The Due Diligence Project engages with international treaty bodies of the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and the United Nations Special Procedures mandate holders on discrimination against women, violence against women, freedom of expression and cultural rights; regional implementing secretariats and mechanisms such as the Organisation of the Americas (Convention of Belem do Para) as well as Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) commissions on human rights (AICHR) and on women and children (ACWC).

Objectives of interventions are to deepen understanding and intensify the application of the due diligence principle in the adoption of global norms and standards on women’s human rights at the international and inter-governmental level; to enhance use and application of the due diligence principle at the international and inter-governmental level; to utilise the due diligence principle and the Due Diligence Framework as a lens through which to examine, influence, and participate in timely and critical discussions; to critically engage experts and stakeholders on timely issues in violence against women; and to channel the good practices and lessons learned from the national and regional level back to the international level so as to strength and better inform the evidenced programming and policy making made at that level.

Our work has been cited, inter alia, in reports issued by UN Women, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Organisation of the Americas and the Association of South East Asian Nations. These engagements include –

  • Convening and participating in several side events at the UN Commission on the Status of Women.

 

  • Support and collaboration with UN mandate holders focusing on their annual thematic foci including convening expert group meetings. The outcome of the engagements include incorporation of due diligence principle on State accountability in their work and reports; stronger evidence-based programming on women’s human rights at the international level which is more reflective of and responsive to realities on the ground; and increased references to due diligence principle in official documents which more comprehensively and holistically reflect the due diligence principle and a State’s obligation to prevent, protect, prosecute, punish and provide redress for women human rights abuse. These include Thematic Expert Meetings on – Online Violence in support of the UN Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women; Essentials of Good Practices:

 

  • Enhancing States Due Diligence Compliance and Accountability to Eliminate Discrimination and Violence against Women in support of UN Working Group on Discrimination against Women in Law and in Practice [active link];

 

  • Creating a violence free culture: Due Diligence and Effective Engagement with Community Leaders to End Violence and Discrimination against Women in support of UN Special Rapporteur in the Field of Cultural Rights [active link]

 

  • Briefing to the Convention on All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) treaty body experts. The Due Diligence Project directors delivered a lunch-time briefing to members of the CEDAW treaty body. Fifteen experts attended the lunch time briefing on the Framework and its utility as a tool to gauge State action in effectively discharging their international legal obligation to eliminate violence against women.

 

  • Organisation of the Americas Regional Dialogue: Good Practices to Eliminate Violence against Women, 26-27 July, 2016, Hidalgo, Mexico
    The Organization of American States, the Government of Mexico, UN Women and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights convened an inter-Americas dialogue consisting of over 1,000 participants from across Latin America. Due Diligence Project Director was invited as a panellist. Other panelists included UN Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women, representativies from UN Women, UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women, the Chair of the UN Working Group on Discrimination against Women in Law and in Practice and civil society organisations. The dialogue explored and discussed State practices, laws/policies and programmes on ending violence against women across the Americas and how to make these more effective. In this regard, the Due Diligence Framework can be critical tool for assessing States practices and closing the implementation gap between policy and practice.

 

  • Engagement with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Human Rights Mechanisms
    • ASEAN Inter-Governmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) briefing, 18 May 2017, Jakarta, Indonesia. The Due Diligence Project briefed the ASEAN Inter-Governmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) at its 24th meeting in Jakarta. The Due Diligence Project presented to the Commissioners the Due Diligence Framework on State Accountability to Eliminate Violence against Women and guiding principles, bearing in mind that many of principles could be adapted to apply to different violations of human rights. The Framework and principles were well received by most commissioners.
    • ASEAN Commission on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children briefing, 5 September 2017, Phuket, Thailand – The Due Diligence Project also briefed the ASEAN Commission on the Rights of Women and Children (ACWC) on the due diligence principle and the Due Diligence Framework on State Accountability to Eliminate Violence against Women.