Gender mainstreaming with respect to fundamental rights in the justice system’s responses to organized crime

uma visão pela ótica de Direitos Humanos

Abstract

Although the number of women involved
in organized crime is increasing, the circumstances
and roles they play in these groups
and the levels of violence with which they are
involved differ from men in many contexts.
Women may commit crimes at the same time
that they are victims of violence. Criminal organizations
specifically target women through acts
of sexual and gender-based violence as a means
of achieving tactical objectives. Women may
also face gender-specific difficulties when attempting
to access justice and seek remedies as
victims of organized crime. Despite these different
impacts, traditional analysis often overlooks
the gender perspective in discourses of fighting
organized crime, whether analyzing victims or
members of criminal organizations. One of the main strategies to promote gender equality and
women’s rights is gender mainstreaming. This
article intends to evaluate the gender dimension
that must be added to the understanding of organized
crime, raising questions and scope for
understanding both the phenomenon and the
strategies to confront it, considering the synergies
that must exist between the confrontation
of organized crime and gender equality policies.