CEDAW/C/61/D/24/2009 violence against women as a form of discrimination against women; to establish legal protection of women’s rights on an equal basis with men and to ensure, through competent tribunals and other public institutions, the effective protection of women against discrimination; to refrain from engaging in any act or practice of discrimination against women and to ensure that public authorities and institutions act in conformity with that obligation; to take all appropriate measure s to eliminate discrimination against women by any person, organization or enterprise; and to take all appropriate measures, including legislation, to modify or abolish existing laws, regulations, customs and practices that constitute discrimination against women. It also considers that the above-mentioned facts show a failure by the State party in its duty to take all appropriate measures to modify the social and cultural patterns of conduct of men and women, with a view to achieving the elimination of prejudices and customary and all other practices that are based on the idea of the inferiority or the superiority of either of the sexes or on stereotyped roles for men and women. 10. Acting under article 7 (3) of the Optional Protocol, and in the light of the above considerations, the Committee is of the view that the State party has failed to fulfil its obligations and has thereby violated the authors’ rights under articles 2 (b)-2 (f), in conjunction with articles 1 and 5 (a), of the Convention, as well as the Committee’s general recommendation No. 19. 11. The Committee makes the following recommendations to the State party: (a) Concerning the authors of the communication: provide adequate financial compensation to the authors commensurate with the gravity of the violations of their rights; (b) General: (i) Ensure that victims of domestic violence and their children are provided with prompt and adequate support, including shelter and psychological support; (ii) Intensify awareness-raising campaigns and introduce a zero-tolerance policy in respect of violence against women and, more specifically, domestic violence; (iii) Ratify the Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence; (iv) Provide mandatory training for judges, lawyers and law enforcement personnel, including prosecutors, on the application of the Prevention of Domestic Violence Act, including on the definition of domestic violence and on gender stereotypes, as well as appropriate training on the Convention, the Optional Protocol thereto and the Committee’s general recommendations, in particular general recommendation No. 19. 12. In accordance with article 7 (4) of the Optional Protocol, the State party shall give due consideration to the views of the Committee, together with its recommendations, and shall submit to the Committee, within six months, a written response, including information on any action taken in the light of the views and recommendations of the Committee. The State party is requested to have the Committee’s views and recommendations translated into Georgian, to publish them and to have them widely disseminated, in order to reach all sectors of society. 15-14358 19/19