Contents
1. Overview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1.1 Why gender?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1.2 Why now?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
1.3 Audiences for this Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
1.4 Outline of this Tool. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
1.5 How to use this Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
2. Why are promoting gender equality and integrating a gender perspective important in places of
deprivation of liberty?.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
2.1 Current populations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
2.2 Gendered pathways to crime and recidivism. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
2.3 Gender mainstreaming and integrating a gender perspective.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
2.4 Sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
2.5 Intersectionality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
2.6 Gender and the aims of places of deprivation of liberty.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
2.7 Positive contributions of a gender-responsive approach beyond places of deprivation of liberty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
3. What would places of deprivation of liberty that advance gender equality and integrate a gender
perspective look like?.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
3.1 United acknowledgement that gender makes a difference.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
3.2 Positive institutional environments based on safety, respect and dignity are actively promoted . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
3.3 A gender perspective is integrated at all levels and in all available training opportunities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
3.4 People are categorized appropriately and accommodated in safe locations.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
3.5 Policies, practices and programmes promote healthy connections to children, family members, significant others
and the community. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
3.6 Comprehensive, integrated and culturally relevant physical and mental healthcare is offered. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
3.7 Equality of opportunity to improve socio-economic status is achieved via gender-responsive strategies. . . . . . . . . . . . 23
3.8 A system of comprehensive and collaborative community services and oversight is in place . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
3.9 A gender perspective is integrated into oversight and evaluation through regular and representative internal
and external inspections. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Image: Goma, Democratic Republic of the Congo: The United Nations Joint Human Rights Office, UN Women and NGO members of the North Kivu Gender Thematic
Group, during a “Day of Solidarity” with women detained at the Goma Central Prison and children guarded at the Juvenile Detention Center, 8 December 2018.
1,516 gifts were given and 20 people were freed © MONUSCO.