Gender and human rights (Foundation course)

27 April-7 June 2016 (E05116) | Register for this course (page opens in new window)

Deadline for early registration discount: 15 March 2016 (extended)
Instructors: Corey Barr and Benjamin Stachursky

Gender equality has become a generally accepted refrain and gained secure positioning within international approaches to, and discourse on, development and human rights. However, it took decades of advocacy for gendered diversities to become effectively acknowledged as relevant to the international human rights system. In this process, the recognition that “women’s rights are human rights” played a central role.

In response, legal and normative instruments have been introduced to address the marginalisation of women and girls, such as the 1979 Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and the 1995 Beijing Platform for Action (BPFA). Increasingly, other issues relevant to gender equality are gaining attention, for instance those pertaining to sexual orientation and gender identity and the role of men and boys in achieving gender equality. International policies and strategies such as gender mainstreaming have been developed to advance the achievement of gender equality in practice. Significant steps continue to be taken to build a human rights system that recognises the need for gender equality and diversity to be inherent to approaches for securing human rights for all.

This e-learning course provides a general introduction to the evolution of the concept of gender equality within the international human rights system. It provides a foundational understanding of the centrality of gender equality to human rights discourse generally and how this is addressed within the UN human rights system specifically. Participants will gain an overview of the various legal and normative frameworks that promote women’s rights, address gender identities, and advance practical approaches to securing gender equality. The course will also examine critical concepts such as intersectionality and cultural relativism as they relate to the enforcement of existing international approaches to advancing gender equality and human rights.