Offered
Not offered in 2007
Synopsis
Securing the protection and promotion of the human rights of women remains a challenge in the 21st century. Notwithstanding the significant advances in international human rights norms relating to women, systemic discrimination and inequality are part of everyday life for many women in the world. Moreover, securing human rights for women is proving more difficult than for men in many areas, particularly because of traditional stereotypes and cultural practices. Additionally, many human rights abuses relate solely to, or impact more significantly on, women, such as, violence, human trafficking, and female genital mutilation.
Objectives
Upon completion of this unit, students should:
- Appreciate the historical development of women's
human rights within the broader international human
rights movement
- Understand, analyse and critically comment on the
theoretical debates about securing the human rights of
women, including debates about discrimination,
equality, the public-private divide, cultural relativism
and mainstreaming human rights
- Understand, analyse and critically comment on the
international approaches to securing the human rights
of women
- Evaluate the impact and challenges of cultural
practices on the realisation of women's human rights
- Have a comprehensive understanding of the
international human rights obligations and standards
pertaining to women, including relevant international
treaties, customary international law and the domestic
means of implementing international norms
- Have a comprehensive understanding of the
international human rights system as it relates to the
protection and promotion of women
- Have a comprehensive understanding of the
mechanisms for enforcing the human rights of women
- Understand, analyse and critically comment on
specific challenges to the protection and promotion of
the human rights of women, such as violence against
women, human trafficking, entry and participation in
labour markets, women's health issues and the
particular threats to women's rights during times of
armed conflict
- Have an appreciation of current challenges to and
debates surrounding the human rights of women
- Be able to understand, evaluate and apply policy
arguments for and against reform of the legal
protection afforded to women
Assessment
Research paper (3,750 words): 50%
Take home examination (3,750 words): 50%
or
Research paper (7,500 words): 100%
Contact hours
24 hours of seminars
