Deliberation on Gender Based Violence:

strengthening global framework for prevention,

protection and justice

Reproductive health rights related problems

GSL
The absence of a singular, universally accepted definition of violence severely hampers
global efforts. It impedes consistent data collection and cross-national comparison,
making it difficult to accurately track prevalence and progress. This ambiguity also
creates legal loopholes and inconsistent accountability, ultimately hindering effective
prevention, protection, and justice for victims worldwide.

Lets look at often neglected form of Gender based Violence, forced sterilization of
ethnic communities in the countries. As Juan Méndez, the UN Special Rapporteur on
Torture, highlighted, intrusive medical treatments without free and informed consent
constitute torture or ill-treatment.

this violence is acutely exacerbated for intersectional groups; it overlaps with deeply
entrenched hatred towards patients from marginalized groups, such as persons with
disabilities, notwithstanding claims of good intentions or medical necessity.” like in
ECHR case of V.C. v. Slovakia where in woman of Roma ethnic group faced
uninformed sterilization which later on led to her divorce due to inability to rear a child
which led to violation of article 3 (inhuman treatment) and 8 (right to respect family and
pvt life) of European convention of human rights

Similar was found in many other nations African Commission on Human and Peoples’
Rights in its General Comment No. 4 (confirmed that forced sterilization is an act of
sexual or gender-based violence that may amount to torture or inhuman CEDAW
Committee has observed that State(s) violate article 10 (h) of CEDAW when they fail to
provide information and advice on family planning. In its General Recommendation No.
21 on equality in marriage and family relations,)

Here we recommend
●​ 1. Establish a UN Special Mandate on Bodily Autonomy and Reproductive
Integrity (SMRARI): We need a dedicated, independent UN expert to champion
reproductive rights, conduct rapid investigations, set a global standard for
informed consent, and gather best practices to combat forced sterilization
worldwide.
●​ 2. Mandate Reproductive Rights Impact Assessments (RRIAs) for Relevant
Policies: We must prevent harm before it occurs. RRIAs are mandatory reviews
for all major policies, ensuring they don't inadvertently undermine reproductive
rights, especially for vulnerable groups. It's about proactive protection, not just
reactive condemnation.
●​ 3. Implement Standardized International Human Rights Training for
Healthcare and Judicial Professionals: Education is key. This means mandatory,
accredited training for doctors and judges on the absolute prohibition of forced
sterilization, true informed consent, and combating bias against marginalized
communities. We must instill a deep, ethical respect for bodily autonomy at every
level of care and justice.

-000-
MOD 1 Deliberation on cultural and societal oppression of women with special
emphasis on sexual exploitation of women

Our agenda compels us to confront the insidious roots of cultural and societal
oppression that enable the sexual exploitation of women, a direct assault on their
fundamental human rights and bodily autonomy.

For too long, the narrative around women's health has been narrowly confined to
"maternal and child health," reducing women to their reproductive capacity and
neglecting the myriad health risks and the broader spectrum of their reproductive needs.
This focus, often driven by societal notions of childbirth as a conjugal duty, fragments
policy and reinforces a perilous societal autonomy over women's bodies. This systemic
denial of agency creates direct vulnerabilities to Violence,sexual exploitation,
denying women control over their sexuality, their health, and ultimately, their lives.
This is acutely exacerbated for intersectional groups – refugees, our disabled women,
especially those with cognitive impairments – who are often denied legal recognition and
basic protections.

International law is unequivocal. The Beijing Platform for Action asserts women's
absolute control over their bodies. Furthermore, as enshrined in human rights
instruments, "the human rights of women include their right to have control over and
decide freely and responsibly on matters related to their sexuality, including sexual
and reproductive health, free of coercion, discrimination and violence." Sexual
exploitation is a direct, brutal consequence of failing to uphold this principle.

Therefore, my delegation proposes two high-impact solutions:

1.​ Integrate a Comprehensive Primary Healthcare Approach for Sexual and

Reproductive Health (SRH): This means embedding a holistic, rights-based
SRH framework within universal health coverage, ensuring all women receive
integrated, high-quality services – from family planning to STI prevention and
maternal care – with robust monitoring for accountability.
2.​ Strengthen Capacities for Rights-Based SRH Service Delivery: This involves
rigorously training healthcare workforces, particularly midwives, and
establishing robust supply chains for SRH commodities. This ensures that
services are not just available, but delivered with the utmost respect for bodily
autonomy, preventing the conditions ripe for exploitation.
MOD 2 Deliberation on the loopholes in International Legal Frameworks
Addressing Gender-Based Violence

Our deliberation today on Gender-Based Violence compels us to scrutinize not merely the
prevalence of this atrocity, but the critical lacunae within the very normative architecture
of our international legal framework. While human rights law broadly prohibits violence,
its application to GBV often operates within a fragmented legal landscape, rather than a
cohesive lex specialis.

