Persisting inequalities between women and men, gender bias and stereotypes also result in unequal access of women and men to justice.

A study into women's access to the European Court of Human Rights drew attentation to the low number of applications filed by women, pointing out that this possibly reflects obstacles experienced by women at national level. Reasons advanced include lack of awareness, confidence and resources, gender bias and cultural, social and economic barriers. These barriers are particularly important in the case of women victims of violence or in situations of vulnerability, such as women victims of various forms of discrimination.

The Council of Europe implemented two specific projects on  “Improving Women’s Access to Justice in Six Eastern Partnership Countries” (2015-2017) and "Strengthening access to justice for women victims of violence" (2018) in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine. Currently, the Council of Europe continues its work on guaranteing equal access to justice by implementing a new Eastern Partnership countries project "Women's access to justice: delivering on the Istanbul Convention and other European gender equality standards" (2019-2021).

Council of Europe Documents and Tools

HUDOC-Database- case-law of the European Court of Human Rights

Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (Istanbul Convention) (ARM / GEO / ROM / RUS and UKR) and its explanatory report (AZE / RUS)

European Court of Human Rights Factsheet on Domestic Violence (ARM / AZE / GEO / RUS and UKR) (February 2020)

Guide for developing a mentoring programme on Women's Access to Justice for legal professionals (December 2019)

 Compilation of case law of the European Court of Human Rights on Gender Equality Issues prepared by the Gender Equality Division (August 2019)

European Court of Human Rights Factsheet on Violence against Women (ARM / AZE / GEO / RUS and UKR) (May 2019)

Women's access to justice: a guide for legal practitioners (FR / ARM / AZE / GEO / ROM / RUS / and UKR) (October 2018)

Emergency barring orders in situations of domestic violence: Article 52 of the Istanbul Convention (UKR) (June 2017)

Training Manual for Judges and Prosecutors on Ensuring Women’s Access to Justice (ARM / ENG / GEO / ROM / RUS and UKR) (2017)

 Country Studies on Barriers, Remedies and Good Practices for Women’s Access to Justice: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Republic of Moldova, Ukraine (ARM / AZE / GEO/ ROM and UKR)  (2017)

 Council of Europe Plan of Action on Strengtening Judicial Independence and Impartiality (2016)

Factsheet on Guaranteeing Equal Access of Women to Justice (2016)

 Abridged Report of the Conference "Towards Guaranteeing Equal Access of Women to Justice", Bern, 15-16 October 2015

 Factsheet of the European Court of Human Rights on case-law related to gender equality 

Compilation of good practices from member states to reduce existing obstacles and facilitate women’s access to justice (October 2015)

Equal access to justice in the case-law on violence against women before the European Court of Human Rights (October 2015)

Compilation of Contributions from member states on Key Challenges and Good Practices on Access to Justice for Women Victims of Violence at the National Level (2014)

Feasability Study on Equal Access of Women to Justice

GEC (2013) 1
GEC (2013) 1 abridged

Report on cases brought before the European Court of Human Rights by women, (April 2010)

  Council of Europe Committee of Ministers Recommendation No. R (2010)12 to member states - Judges independence, efficiency and responsibilities

Access to Justice for Migrants and Asylum Seekers in Europe (European Committee on Legal Cooperation (CDCJ)) (2009)

Access to justice in Europe - European Commission for the Efficiency of Justice (CEPEJ)

Council of Europe -Committee of Ministers Recommendation No. R (93)1 of the Committee of Ministers to member States on Effective Access to the Law and to Justice for the very poor.

Parliamentary Assembly Resolution 2054 (2015)1 - Equality and non-discrimination in the access to justice

Other Documents

 Guidance Note - Framework for measuring access to justice including specific challenges facing women - UN Women - Council of Europe  (2016)

UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) General recommendation on women’s access to justice (2015)

Eliminating judicial stereotyping - Equal access to justice for women in gender-based violence cases” (S. Cusak, 2014), paper commissioned by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights

 Progress of the World’s Women: In Pursuit of Justice, UN Women (2011-2012).

 Ten proven approaches to make justice systems work for women in the pursuit of Justice - UN Women (2011-2012)

Human rights, rights of women - Female applicants to the European Court of Human Rights - Article by F. Tulkens, former Judge and Vice-President at the European Court of Human Rights Rights (2007)

Events