New Directions in Feminism and Human Rights

Abstract

On the sixtieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, feminists are at a critical juncture to re-envision and re-engage in a politics of human rights that underscores the creative displays of grassroots resistance by women globally and affirms transnational feminist solidarity. In highlighting feminisms and human rights that are antiracist and social justice oriented, this issue highlights new research that reveals the transformative potential of a feminist human rights praxis that embraces collective justice. In this introduction, we discuss dominant critiques of human rights frameworks and explore critical human rights activism ‘from below’ in order to establish the context for this special issue on new directions in feminism and human rights.

Keywords:

• Human rights
• feminism
• transnationalism
• social justice
• globalization
• activism
• gender
• antiracism

Notes

Vishaka v. State of Rajasthan and Others, AIR 1997 Supreme Court 3011.

(2005) Violence Against Women and Department of Justice Reauthorization Act of 2005, 42 U.S.C. 13701.

(2005) The Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, Act No. 43 of 2005.

(1999) The RP-US Visiting Forces Agreement 1, Ratified by the Philippine Senate May 27 of 1999.

‘Afghan Women and Girls Need Our Help’, NOW website. Available at: http://salsa.wiredforchange.com/o/5996/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=829 (accessed 21 April 2010).

‘Afghan Women and Girls Need Our Help’, NOW website. Available at: http://salsa.wiredforchange.com/o/5996/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=829#action (accessed 21 April 2010).

Afghan Women Empowerment Act of 2009. Available at http://www.opencongress.org/bill/111-s229/show (accessed 5 May 2010).

Indeed, at the time of this writing, Italian police stopped a woman outside the post office and fined her €500 for wearing a burqa. On this issue, calls are mounting in Germany to follow Belgium and France's lead. Silvana Koch-Mehrin, the European parliament vice-president and a member of Germany's Free Democrats (FDP) stated, ‘I wish that Germany – and all of Europe – would also outlaw the wearing of the burqa in all its forms … The burqa is a massive attack on women's rights, it is a mobile prison’. See: http://news.brisbanetimes.com.au/breaking-news-world/woman-fined-for-wearing-burqa-in-italy-20100504-u7cf.html (accessed 6 May 2010).