The primary loophole is not an absence of intent, but a failure of coherent codification.
GBV obligations are currently dispersed across various instruments – CEDAW, ICCPR,
CAT – leading to interpretative dissonance and challenges in establishing universal erga
omnes partes obligations for all manifestations of GBV. Furthermore, the persistent
practice of reservations to core non-derogable provisions within treaties like CEDAW
actively diminishes their effet utile, creating domestic legal vacuums that impede
effective prevention and redress. The reliance on the "due diligence" standard, while
vital, faces practical limitations, particularly concerning its vertical application to
private actors and its horizontal reach for extraterritorial offenses, leaving victims
without consistent avenues for State responsibility. This inherent normative
fragmentation and these interpretive ambiguities weaken the very framework intended
to ensure comprehensive prevention, protection, and justice.

Therefore, to rectify these systemic deficiencies and evolve towards a truly effective lex
ferenda, my delegation proposes one paramount solution:

1.​ We must pursue the elaboration and adoption of a new, legally binding,
comprehensive Optional Protocol to CEDAW specifically on Gender-Based
Violence. This Protocol would provide a unified and authoritative definitional
framework for GBV, solidify positive State Party obligations including explicit
due diligence mandates across both public and private spheres, establish robust
mechanisms for individual communications to a dedicated oversight body, and
mandate the harmonization of domestic penal codes to ensure direct
enforceability, thereby closing critical normative and implementation gaps within
the international human rights treaty system
MOD 3 Deliberation on Legal Responses to Online Harassment, Deepfakes, and
Revenge Porn in GBV Policy

Our agenda today demands an incisive examination of the legal responses to online
harassment, deepfakes, and revenge porn within the critical domain of Gender-Based
Violence. The digital realm has exposed a profound vulnerability in our international
legal architecture, not always due to an absence of law, but its inadequate
operationalization in cyberspace.

The fundamental loophole stems from the "technological neutrality fallacy." Our
existing human rights norms, while broad, struggle to provide concrete lex specialis for
these novel digital harms. This creates an "accountability vacuum", as traditional
notions of state due diligence prove insufficient to compel effective action from private
digital intermediaries. The blurred lines between public and private spheres online
complicate the application of state responsibility, leaving victims navigating an
inconsistent patchwork of protections. Furthermore, existing mutual legal assistance
(MLA) frameworks, designed for conventional crimes, are proving too slow and
unwieldy to address the rapid, transnational propagation of digital GBV, hindering swift
justice and content removal. This means our current harm thresholds often fail to
capture the severe psychological and reputational injury inflicted by non-consensual
intimate imagery and synthetic media.

Therefore, to strengthen our global framework without pursuing entirely new binding
instruments, my delegation proposes one paramount solution:

1.​ We must pursue the development and UN-endorsement of a comprehensive

Framework of Guiding Principles on State and Corporate Due Diligence for
Digital Gender-Based Violence. This authoritative soft law instrument would
clarify how existing human rights obligations extend to the digital sphere;
explicitly articulate the positive duties of states to regulate and compel action
from digital intermediaries; extend the UN Guiding Principles on Business and
Human Rights to specifically address tech companies' responsibility in
preventing online GBV; and outline enhanced, standardized protocols for
digital mutual legal assistance, ensuring rapid, cross-border evidence sharing and
perpetrator accountability. This re-calibrates our existing architecture to the unique
demands of digital justice.
JUSTIFICATION GSL

1.​ For the UN Special Mandate on Bodily Autonomy and Reproductive Integrity
(SMRARI):
○​ Initiation: This mandate would be established through a resolution of the
Human Rights Council, typically following a report from the Office of the
High Commissioner for Human Rights or a group of concerned Member
States.
○​ Appointment: The Special Rapporteur would be appointed by the
President of the Human Rights Council, based on recommendations and an
open call for nominations, ensuring independence and expertise.
○​ Funding: The SMRARI would be funded through the regular UN budget
allocated to human rights mechanisms, supplemented by voluntary
contributions from Member States eager to champion reproductive rights.
○​ Operationalization: The Special Rapporteur would then conduct country
visits with the consent of Member States, issue thematic reports, engage in
direct communication with governments regarding alleged violations, and
cooperate with civil society organizations. This is the established modus
operandi for all UN Special Procedures.
2.​ For Mandating Reproductive Rights Impact Assessments (RRIAs):
○​ Recommendation & Endorsement: This would initially be recommended
through a General Assembly resolution, specifically encouraging or
urging Member States to adopt RRIAs as standard practice for their
relevant national policies.
○​ Technical Guidance: UN agencies like UNFPA, WHO, and UN Women
would be tasked, through their own programmatic mandates and funding,
with developing detailed technical guidelines and methodologies for
conducting RRIAs. They would also offer capacity-building support to
Member States.
○​ National Integration: Implementation would ultimately be at the national
level, where Member States would legislate or policy-mandate RRIAs for
their relevant ministries (health, social welfare, planning). International
financial institutions and development partners, aligned with UN principles,
could also condition project funding on the inclusion of RRIAs, providing a
strong incentive.
3.​ For Standardized International Human Rights Training:
○​ Curriculum Development: The Office of the High Commissioner for
Human Rights (OHCHR), in collaboration with the WHO and
 international medical/judicial associations, would develop the standardized
training curriculum. This ensures a universally applicable and
expert-reviewed content.
○​ Promotion & Dissemination: This curriculum would be promoted through
resolutions from the Human Rights Council and the General Assembly,
calling upon Member States to adopt and integrate these modules into their
national university curricula for medical and legal schools, and into
continuing professional development for practitioners.
○​ Accreditation & Incentives: We could explore mechanisms for
international accreditation of programs that incorporate these trainings, or
even a system of recognition for healthcare and legal systems that
demonstrate robust adherence. For instance, international aid or
partnerships in health infrastructure could prioritize countries that
implement these training standards.

