Gender stereotyping in rape trial a violation of CEDAW (Karen Tayag Vertido v. The Philippines) 13 FEBRUARY 2012 / SIMONECUSACK
In 1996, Karen Tayag Ver!"# $#r%e" a& E'e()!*e +!re(#r # -e +a*a# C!y C-a.er # C#..er(e an" In")&ry !n -e -!!!ne& S-e 4e" a (#.a!n aga!n& -e -en re&!"en re&!"en # -e C-a.er, 5#&e B C)&#"!#, a(()&!ng -!. # ra!ng -er -er S-e aege" -a -e a(()&e" #ere" -er a ! -#.e ##$!ng a )&!ne&& .ee!ng #ne e*en!ng an" -a, !n&ea", rae" -er !n a neary -#e In Ar! 2007, aer -e (a&e -a" ang)!&-e" !n -e r!a (#)r #r e!g- year&, 5)"ge V!rg!n!a V!rg!n!a 8#4ea:E)r#a a(;)!e" -e a(()&e" # ra!ng M& Ver!"#, (!!ng !n&)<(!en e*!"en(e # r#*e ey#n" a rea&#nae "#) -a -e a(()&e" $a& g)!y # -e #en(e (-arge" 8er 8#n#)r a&e" -er "e(!&!#n # a(;)! #n a n).er # =g)!"!ng r!n(!e&> r#. #-er rae (a&e& an" -er )na*#)rae a&&e&&.en # -e M& Ver!"#>& e&!.#ny a&e", a.#ng #-er -!ng&, #n -er a!)re # a%e a"*anage # er(e!*e" ##r)n!!e& # e&(ae r#. -e a(()&e" M& Ver!"# Ver!"# &)&e;)eny &).!e" a (#..)n!(a!#n # -e C#..!ee #n -e E!.!na!#n # +!&(r!.!na!#n aga!n&
?#.en @CEDAW Committee S-e aege" -a -e a(;)!a # Mr C)&#"!# rea(-e" -e r!g- # n#n: "!&(r!.!na!#n, -e r!g- # an ee(!*e re.e"y, an" -e ree"#. r#. $r#ng) gen"er &ere#y!ng, !n *!#a!#n # ar!(e& 2@(, 2@", 2@ an" 7@a # -e Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women @CEDAW
In -er (#..)n!(a!#n, M& Ver!"# (a!.e" -a -e r!a )"ge>& "e(!&!#n -a" n# a&!& !n a$ #r a(, ) =$a& gr#)n"e" !n gen"er:a&e" .y-& an" .!&(#n(e!#n& a#) rae an" rae *!(!.& $!-#) $-!(- -e a(()&e" $#)" -a*e een (#n*!(e"> S-e )r-er (a!.e" -a =a "e(!&!#n gr#)n"e" !n gen"er:a&e" .y-& an" .!&(#n(e!#n& #r #ne ren"ere" !n a" a!- (an -ar"y e (#n&!"ere" a& #ne ren"ere" y a a!r, !.ar!a an" (#.een r!)na,> an" -a -e -!!!ne& -a" =a!e" !n !& #!ga!#n # en&)re -a $#.en are r#e(e" aga!n& "!&(r!.!na!#n y )!( a)-#r!!e&, !n()"!ng -e )"!(!ary> The Philippines’ observations on admissibility
T-e -!!!ne& (#ne&e" -e a".!&&!!!y # -e (#..)n!(a!#n #n -e a&!& -a M& Ver!"# -a" a!e" # e'-a)& "#.e&!( re.e"!e&, a& re;)!re" y ar!(e D@1 # -eOptional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women @Optional
Protocol I (a!.e" -a M& Ver!"# -a" a!e" # a*a!
