07:48 PM March, 09 2016 Sudanese Online
SudaneseOnline News-Khartoum Sudan
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One step forward, two steps back؟
(8 March 2016) In February 2015, Sudan passed a number of amendments to the 1991 Criminal Act, including long-awaited amendments concerning rape and sexual violence. An amendment to Article 149 (rape) changed the legal definition of rape, and a new Article 151 (3) was introduced, providing a new offence of sexual harassment. The amendments followed years of concerted advocacy by Sudanese women’s rights advocates who have called for concrete amendments to Sudan’s laws to better prevent and respond to sexual and gender-based violence. The amendments were initially heralded by some as a success: it was understood that the law had been reformed to reflect international standards on rape and that Sudanese women would no longer face charges of adultery or committing “immoral acts” for sexual crimes committed against them.
A closer look however exposed that, whilst there were some important steps towards bringing the law in line with international standards, serious gaps remained. The recommendations of experts working with survivors of sexual violence in Sudan were not adequately reflected in the new rape law , and without further amendments and clear guidance to law enforcement officers and judges, the criminal justice outlook for survivors of sexual violence in Sudan remains bleak. The new provision on sexual harassment within the existing law on “gross indecency” introduced ambiguity about who the victims and the perpetrators are in sexual harassment cases. It refers to acts, speech or behaviour that cause seduction or temptation, and is likely to serve as a further deterrent to women reporting sexual offences, owing to a risk they could be accused of “gross indecency”.
The rape and sexual harassment amendments were reportedly signed into law, together with a raft of other amendments to the 1991 Criminal Act, on 22 February 2015. Symbolic of the lack of consultation or involvement of Sudanese civil society in the process of law making in Sudan, pressure groups that had worked on the issue were not made aware of the content of the amendments until the following month. Over a year later, by March 2016, an official record of the legislative amendments had still not been published on the Sudanese Ministry of Justice website.
This briefing provides an overview of the changes to the law and presents our key concerns related to them. It provides recommendations to the Government of Sudan on steps that should urgently be taken to ensure effective prevention and responses to rape and other forms of sexual and gender-based violence in Sudan
مواضيع لها علاقة بالموضوع او الكاتب
الكشف عن سيارات المستقبل في معرض جنيف ابراهيم السنوسي ما قدر الشغلانة بقلم شوقي بدرىقريمانيات .. يكتبها الطيب رحمه قريمان كيف تسقط حكومة بنكيران في يوم واحد وبدون قلاقل؟؟ بقلم انغير بوبكرحق اللجوء واللاجئين ...... قوانين مثالية، وواقع مرير اعداد د. محمود ابكر دقدق/استشاري قانونيي وباالأمهات الأرامل والمطلقات المجتمع يكفن والأبناء يدفنون!! (2) بقلم رندا عطيةالتسوية قبل الوحدة..! بقلم عبد الباقى الظافرضرب السد بقلم صلاح الدين عووضةكثير من علي الحاج .. قليل من السنوسي بقلم أسحاق احمد فضل اللهوقطع معتز قول كل خطباء السدود بقلم الطيب مصطفىدموع خالد مشعل ووحدة الإسلاميين!! بقلم حيدر احمد خيراللهفي عيد المرأة التحية لصمود نساء وطني... بقلم زينب كباشي عيسيالقمح وإستبدال الأدنى بالذى هو خير بقلم سعيد أبو كمبال بني مَلاَّل منتظرة منذ الاستقلال بقلم مصطفى منيغ في يوم المرأة العالمي : هل نالت حقها ؟ بقلم د. حسن طوالبهلا تحتمل الإنتظار والحلول التسكينية بقلم نورالدين مدنيالصدمة وفرضية الإغتيال بقلم أكرم محمد زكي القصر الكبير بلا إصلاح ولا تغيير بقلم مصطفى منيغ