In essence, these are not top-down dictates, but rather frameworks for cooperation
and capacity-building. The UN provides the normative and technical guidance, Member
States commit to their implementation through domestic legislation and policy, and civil
society plays a crucial role in monitoring and advocating for adherence. It's a
collaborative path towards ensuring reproductive integrity as a global reality."

JUSTIFICATION OF MODERATED CAUCUS 1

Beijing Platform for Action (1995):

●​ Core Principle: The Beijing Platform for Action, a landmark global agenda
adopted by 189 governments, unequivocally recognizes that women's rights are
human rights. It explicitly calls for women to have control over their own
fertility and health, which is foundational to their overall empowerment.
●​ Specifics: While not a legally binding treaty, the Beijing Platform establishes a
powerful political and moral commitment. Its "critical areas of concern,"
particularly those on "Women and Health" and "Violence against Women,"
extensively detail the need for women to have autonomy over their bodies and to
 be free from violence, including sexual violence. It broadly champions the idea of
"women's control over their bodies" as integral to gender equality.

International Human Rights Instruments (General Context):

●​ Bodily Integrity: Fundamental human rights treaties, such as the Universal

Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), the International Covenant on Civil
and Political Rights (ICCPR), and the International Covenant on Economic,
Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), lay the groundwork for bodily integrity,
the right to life, freedom from torture or cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment,
and the right to health.
●​ Right to Health (ICESCR Article 12): This right is interpreted by the
Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR) to include
sexual and reproductive health. This means states have obligations to ensure
available, accessible, acceptable, and quality sexual and reproductive health
services and information.
●​ Right to Privacy (ICCPR Article 17): This implies the right to make
autonomous decisions about one's body and health without undue interference.

Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women

(CEDAW, 1979):

●​ "International Bill of Rights for Women": CEDAW is the most comprehensive

legally binding treaty on women's rights.
●​ Article 12: Requires States Parties to take all appropriate measures to eliminate
discrimination against women in the field of healthcare in order to ensure, on a
basis of equality of men and women, access to health care services, including
those related to family planning.
●​ Article 16: Guarantees women equal rights "to decide freely and responsibly on
the number and spacing of their children and to have access to the information,
education and means to enable them to exercise these rights."
●​ CEDAW Committee General Recommendations: The CEDAW Committee,
which monitors the implementation of CEDAW, has issued General
Recommendations (e.g., GR No. 24 on women and health, and GR No. 21 on
marriage and family relations) that explicitly link reproductive rights to human
rights and condemn practices like forced sterilization, forced abortion, and any
denial of healthcare access based on coercion or discrimination.
International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) Programme of
Action (Cairo, 1994):

●​ Definition of Reproductive Rights: This conference was pivotal in defining

reproductive health and rights. It states that reproductive rights "rest on the
recognition of the basic right of all couples and individuals to decide freely and
responsibly the number, spacing and timing of their children and to have the
information and means to do so, and the right to attain the highest standard of
sexual and reproductive health. It also includes their right to make decisions
concerning reproduction free of discrimination, coercion and violence." (This is
the direct source of the quoted phrase in your speech).

Connection to Sexual Exploitation:

●​ Violation of Bodily Autonomy: Sexual exploitation, in all its forms (e.g.,

trafficking, forced prostitution, sexual slavery, or any non-consensual sexual act),
fundamentally violates a person's bodily autonomy. When an individual cannot
"decide freely and responsibly on matters related to their sexuality, including
sexual and reproductive health, free of coercion, discrimination and violence,"
they are inherently vulnerable to exploitation.
●​ Lack of Agency: The principles of international human rights law are designed to
empower individuals to exercise agency over their bodies and lives. When cultural
norms, discriminatory policies, or societal pressures strip women of this agency,
they become susceptible to those who would exploit their bodies for gain or
control. Sexual exploitation is a direct manifestation of this power imbalance and
the absence of legally protected and practically guaranteed bodily autonomy.

