[/QUOTE]
Serious gaps in the provision of legal aid to battered women have been identified by the Human Rights Committee. Human Rights at its meeting today, identifying a variety of restrictions that prevent women identified by the police as victims of violence from obtaining free legal representation in court.
During the discussion held in the Committee, with the participation of women's organisations, agencies and NGOs working on gender-based violence cases, it appeared that requests for legal aid by women are subject to economic criteria, while the Single Parent Families Association reported that often, during public cross-examination of women as witnesses, their well-groomed physical appearance is used as a counter-argument.
It was pointed out by a representative of the Bar Association that in some cases, the rejection of a request for legal aid may not be adequately justified, which could support an appeal against the decision, except that women applicants have neither the financial nor the time comfort to undertake such a procedure. It was pointed out, moreover, that the examination of applications is so lengthy that it leads women to find alternatives.
The consequence of this situation, it was reported, is that millions of dollars in funds earmarked for the provision of legal aid remain unused. A representative of SPAVO (Association for the Prevention and Treatment of Violence in the Family) said that of the 23 applications for legal aid filed in 2021, only eight were granted. It was also reported before the Committee that as regards cases of trafficking in persons, no female victim of trafficking was granted legal aid in the period 2015-2019.
After the meeting, Committee President and AKEL MP Irini Charalambidou said that for legislative regulations around this issue, which are budget-related, cooperation with the Ministry of Justice is required. "We will be in contact with the Ministry and also with the chairman of the National Coordinating Body for the Prevention and Combating of Violence against Women for better management," she said. He also referred to amendments that the Human Rights Commission may promote, which he said would be considered immediately.
He also added that the provision of legal aid in cases of victims of violence identified by the police is "a matter of social responsibility" and should be provided without financial criteria in order to create a culture of safety among victims and effectively stamp out gender and domestic violence. He pointed to the delay in the adjudication of cases as the most serious problem, which acts as a deterrent "as over time there is a reluctance to give evidence in many cases," he said.
He also noted that "a woman victim of violence cannot be humiliated through application procedures for free legal aid" and added that "in times of economic crisis, where living conditions are very difficult for many of our fellow human beings, for a woman victim of violence who is not financially independent, it is even more difficult to break the cycle of violence if she does not have support from the state and relevant institutions." He concluded that "there should be a mapping of the problems, in cooperation with the courts to see how this situation can be changed."
In closing, he welcomed the initiative of the Pancyprian Bar Association for the "Justice for All" programme, through which free legal advice will be provided voluntarily by members of the association.
In his statements on the same issue, DPA MP Alekos Tryfonidis focused on the long and labyrinthine procedures and legal loopholes regarding the problems that arise when providing legal assistance to women who are victims of violence. "As the PPP, we believe that legal aid should be provided without financial criteria. As soon as a woman reports any form of violence to the police, she should immediately be provided with legal aid to guide her through the entire process," he said.
He added that lives should not be lost due to violence, demanding decent living conditions for women with equal opportunities. "Violence is violence and is not categorized by economic criteria and social classes," he concluded.
Source: CNA
Contents of this article including associated images are belongs Cyprus Times
Views & opinions expressed are those of the author and/or Cyprus Times
Source
