A/HRC/17/30 I. Introduction 1. The present report is the second submitted to the Human Rights Council by the Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, Gabriela Knaul, since her appointment in June 2009. The report begins by presenting the activities carried out by the Special Rapporteur in 2010, to focus subsequently on some aspects of the multi-faceted relationship between gender and the judiciary, within the broader context of the administration of justice. 2. The report focuses on two main thematic clusters. Within the thematic cluster on gender and the administration of justice, the report addresses major obstacles to women’s pathways to justice, including the feminization of poverty as well as laws, policies and practices that discriminate against women, and sets out the conditions required for the effective realization of women’s right to access to justice. Within the thematic cluster on gender and the judiciary, the report focuses on the conditions for developing a gendersensitive judiciary, and the role of the judiciary in advancing women’s human rights. The Special Rapporteur also presents a number of good practices and makes recommendations to Governments, the international community and other stakeholders. II. Activities of the Special Rapporteur 3. The activities of the Special Rapporteur are carried out in accordance with Human Rights Council resolution 8/6. Human Rights Council Resolutions 12/3 and 15/3 provide further thematic guidance for the Special Rapporteur. A. Country visits and communications with Member States 4. Since her appointment to the mandate in June 2009, the Special Rapporteur has requested invitations to visit the following countries: Argentina, Bulgaria, Colombia, Guinea-Bissau, India, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Mexico, Mozambique, the Philippines, Romania and Turkey. She has visited Colombia,1 Mexico,2 and Mozambique.3 She plans to visit Bulgaria and Romania in May 2011. She has also been invited to visit Turkey and Guinea-Bissau. The Special Rapporteur would like to thank the Governments of those States that have responded positively to her requests for visits and urges Governments that have not yet provided a response to do so. 5. From 1 January 2010 to 15 March 2011, the Special Rapporteur sent a total of 114 communications alleging violations of human rights in the context of her mandate to 48 Member States and one to another actor. Of the communications that were sent, 97 were urgent appeals and the remaining 17 were letters of allegation. A summary of all communications sent from 16 March 2010 to 15 March 2011 is included in A/HRC/17/30/Add.1. 1 2 3 A/HRC/14/26/Add.2. A/HRC/17/30/Add.3. A/HRC/17/30/Add.2. 3