JUSTIFICATION OF MOD 2

Concise Definitions and Justifications for Technical Terms

1.​ Lex Lata:

a.​ Def: The law as it currently exists.
 b.​ Justification: Our lex lata on GBV is fragmented, meaning current,
enacted law isn't coherent or comprehensive enough to fully address all
forms of violence, leaving gaps.
2.​ Fragmented Legal Landscape:
a.​ Def: Legal norms for an issue are scattered across many different treaties,
not unified in one.
b.​ Justification:JUSTIFICATION OF MOD 3
c.​ This scattering creates inconsistent definitions and responsibilities across
treaties, making it hard to apply a single, robust legal response to GBV.
3.​ Erga Omnes Partes Obligations:
a.​ Def: Duties owed by a State Party to all other State Parties of a specific
treaty.
b.​ Justification: A new Protocol on GBV would create these obligations,
allowing any State Party to hold another accountable for breaches,
significantly strengthening collective enforcement within the treaty
framework.
4.​ Proliferation of Reservations to CEDAW:
a.​ Def: The high number of instances where states opt out of specific treaty
provisions upon ratification.
b.​ Justification: These reservations legally dilute states' obligations to
eliminate discrimination vital for preventing GBV, creating domestic
loopholes where violence can persist unchecked.
5.​ Effet Utile:
a.​ Def: The principle that a treaty should be interpreted to have its full
practical effect and purpose.
b.​ Justification: Reservations diminish the effet utile of CEDAW, meaning
the treaty's intended impact on combating GBV is practically undermined,
despite its legal existence.
6.​ "Due Diligence" Standard:
a.​ Def: A state's obligation to take all reasonable measures to prevent,
investigate, punish, and provide redress for human rights violations, even
by private actors.
b.​ Justification: The loophole lies in its inconsistent or insufficient
implementation by states, especially concerning GBV in the private sphere,
leading to impunity.
7.​ Vertical Application (to Private Actors) & Horizontal Reach
(Extraterritoriality):
 a.​ Def: How international law applies to private individuals/entities (vertical)
and a state's obligations/jurisdiction outside its territory (horizontal).
b.​ Justification: Ambiguity in these applications creates loopholes: states
may fail to regulate or prosecute GBV between private citizens or crimes
committed by their nationals abroad.
8.​ Lex Ferenda:
a.​ Def: The law that ought to be; proposed future law.
b.​ Justification: Our proposed Optional Protocol is lex ferenda, recognizing
that the current law is insufficient and we must move towards a more
precise, dedicated legal instrument for GBV.
9.​ Normative Fragmentation & Implementation Deficits:
a.​ Def: Inconsistent legal standards (normative) and the gap between legal
obligations and actual state performance (implementation).
b.​ Justification: The fragmentation means no clear GBV standard; this leads
to implementation deficits as states lack precise guidance and
accountability, allowing GBV to persist.

Here are the ultra-short definitions and justifications:

1.​ UN Framework of Guiding Principles (on Digital GBV):

a.​ Def: A non-binding UN guide for states and companies, offering flexible,
quick guidance on addressing online GBV.
2.​ Authoritative Interpretation:
a.​ Def: An official, highly regarded explanation of how existing laws apply.
b.​ Justification: It clarifies how current human rights obligations extend to
the digital sphere without new treaties.
3.​ Soft Law:
a.​ Def: Non-binding instruments that guide behavior and policy.
b.​ Justification: It allows faster, more adaptable responses to evolving digital
harms than slow-moving treaties.
4.​ Digital Intermediaries:
a.​ Def: Online platforms and tech companies facilitating digital content.
b.​ Justification: The Framework places explicit responsibilities on them to
prevent online GBV, filling an accountability gap.
5.​ Due Diligence (in this context):
a.​ Def: Obligation for states and companies to prevent and respond to online
GBV.
b.​ Justification: The Framework specifies concrete actions required,
strengthening accountability for digital harms.
6.​ Harmonized Standards:
a.​ Def: Uniform rules and practices across different jurisdictions.
b.​ Justification: Ensures consistent global responses to online GBV, reducing
legal loopholes across borders.
7.​ Cross-border Cooperation:
a.​ Def: Collaboration between countries for legal and enforcement actions.
b.​ Justification: Crucial for tackling transnational online GBV, enabling
faster evidence sharing and prosecution across borders.
UNCSW - Country Profile & Position Binder: Iceland

Delegate:

I. Iceland's Foundational Commitment: Gender Equality as State Policy

●​ Global Benchmark: Consistently ranked #1 in the WEF Global Gender Gap

Index for over a decade.
●​ Core Principle: Gender equality is a constitutional and legislative imperative,
viewed as a prerequisite for national prosperity and human rights.
●​ Proactive Legislation: A history of pioneering laws against gender discrimination
and violence.

