The Uruguayan House of Senators approved [press release] a bill [materials] on Tuesday that would make femicide an explicit criminal offense of its own. The legislation is being passed to the House of Representatives for further approval. The bill would codify femicide as a very special aggravating circumstance to homicide, which could increase the sentence imposed upon a conviction. The purpose of the bill is to be accomplished by amending articles 311 and 312 of the penal code [materials].

Violence against women continues to be an area of focus for human rights groups. Last month the UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women, urged [JURIST report] the government of Australia to include all women in the fight to stop violence against women. According to the expert, violence against women in Australia is at a pandemic level. Last September UN experts urged [JURIST report] member states to protect women and girls in the movement of refugees and migrants by adhering to international human rights conventions and standards. Also in 2016 the UN Special Rapporteur for human rights in Cambodia appealed [JURIST report] to the country to strengthen the protection of its women, and the rights of its indigenous peoples.