Editing Gender equality (section)

====Investigation and prosecution of crimes against women and girls====
Human rights organizations have expressed concern about the legal [[impunity]] of perpetrators of crimes against women, with such crimes being often ignored by authorities.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/ImpunityForVAWGlobalConcern.aspx|title=Impunity for violence against women is a global concern|website=Ohchr.org|access-date=14 November 2017|archive-date=10 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180810113251/https://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/ImpunityForVAWGlobalConcern.aspx|url-status=live}}</ref> This is especially the case with murders of women in [[Latin America]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cedaw/docs/ngos/CDDandCMDPDH_forthesession_Mexico_CEDAW52.pdf|title=Femicide and Impunity in Mexico: A context of structural and generalized violence|website=2.ohchr.org|access-date=14 November 2017|archive-date=24 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210424140151/https://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cedaw/docs/ngos/CDDandCMDPDH_forthesession_Mexico_CEDAW52.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.unwomen.org/en/news/stories/2013/4/femicide-in-latin-america|title=Femicide in Latin America|newspaper=Un Women – Headquarters|date=4 April 2013 |access-date=14 June 2015|archive-date=7 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171207042250/http://www.unwomen.org/en/news/stories/2013/4/femicide-in-latin-america|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://cgrs.uchastings.edu/our-work/central-america-femicides-and-gender-based-violence|title=Central America: Femicides and Gender-Based Violence|website=Cgrs.uchastings.edu|access-date=14 June 2015|archive-date=14 July 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714224933/http://cgrs.uchastings.edu/our-work/central-america-femicides-and-gender-based-violence|url-status=live}}</ref> In particular, there is impunity in regard to [[domestic violence]].{{Refn|High Commissioner for Human Rights, [[Navi Pillay]], has stated on domestic violence against women: "The reality for most victims, including victims of honor killings, is that state institutions fail them and that most perpetrators of domestic violence can rely on a culture of impunity for the acts they commit – acts which would often be considered as crimes, and be punished as such, if they were committed against strangers."<ref group=upper-roman>{{cite web|url=http://www.ohchr.org/en/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=9869&LangID=E|title=High Commissioner speaks out against domestic violence and "honour killing" on occasion of International Women's Day"|website=Ohchr.org|access-date=14 November 2017|archive-date=14 July 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714182718/http://www.ohchr.org/en/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=9869&LangID=E|url-status=live}}</ref>|group=lower-roman}}

Women are often, in law or in practice, unable to access legal institutions. UN Women has said that: "Too often, justice institutions, including the police and the courts, deny women justice".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://progress.unwomen.org/|title=Progress of the World's Women 2015–2016|website=My Favorite News|access-date=14 June 2015|archive-date=23 April 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150423135248/http://progress.unwomen.org/|url-status=live}}</ref> Often, women are denied legal recourse because the state institutions themselves are structured and operate in ways incompatible with genuine justice for women who experience violence.{{Refn|According to Amnesty International, "Women who are victims of gender-related violence often have little recourse because many state agencies are themselves guilty of gender bias and discriminatory practices."<ref group=upper-roman>{{cite web|url=http://www.amnestyusa.org/our-work/issues/women-s-rights/violence-against-women/violence-against-women-information|title=Violence Against Women Information|website=Amnesty International USA|access-date=2015-12-19|archive-date=2016-04-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160404225053/http://www.amnestyusa.org/our-work/issues/women-s-rights/violence-against-women/violence-against-women-information|url-status=live}}</ref>|group=lower-roman}}