girls need and want when they seek justice?

Making the case
What is the case for action and investment in access to justice for women and girls?

What works
What strategies, tools and approaches will increase access to justice for women and girls?

Call to action
What commitments should national and local actors make to close the justice gap for women and girls?

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