II. Domestic Legal Frameworks: Targeted Responses to Digital GBV

Iceland's legal architecture directly confronts emerging digital harms with specific,
modern provisions:

●​ General Penal Code (Act No. 19/1940) - Key Amendments (e.g., Act No.
79/2021):
○​ Art. 199a (Digital Sexual Violence): Explicitly criminalizes
non-consensual sharing of intimate images (NCII). Crucially, the 2021
amendments broadened this to cover creation and distribution of synthetic
media (deepfakes) depicting sexual acts or nudity without consent,
ensuring "future-proof" legislation against evolving digital manipulation.
○​ Art. 218b (Violence in Close Relationships): Expands definitions of
domestic violence to include psychological and economic violence,
directly relevant to online coercive control and harassment.
○​ Art. 232a (Stalking): Strengthened to encompass persistent online
harassment, acknowledging its digital dimension.
●​ Act on the Protection of Sexual Privacy (Separate Act - Complementary to
GPC amendments): A specialized law focusing solely on safeguarding individual
sexual privacy in the digital sphere, reinforcing autonomy over intimate digital
content.
●​ Act on Equal Status and Equal Rights of Women and Men (No. 10/2008,
amended by No. 150/2020): Provides the overarching framework. Mandates
gender mainstreaming across all policy and legislative development, ensuring
 GBV considerations are integrated from conception, including for new
technologies.

III. International Law Incorporation: A Proactive Dualist Approach

Iceland, operating under a dualist system, ensures international human rights obligations
are robustly translated into domestic law, often setting higher standards and creating
specific legal recourse.

●​ European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR):

○​ Direct Incorporation: Act No. 62/1994 directly incorporates the ECHR
into Icelandic law.
○​ Specific Relevance to Digital GBV: ECHR Article 8 (Right to Respect
for Private and Family Life) and Article 10 (Freedom of Expression) are
directly justiciable in Icelandic courts. This allows courts to directly
balance rights concerning privacy breaches (e.g., revenge porn, deepfakes)
and online harassment, providing immediate judicial recourse.
●​ Istanbul Convention (Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and
Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence):
○​ Ratification: Iceland ratified in 2018.
○​ Specific Transformation: Its principles and specific articles directly drove
amendments. GPC Art. 232a (Stalking) directly reflects Istanbul
Convention Art. 34. The provisions on digital sexual violence (GPC Art.
199a) are a clear domestic fulfillment of the Convention's broad mandate
against all forms of violence against women, ensuring explicit
criminalization of technologically facilitated abuse.
●​ CEDAW (Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination
Against Women):
○​ Systemic Influence: While not directly incorporated, CEDAW's principles
and the Committee's General Recommendation No. 35 (on GBV) form
the interpretive bedrock for the Act on Equal Status and Equal Rights of
Women and Men (No. 10/2008, amended by No. 150/2020). This ensures
gender mainstreaming in all legislative efforts, including digital harms,
making Icelandic law inherently gender-responsive.
IV. Unique & Effective National Measures

Iceland's approach includes pioneering steps beyond standard legislative reforms:

●​ "Future-Proofing" Legislation (Act No. 79/2021): The explicit inclusion of

"synthetic material" and anticipation of VR/AI in GPC Art. 199a demonstrates a
proactive legislative methodology designed to address technological advancements
before they fully manifest as widespread harms. This avoids legislative lag.
●​ Dedicated "Act on the Protection of Sexual Privacy": Creating a separate,
focused law emphasizes the gravity and distinct nature of digital sexual violations,
rather than merely treating them as extensions of traditional offenses.
●​ "Hotline 112" Electronic Portal for Violence: An easily accessible digital
platform for reporting violence, streamlining victim access to police and support
services, including for online harms.
●​ Inter-Ministerial Steering Committee on Digital GBV (2021): A high-level,
cross-governmental body tasked with developing holistic policy responses,
bridging the gap between legal reform and practical implementation.

