Project profile — Combatting Discrimination and Violence Against Women and Girls in the Americas

• America, regional (100.00%)

• Human rights:
Human rights (15160) (25.00%)
Ending violence against women and girls (15180) (75.00%)

• Disability (not targeted)
• Climate Change Adaptation (not targeted)
• Trade development (not targeted)
• Children's issues (principal objective)
• Desertification (not targeted)
• Indigenous Issues (not targeted)
• Biodiversity (not targeted)
• Environmental sustainability (cross-cutting) (not targeted)
• Participatory development and good governance (significant objective)
• Climate change mitigation (not targeted)
• Gender equality (principal objective)
• ICT as a tool for development (not targeted)
• Youth Issues (principal objective)
• Urban issues (not targeted)

This project aims to: (1) provide access to justice for women and girls who have petitioned the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) to resolve violations of their rights; and (2) help member states of the IACHR meet their obligations to prevent, protect, investigate and act to correct the historical and structural discrimination, gender inequality and violence against women and girls in Latin America and the Caribbean. The project supports the IACHR in its work to address petitions, cases and requests of precautionary measures (rapid response in situations where there is an imminent risk of irreparable harm) related to discrimination and violence against women and girls. The project also supports IACHR member states in their efforts to meet regional standards (legal decisions and case law interpretations on state obligations to comply with commitments under the American Human Rights Convention and the Organization of American States Charter) and promote structural changes aimed at preventing violence against women and girls. Project activities include: (1) providing training for beneficiaries and stakeholders (public officials, women and girls); (2) holding public hearings with petitioners, victims and states; (3) organizing working meetings with stakeholders and members of the IACHR; and (4) providing states with guidance on applying IACHR recommendations and assisting states to incorporate them into domestic law.

The expected results for this project include: (1) increased compliance by member states with precautionary measures issued by the IACHR which protect the rights and security of women and girls against serious, imminent and irreparable harm; (2) increased compliance by member states with the decisions from individual cases processed by the IACHR regarding human rights of women and girls; and (3) increased compliance by member states of key IACHR recommendations on cases regarding the obligation to prevent, protect, investigate and act with due diligence to correct historical and structural discrimination as well as gender inequality and violence against women and girls.

Results achieved as of the end of the project (August 2021) include: (1) extended or granted 161 precautionary measures. These measures protected 78,000 people, including women and girls, Indigenous and LGBTQI+ communities, from serious imminent and irreparable harm; (2) 74 structural actions adopted by Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Nicaragua and Mexico to comply with precautionary measures and merit reports. These reports include legislation, public policies and institutional strengthening measures. For example, establishing special units within the justice system to combat discrimination, public officials training, changing training curricula to include gender-based violence and a budget increase to take action against it; and (3) adopted 18 public policies for the protection of women and girls during the COVID-19 pandemic. It includes measures on health, gender-based violence, socio-economic impacts of the pandemic, measures integrating gender perspectives and differentiated approaches in emergency containment policies.

• Proactive disclosure