-er&e # -e &e(!a re.e"y # (er!#rar! Ms Vertido’s comments on the Philippines’ observations
M& Ver!"# (#)nere" -a &-e $a& n# re;)!re" # e'-a)& -e re.e"y # (er!#rar!, a& ! (#)" #ny e &#)g- y -e =e#e # -e -!!!ne&,> rere&ene" y -e O<(e # -e S#!(!#r enera In a""!!#n, &-e &).!e" -a, e*en ! -e re.e"y $ere a*a!ae # -er, ! $#)" -a*e een !nee(!*e !n re"re&&!ng -er ar!()ar (#.a!n # "!&(r!.!na!#n CEDAW Committee’s admissibility decision
T-e CE+A? C#..!ee "e(are" -e (#..)n!(a!#n a".!&&!e, "!&.!&&!ng -e &)gge&!#n .a"e y -e -!!!ne& -a M& Ver!"# $a& re;)!re" y ar!(e D@1 # -e O!#na r##(# # e'-a)& -e re.e"y # (er!#rar! Views
T-e CE+A? C#..!ee (#n()"e" -a, !n a!!ng # en" "!&(r!.!na#ry gen"er &ere#y!ng !n -e ega r#(e&&, -e -!!!ne& -a" *!#ae" ar!(e& @2@( an" 2@ # CE+A?, an" ar!(e 7@a rea" !n (#n)n(!#n $!- ar!(e 1 an" General Recommendation No. 1 @*!#en(e aga!n& $#.en T-e
C#..!ee "e(!ne" # (#n&!"er $-e-er #r n# ar!(e 2@" -a" een *!#ae", 4n"!ng -a ! $a& e&& ree*an # -e (a&e -an -e #-er ar!(e& aege" # -a*e een *!#ae"
C#..!ee .e.er M& Y#%# 8aya&-! !&&)e" a &earae, (#n()rr!ng #!n!#n Right to an e!ective remed" @art. #$c%%
T-e CE+A? C#..!ee a T-e C#..!ee "eer.!ne" -a -e -!!!ne& -a" a!e" # (#.y $!- !& #!ga!#n # en&)re M& Ver!"#>& r!g- # an ee(!*e re.e"y I n#e" -a -er (a&e -a" ang)!&-e" !n -e r!a (#)r #r ar#'!.aey e!g- year& e#re a "e(!&!#n $a& .a"e # a(;)! -e a(()&e" an" -a, (#n&e;)eny, ! (#)" n# e &a!" -a M& Ver!"#>& aega!#n # rae -a" een "ea $!- !n =a a!r, !.ar!a, !.ey an" e'e"!!#)& .anner> Freedom from Wrongf&l Gender 'tereot"ping $arts. #$f% and ($a%%
In 4n"!ng *!#a!#n& # ar!(e& 2@ an" 7@a, -e C#..!ee a I a&# &re&&e" -a
&ere#y!ng ae(& $#.en>& r!g- # a a!r an" )& r!a an" -a -e )"!(!ary .)& a%e (a)!#n n# # (reae !ne'!e &an"ar"& # $-a $#.en #r g!r& &-#)" e #r -a*e "#ne $-en (#nr#ne" $!- a &!)a!#n # rae a&e" .erey #n re(#n(e!*e" n#!#n& # $-a "e4ne& a rae *!(!. T-e .a#r!y "eer.!ne" -a -e r!a )"ge -a" e'e(e" a (era!n &ere#y!(a e-a*!#)r r#. -e a)-#r an" #r.e" a nega!*e *!e$ # -er (re"!a!!y e(a)&e &-e -a" n# e-a*e" a((#r"!ngy I $en #n # &ay -a -e r!a )"ge>& "e(!&!#n (#na!ne" =&e*era reeren(e& # &ere#ye& a#) .ae an" e.ae &e')a!y e!ng .#re &)#r!*e #r -e (re"!!!y # -e aege" erera#r -an #r -e (re"!a!!y # -e *!(!.> Recommendations
8a*!ng #)n" *!#a!#n& # ar!(e& @2@(, 2@ an" 7@a # CE+A?, -e CE+A? C#..!ee (ae" #n -e -!!!ne& # r#*!"e ar#r!ae (#.en&a!#n # M& Ver!"# I a&# .a"e a n).er # genera re(#..en"a!#n& a!.e" a re"re&&!ng -e &y&e.!( na)re # .any # -e *!#a!#n& T-e&e !n()"e" a%!ng ee(!*e &e& # en&)re -a "e(!&!#n& !n &e')a a&&a) (a&e& are !.ar!a an" a!r an" n# ae(e" y re)"!(e& #r &ere#ye&
