Module Directory

This Module aims to examine how international human rights law does and does not adequately protect and promote the human rights of women and girls. In order to do this we will first examine the gendered nature of the law in general and how gender bias inherent in all legal systems transfers into laws that reinforce said bias and how this affects the experience of women and men. We will examine how feminisms have sought to illuminate gender bias in the law and to what degree they have been successful.

We will then turn our attention to international law and examine how a feminist critique explains how patriarchal structures present domestically, manage to replicate themselves internationally. We will move on to examine how and why international human rights law also suffers from a bias against women and evaluate the efforts made to correct this bias.

The aims of this module are:

• To provide students with a comprehensive understanding of how gender influences the content and application of the law.


• To familiarise students with gender theories and feminisms that provide frameworks through which to critique the law.


• To develop a deep understanding of the laws and principles governing the human rights of women.


• To foster a deep understanding of the historical, social and theoretical causes of violations of women’s rights.


• To enable students to critically evaluate the law and to formulate solutions to hypothetical and real violations of women’s rights.

By the end of the module, students will be expected to be able to:

1. Demonstrate comprehensive knowledge of gender theory and of the feminist critique of domestic and international law.


2. Gain a critical understanding of intersectional theory and how sex and gender interact with other structures of oppression such as race, class, sexual orientation, gender identity, immigration status, etc.


3. Critically assess and evaluate the law in this area, including the patriarchal reasoning embedded in the law and how feminists have employed legal and political strategies to counter patriarchal bias.


4. Critically evaluate feminist critiques and strategies, and the extent to which these can be used to counter cisgender-heterosexist bias against LGBTIQ+ people.

Topics covered:

• Introduction: Feminisms, Gender and the Law (I): What is the patriarchy? How does it work? Why can’t I see it?


• Feminisms; Gender and the Law (II): Intersectionality. What’s wrong with White Feminism?


• International Human Rights Law and Women: Institutions, Law, Mechanisms, Critique.


• Equality and Non-Discrimination (I).


• Equality and Non-Discrimination (II).


• Violence against Women (I): Domestic Violence, Rape and Sexual Violence.


• Violence against Women (II): Genocide, Crimes against Humanity, War Crimes.


• Sexual and Reproductive Rights.


• Sexualities and Gender Identities: Can Gender Theory Inform the Protection of LGBTQ Rights?

This module will be delivered via:

• Weekly 2-hour seminars.

The module teaching team will upload all relevant teaching materials on Moodle. You will find reading lists, the textbook, weekly handouts or PPS notes on Moodle. The materials in question are designed both to help you navigate the material to be covered in the seminars and to equip you to analyse the required readings. You will be expected to have completed the required readings in advance of your seminars.