V. Intersectionality in Law & Policy

Iceland recognizes that GBV disproportionately affects individuals based on multiple

intersecting identities, and its laws reflect this awareness:

●​ Act on Equal Status and Equal Rights of Women and Men (No. 10/2008,
amended by No. 150/2020):
○​ First-ever provision on multiple and intersecting forms of
discrimination: This 2020 amendment explicitly includes protection
against discrimination based on the combination of gender with other
characteristics (e.g., ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, gender
identity).
○​ Defense Point: "This explicit legal recognition means victims experiencing
online GBV not just due to their gender, but also for being a woman with a
disability, or a trans woman of color, receive enhanced legal protection and
that their unique vulnerabilities are addressed in policy and judicial
responses."
●​ Gender Autonomy Act (No. 80/2019):
 ○​ Grants individuals full autonomy to define their own gender, moving
beyond binary definitions. This directly impacts the legal recognition and
protection of transgender and non-binary individuals, who are
disproportionately targeted by online harassment and deepfakes.
○​ Defense Point: "By legally affirming gender autonomy, Iceland ensures its
GBV laws extend fully to protect transgender and non-binary individuals,
acknowledging their heightened risk to specific forms of online violence
and hate speech."
●​ Comprehensive Action Plan on LGBTI+ Rights (2022):
○​ Includes specific measures to combat violence and discrimination against
LGBTI+ persons, directly informing how online harassment and hate
speech targeting these communities are addressed under existing
anti-discrimination and criminal laws.

VI. Iceland's Leadership in International Efforts against Digital GBV

Iceland is not merely a recipient of international norms but an active shaper and a vocal
advocate, particularly regarding digital forms of violence.

