-26
access to reasonable accommodations when they are deprived of liberty.
2.2 Standards related to some vulnerable groups
2.2.1. Women prisoners
There are a number of documents focusing on the treatment of women
prisoners adopted by UN and CoE bodies. The most comprehensive of these
are the United Nations Rules for the Treatment of Women Prisoners and Noncustodial Measures for Women Offenders (the Bangkok Rules) adopted by
the UN General Assembly in December 2010.34 In addition, at the Council
of Europe level of specific importance are the CPT standards on women
deprived of their liberty in the 10th General Report of the Committee of
2000, as well as its factsheet on women in prison of 2018.35
The point of departure for treatment of women prisoners is ensuring
equality and non-discrimination, as well as accommodation of their
specific needs. Adaption of the prison regimes and the rules of allocation,
accommodation and activities to ensure equal treatment of men and women
in detention is specifically stressed in the 2018 CPT factsheet on women in
prison. In its 2016 opinion on prevention of torture and ill-treatment of
women deprived of their liberty, the UN Subcommittee on Prevention of
Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
(SPT) underlines the link between gender-based discrimination and
violence, which women experience at all stages of criminal procedure.36
The Bangkok Rules recognize the specific vulnerability of women due to
prevailing gender stereotypes and isolation.37 Because there are fewer
women prisoners, it is less likely that women will be accommodated in
proximity to their families.38 This, as well as the prevalence of gender
stereotypes, leads to faster break-up of their families and greater social
34. See: United Nations Rules for the Treatment of Women Prisoners and Non-custodial Measures for Women
Offenders with their Commentary, A/RES/65/229, 16 March 2011, available at: https://www.unodc.org/
documents/justice-and-prison-reform/Bangkok_Rules_ENG_22032015.pdfq, accessed 7 October
2020.
35. CPT, Women in prison, Factsheet, CPT/Inf(2018)5, January 2018, available at: https://rm.coe.int/168077ff14, accessed 7 October 2020.
36. SPT, Prevention of torture and ill-treatment of women deprived of their liberty, CAT/OP/27/1, 18 January
2016.
37. The Bangkok Rules, Commentary to rules 45-47.
38. SPT, Prevention of torture and ill-treatment of women deprived of their liberty, § 35.
Select target paragraph3
Connect to a paragraph
Connect to an entity
Disable highlights
Add to table of contents