Gender and international law

Hilary Charlesworth

Chapter 20 in Handbook on Gender in World Politics, 2026, pp 124-130 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: This chapter examines the slow and often problematic integration of gender into international law, a discipline traditionally presented as objective and impartial. It credits early feminist International Relations (IR) scholarship with providing the theoretical tools to deconstruct gendered assumptions within legal frameworks like the state and sovereignty. A central critique is the flawed application of ‘gender’ by international institutions, which often conflate it with biological sex or reduce it to a focus on ‘women's special needs’, as exemplified by UN Security Council Resolution 1325. This approach obscures the structural power relations and masculine norms that underpin the legal system. The chapter outlines key feminist analyses, including critiques of women's exclusion from legal bodies and investigations into how doctrines are shaped by gendered dichotomies. Finally, it highlights the field's robust internal debates, which challenge dominant feminist strategies and underscore the ongoing project of revealing the law's inherent biases.

Keywords: International Law; Feminist Legal Theory; Gender; UNSCR 1325; Women; Peace and Security (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
ISBN: 9781803923765
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