This publication is a collation of two research papers that UNIFEM (now part of UN Women) commissioned for the ASEAN regional workshop on domestic violence legislation held in Hanoi on 20-21 October 2008: International Standards on Domestic Violence Legislation and a Review of ASEAN Laws and Overview of Global Good Practices on Domestic Violence Response System.
Many ASEAN countries, formally linked to tradition and structured on patriarchy, have made significant progress in adopting an official policy of zero tolerance for domestic violence. These countries have demonstrated a commitment to equality and non-discrimination on the grounds of sex; however, this guarantee is not necessarily reflected in legislation and special measures because the majority of the laws are not gender specific. The UN Framework for Model Legislation on Domestic Violence recommends the recognition of domestic violence as a ¥gender specific form of violence ¥directed against women, occurring within the family and within interpersonal relationships.