●​ Co-Leadership in Generation Equality Forum (GEF) Action Coalition on

GBV:
○​ Iceland serves as a co-leader (alongside countries like the UK and
Uruguay) in the GEF's Action Coalition on Gender-Based Violence. This
platform mobilizes concrete commitments from states, civil society, and the
private sector to accelerate progress on ending GBV by 2026.
○​ Direct Relevance to Digital GBV: Within this coalition, Iceland specifically
advocates for strengthening global standards, laws, and programming on
Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence (TFGBV), aiming to
ensure women and girls enjoy freedom from violence and discrimination in
online spaces. This is a direct, high-level policy commitment.
●​ Active Engagement in The Global Partnership for Action on Gender-Based
Online Harassment and Abuse:
○​ Iceland is a participating country in this multi-stakeholder initiative that
brings together states to prioritize, understand, prevent, and address
TFGBV, including in the era of AI. This engagement underscores Iceland's
commitment to collective, evidence-based solutions.
 ○​ Specific Advocacy: Iceland has, through this platform, called for gender to
be an integral part of global AI governance discussions, urging states and
the digital technology sector to adopt "safety-by-design" principles and
recognize the gendered impact of AI on all women, girls, and LGBTQI+
persons.
●​ Pioneering "Gender-Responsive" Approach in Multilateral Fora:
○​ Iceland actively leverages its consistent top ranking in global gender
equality indices to advocate for a gender-lens on emerging digital policy
and technology discussions at the UN and other international bodies.
○​ Example: This includes pushing for the explicit consideration of TFGBV in
UN General Assembly resolutions on AI and digital technologies (e.g.,
A/RES/78/265 on AI and A/RES/78/213 on Human Rights in Digital
Technologies).
●​ Council of Europe - Specific Protocol Ratification:
○​ Beyond the Istanbul Convention, Iceland deposited its instrument of
ratification for the First Additional Protocol to the Convention on
Cybercrime (Budapest Convention), concerning xenophobic and racist
acts committed through computer systems (ratified January 2023). While
broader than GBV, this demonstrates Iceland's commitment to legally
countering harmful online content and hate speech which
disproportionately affects marginalized groups, including women.
●​ Strategic Capacity Building and Awareness:
○​ Through its development cooperation, Iceland provides support to
initiatives that build capacity in partner countries to address GBV, including
emerging digital forms, and supports awareness-raising campaigns at
international levels, often involving men and boys in gender equality
efforts.
 Solutions
1.​ Urges Member States to implement and actively enforce robust anti-corruption
laws and mechanisms, consistent with the UN Convention Against Corruption
(UNCAC) and in furtherance of SDG 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong
Institutions), to preclude the diversion of critical resources designated for GBV
services and to dismantle the systemic impunity that frequently shields
perpetrators of violence.
2.​ Calls upon the international community to establish a dedicated "Gender Parity
Monitoring Agency," robustly funded via the UN Women’s Fund for Gender
Equality, charged with collecting, independently evaluating, and publicly reporting
on nationally determined quotas for women's active participation and equal
representation across the labor market, health sector, and political leadership,
thereby operationalizing CEDAW (Articles 7, 8, 11) and accelerating progress
towards SDG 5.5.
3.​ Recommends Member States to formulate and codify through legislation specific,
adequate percentages to ensure equitable gender participation across their labor,
health, and political sectors, reflecting the principles of CEDAW (General
Recommendation No. 23 on Political and Public Life) and the Beijing Platform
for Action (Critical Area G) to foster genuinely inclusive leadership and policy
development.
4.​ Endorses and advocates for significant investment in the strategic utilization of
Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) to both expand
economic opportunities for women and to facilitate secure, accessible digital
spaces, thereby augmenting their financial independence and mitigating
vulnerability to economic forms of GBV, consistent with ICESCR (Article 6) and
SDG 5.b.
5.​ Encourages the active promotion of strong, diverse, and independent female
figures across mainstream and digital media, supporting initiatives that challenge
pervasive gender stereotypes and biases in media content, impacting societal
attitudes towards women’s health, economic, and political independence in
accordance with CEDAW (Article 5 on Modifying Social and Cultural
Patterns) and the Beijing Platform for Action (Critical Area J).
6.​ Suggests and calls for sustained funding for the development of innovative
community-based stigma reduction programs, drawing inspiration from models
like UNICEF's "Wise Up!", which leverage diverse media channels (e.g.,
television, radio, digital applications) to deliver informative content and facilitate
 dialogues aimed at dismantling culturally specific stigma associated with GBV
and supporting survivors, consistent with CEDAW (Article 5) and SDG 16.
7.​ Mandates that UN-Habitat’s Gender Policy Unit, in conjunction with other
relevant humanitarian and development agencies, prioritize and actively support
the training and deployment of women in leadership roles during natural disaster
responses, recognizing their critical contributions to mitigating GBV risks and
addressing the specific needs of vulnerable populations in crises, consistent with
UNSCR 1325 (Women, Peace and Security Agenda) and the Sendai
Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction.
8.​ Strongly recommends that all Member States develop and implement specific,
nationally determined and time-bound target goals for the political advancement of
women, adhering rigorously to the framework of the post-2015 SDGs
(particularly 5.5), with the explicit objective of achieving substantial results in
governmental representation by 2025, in fulfillment of CEDAW (Article 7) and
the Beijing Platform for Action.
9.​ Supports and calls for intensified efforts to systematically improve women’s full
and meaningful participation in decision-making processes at regional, national,
and international high-level debates that are pivotal to their economic and political
empowerment, in accordance with CEDAW (Article 8) and fundamental
principles of democratic governance enshrined in the UN Charter.
10.​ Calls upon Member States and development partners to utilize multilateral
programs, in partnership with entities such as UNDP, to provide robust training
and capacity-building for female political candidates, preparing them for electoral
processes, effective leadership, and governance, as a strategic measure to advance
CEDAW (Article 7) and SDG 5.5.
11.​Urges Member States to provide widespread, accessible, and inclusive voting
education to women, encompassing registration procedures, voter identification
requirements, and the profound importance of their active voice in government,
thereby affirming ICCPR (Article 25 on Participation in Public Affairs) and
CEDAW (Article 7).
12.​ Mandates the creation of a Gender Responsive Performance (GRP)
evaluation framework under the aegis of UNDP’s Gender Equality Seal
specifically for the health sector, with rigorous parameters assessing gender
sensitivity, anti-discrimination policies, and comprehensive records related to
violence against women, consistent with CEDAW (Article 12 on Health Care)
and SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being).
13.​ Encourages health sector institutions to prioritize the merit-based
incorporation of female candidates into leadership and operational teams through
