IMPUNITY AND "GENDER BASED CRIMES"
ECCHR EXPERT DISCUSSION WITH THE BERLIN ATTORNEY SILKE STUDZINSKY
On 12. May 2010
the ECCHR hosted a special talk with Berlin attorney Silke Studzinsky, who
reported on the arduous process of introducing the category "Gender Based Crimes"
at the Extraordinary Chambers of the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC).
Discussion began with an introduction from Anna v. Gall, ECCHR-Program Director for Gender and Human Rights, who explained the development of protection from sexual violence in International Criminal Law. The attorney Silke Studzinsky subsequently reported on her work representing victims at the ECCC, and her experiences as legal advisor at the Cambodian human rights organization ADHOV. In the discussion which followed, it was asked how far the practice of other international criminal courts has influenced the impunity enjoyed by those who commit gender based crimes, and the way in which such crimes are dealt with. Speakers discussed the next steps necessary to bring perpetrators to justice and to end the stigmatization of the female victims of gender based crimes.
Discussion began with an introduction from Anna v. Gall, ECCHR-Program Director for Gender and Human Rights, who explained the development of protection from sexual violence in International Criminal Law. The attorney Silke Studzinsky subsequently reported on her work representing victims at the ECCC, and her experiences as legal advisor at the Cambodian human rights organization ADHOV. In the discussion which followed, it was asked how far the practice of other international criminal courts has influenced the impunity enjoyed by those who commit gender based crimes, and the way in which such crimes are dealt with. Speakers discussed the next steps necessary to bring perpetrators to justice and to end the stigmatization of the female victims of gender based crimes.