Women's International Human Rights Law: The Way Forward

This article is a report of a consultation of lawyers from Africa the Americas Asia Australia and Europe held at the University of Toronto Faculty of Law in August 1992. The participants brought legal theory and practice to bear on the relationship between international human rights and womens rights in order to develop legal strategies to promote and protect womens international human rights. Although this article is a report of that consultation it is by no means the report as there are as many reports as participants. However the real impact of the event will be realized only when the findings of the consultation are used to prevent investigate and punish violations of womens human rights. The purpose of this report is to offer some idea of the multiple perspectives that emerged on the consultation themes. The themes were: i. to review the progress of womens rights and identify challenges and prospects; ii. to recharacterize internationally protected human rights to accommodate womens experiences of injustice; iii. to guarantee specific human rights of women; and iv. to make international human rights law more effective for women. The papers presented at the consultation (as amended in response to discussion following presentation) will form the basis of a forthcoming book on Womens International Human Rights Law. (excerpt)