A/HRC/8/4 page 24 Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers found that judicial personnel received little or no training on issues such as violence against women74 and that there was widespread ineffectiveness and lack of interest in pressing charges and prosecuting in cases of violence against women.75 3. Stateless persons, refugees, migrants and victims of racial discrimination 52. It is commonplace for such persons to be deprived of access to the courts, owing to their administrative situation. This vulnerability is particularly distressing for asylum-seekers, for whom access to justice is crucial if they are to avoid irreversible prejudice such as a violation of the principle of non-refoulement. It is reasonable and mandatory to provide not only free legal aid, but also interpretation, and at times forensic psychological or medical, services. However, according to recent research, access to justice free of charge is made subject to conditions that make it unattainable in practice. Two reports by the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance have addressed this issue. In the Dominican Republic the Special Rapporteur noted the factors that led to an absence of judicial complaints of racism or racial discrimination: a lack of confidence that the judicial system will provide remedies or reparation in a context where high-level officials deny the existence of racism in that country; the refusal or reluctance of victims to file complaints for fear of retaliation or unlawful or discriminatory backlash; and the absence of any independent national human rights institution to complain to (A/HRC/7/19/Add.5). In the Russian Federation too, he referred to the small number of convictions for discrimination, for reasons including the refusal or reluctance of victims, in particular those from ethnic minorities, to file a complaint for fear of reprisals and discriminatory backlash by the police, and judges’ failure - deliberate or through ignorance - to enforce the provisions of the Criminal Code. The Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants also raised this issue in the reports on his missions to the Republic of Korea and Indonesia (A/HRC/4/24/Add.2 and Add.3, respectively). 4. Minors 53. Notwithstanding the array of international treaties, rules and directives that exist to protect minors’ rights, States’ treatment of children leaves a great deal to be desired as far as justice is concerned, in particular access to justice. There are, however, examples of good practices, mostly resulting from a conscientious application of international standards.76 In respect of 74 Despouy, Misión a Kazajstán, E/CN.4/2005/60/Add.2, p. 20, pár. 74 y 78. 75 L. Despouy, Misión a Brasil, E/CN.4/2005/60/Add.3, pár. 9. 76 En numerosos casos se trata de iniciativas surgidas de la propia sociedad civil. En Perú, por ejemplo, las denominadas Defensorías Municipales del Niño y el Adolescente, impulsan un sistema nacional descentralizado para la protección y promoción del desarrollo integral de la niñez y adolescencia. Entre sus funciones está la denuncia ante las autoridades de las vulneraciones cometidas a los derechos de los niños y adolescentes, y la intervención en asuntos relativos a la violencia en la familia (http://www.unicef.org/peru/spanish/protection_3234.htm) En los Estados Unidos de América, el denominado SSI presta servicios legales gratuitos para garantizar que los niños discapacitados son escuchados de modo justo antes de determinar la