fair, transparent, and gender-sensitive hiring practices that actively address
historical biases and promote diversity, in line with CEDAW (Article 10 on
Education, Article 11 on Employment) and ICESCR (Article 6 on the Right to
Work).
14.​ Requires strict implementation of robust checks and balances by National
Human Rights Institutions for any privatization of the education sector, ensuring
that such processes do not exacerbate existing inequalities or violate the
fundamental right to education, particularly for girls and vulnerable women,
consistent with ICESCR (Article 13) and the UN Guiding Principles on
Business and Human Rights (UNGPs).
15.​ Calls for the systematic utilization and expansion of humanitarian education
initiatives such as "No Lost Generation Strategies" and "Back to School
Campaigns" to ensure continued and safe access to education for girls and young
women, especially those displaced or in crisis settings, thereby mitigating their
vulnerability to GBV and fostering future opportunities, aligning with CRC
(Article 28) and SDG 4 (Quality Education).
16.​ Demands a fundamental reorientation of the United Nations Peacebuilding
Mandate to comprehensively address the escalating rates of violence against
women directly linked to conflicts and pandemics, explicitly integrating GBV
prevention, protection, and response as a central, non-negotiable tenet of all
peacebuilding efforts, consistent with UNSCR 1325 and subsequent Women,
Peace and Security Resolutions (e.g., 2106, 2532).
17.​ Urges the establishment of "Humanitarian Safe Haven Networks" – legally
codified safety zones, humanitarian corridors, and other forms of special
protection – for affected women and girls in conflict, encompassing Observation
Homes (OH) for protective stay/custody and Special Homes (SH) for mandatory
specialized care for those with disabilities or mental ailments, ensuring immediate
shelter, trauma-informed care, and family tracing in line with International
Humanitarian Law and UNSCR 2106 (Sexual Violence in Conflict).
18.​ Recommends that all forces involved in conflict or security operations adhere
strictly to human rights-compliant interrogation techniques, explicitly prohibiting
unacknowledged detentions of women, and mandating the presence of a Child
Welfare Officer or Women Welfare Officer at all times of interrogation to
safeguard their rights and prevent abuses, in accordance with the Convention
Against Torture (CAT) and ICCPR (Article 7, Article 9).
19.​ Calls upon Member States and international financial institutions to provide
necessary and sustained financial resources to assist national Governments in
meeting development targets and benchmarks agreed upon at major United
Nations summits and conferences, ensuring these funds are explicitly directed
towards GBV prevention, response, and comprehensive women's empowerment
initiatives, consistent with the Monterrey Consensus and SDG 17 (Partnerships
for the Goals).
20.​ Mandates the robust incorporation of Gender Analysis in Resource
Mobilization and Program Implementation for all health programs from their
very inception, requiring that proposals and fundraising efforts explicitly detail
how they address gender and ensure dedicated budget and staff for gender
integration activities, in line with CEDAW (Article 12) and SDG 3.
21.​ Supports the implementation of legislative and institutional frameworks
guaranteeing equal opportunities, equal pay, and safety and security for women in
the labor market, actively prohibiting discriminatory practices such as lower
pension ages for women and workplace harassment, as per CEDAW (Article 11)
and ICESCR (Article 7).
22.​ Advocates for governments to introduce a new legal preventative duty for
sexual harassment, shifting the burden from the victim to proactive institutional
responsibility, and widening its scope to explicitly include workers in the informal
sector, including migrant and female workers, consistent with CEDAW (General
Recommendation No. 19 on Violence Against Women) and ILO Convention
No. 190 (Violence and Harassment Convention).
23.​ Recommends amending sexual harassment jurisdiction to explicitly penalize
derogatory words or hate speech specifically targeted towards individuals based on
gender or sexual orientation, thereby preventing verbal sexual harassment faced by
the LGBTQ+ community and women, particularly in vulnerable sectors like
health, in line with ICCPR (Article 19, Article 20) and broader international
human rights law on non-discrimination.
24.​ Urges all Member States to adopt and fully implement Gender Responsive
Budgeting (GRB) into their annual budgeting mechanisms, as endorsed by the
Fourth United Nations World Conference on Women, to ensure equal and
appropriate resource allocation across all sectors, including health, fostering
equality and dedicated resources for GBV prevention and response.
25.​ Urges Member States to establish robust annual progress reporting
mechanisms on the incidence of violence against women, provision of services for
victims, and legislative and other measures taken to protect women, including
against harassment at the workplace, abuse in the family, and sexual violence, in
direct response to and in fulfillment of General Recommendation No. 19 on
violence against women by the CEDAW Committee, to enable comprehensive
comparative analysis of initial and required responses.
26.​ Recommends Member States to mandate the compulsory setup of
Interdependent Sexual Violence Advisors (ISVAs) and Sexual Assault Referral
Centers (SARCs), acknowledging their critical role in providing comprehensive
medical, forensic, and psychosocial support to survivors of sexual violence,
including victims of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), thereby upholding the
Right to Health (ICESCR Article 12) and advancing survivor-centered justice.
27.​ Calls upon the international community to provide increased human and
financial resources for the UN Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner
for Human Rights (UNHCHR) 24-hour hotline for reporting atrocities against
women, enhancing its operational capacity to receive and address urgent reports of
human rights violations effectively and promptly, consistent with the UN Human
Rights Council's mandates.
28.​ Encourages Member States to ensure active participation in a Uniformed
Gender Parity Strategy within national security and peacekeeping forces, and to
systematically integrate gender equality principles into elementary education
curricula, further advocating for UN-Women collaboration with COTLA as an
effective Africa Strategy to be globally adapted, thereby operationalizing UNSCR
1325 (Women, Peace and Security Agenda), SDG 4 (Quality Education), and
SDG 5 (Gender Equality).
29.​ Recommends the establishment of comprehensive national Referral
Mechanisms to address all forms of gender-based violence, encompassing
integrated access to legal education, psychological assistance, and police
assistance, ensuring coordinated multi-sectoral responses that uphold the principle
of State due diligence to prevent, investigate, and punish acts of violence against
women.
30.​ Emphasizes that state-level strategies for combating gender-based violence
must be collaboratively designed and implemented in robust partnership with all
components of the criminal justice system (including the police, judiciary, and
lawyers), the health care system, parliament and provincial legislative bodies,
 and the education sector, ensuring a comprehensive, rights-based, and
multi-disciplinary approach.
31.​ Underscores the imperative for inclusive engagement of international
stakeholders, including United Nations agencies, the World Bank, and regional
development banks, in all global and regional initiatives to combat gender-based
violence, ensuring coordinated resource mobilization, technical assistance, and
sharing of best practices consistent with SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).