A/HRC/17/30 equality within the judiciaries of Ibero-American countries. She also commends Mercosur59 for the development and implementation of the project of institutional strengthening and gender mainstreaming (“Fortalecimiento de la institucionalidad y la perspectiva de género”)60 and invites the Permanent Forum of Supreme Courts of Mercosur to consider adopting a gender approach, including staffing, training and academic exchange efforts. D. Ensuring adequate representation of women in the judiciary 81. The Special Rapporteur especially welcomes initiatives to promote the participation of women in the conduct of public affairs, seeking to increase the representation of women in publicly elected office, including the legislature, as well as in high-ranking civil service positions and the judiciary, in accordance with international standards.61 She especially welcomes efforts undertaken over the past two decades, inter alia, in a number of LatinAmerican, African and Asian countries that have adopted quotas to increase the representation of women mostly in parliament62 and in some instances in all public offices including the judiciary.63 The Special Rapporteur invites States to monitor the compliance of all State institutions with these laws and encourages the judicial power to take all necessary steps to ensure that women and men are equally represented in the judicial systems at all levels. Further study on the adequate representation of women in the judiciary is required. VI. Conclusions 82. The system of administration of justice plays a crucial role in the effective protection of women’s human rights, the empowerment and development of women and the advancement of gender equality. The Special Rapporteur highlights the importance of an adequate legal and policy framework for the protection and empowerment of women and the achievement of gender equality, including through the ratification of international human rights instruments and other relevant legal instruments and their translation into effective laws, policies and programmes at the national level. An independent and impartial judiciary, an independent legal profession and the integrity of the judicial system based on equal gender opportunities are essential prerequisites to effectively protect women’s human rights and ensure that the administration of justice is free from discrimination on the ground of gender. 83. In the Special Rapporteur's view, developing a gender-sensitive justice system involves mobilizing the full range of processes, mechanisms, laws and policies in place within the structure of the State to strive to ensure women’s human rights and achieve gender equality in the society. A truly independent, impartial, transparent and solid judiciary and legal profession must be aligned with the international legal and policy framework on women’s human rights and gender equality so that it can truly strive 59 60 61 62 63 Mercosur Member States are Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay. States with associate membership status include Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. See Fortalecimiento de la Institucionalidad y la perspectiva de género en el MERCOSUR, available at: http://www.mercosurmujeres.org/XXIIIacta_documento2.htm General comment No. 28, para. 29: Equality of rights between men and women (article 3): 03/29/2000. CCPR/C/21/Rev.1/Add.10, general comment No. 28. Afghanistan (2004); Argentina (1991); Brazil (1997); Burundi (2004); Costa Rica (1997); Dominican Republic (1997); Ecuador (1997); Liberia (Gender Equity in Politics Act of 2010); Mexico (1996); Panama (1997); Paraguay (1996); Rwanda (2003), Timor Leste (2000); Uganda (1995). Colombia (Law 581 of 2000). 17