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Human Rights, Women and Development (LAWS70171)
Graduate coursework level 7Points: 12.5Not available in 2019
Overview
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The fields of human rights and development have provided an important focus for the promotion of women‘s equality and empowerment in the United Nations (UN) era. Even as new policies and programs have been advanced in the name of women’s empowerment, we have also seen an intensification of economic exploitation and vulnerability to human rights abuse. This subject will trace the history and examine the impact of the strategies adopted to promote women‘s equality in both fields, and the links forged between them in rights-based approaches to development. The limitations as well as the potential of law and international institutions in promoting equality and social justice will be evaluated. Students will be challenged to assess how notions of ‘equality’, ‘gender‘, ‘human rights’ and ‘development’ have been defined in law, policy and practice. In addition to the generalised overview, the subject will examine how issues of women, development and human rights translate in particular arenas, including contexts of conflict/peace building, and contexts of transnational labour regimes.
This subject will trace the history and examine the impact of the strategies adopted by advocates for women‘s equality in the fields of international human rights and development law and policy.
Principal topics include:
- The links between human rights and development strategies in addressing questions of equality and social justice for women
- Impediments to advancing social justice for women including conceptual inadequacies, dominant models of development, dominant approaches to human rights, institutional marginalisation, gender bias in the law, the limits of legal liberalism and legacies of colonialism
- The limitations and potential of law and international institutions in promoting women‘s equality and social justice
- The role of transnational feminism both within international institutions and in global social movements/civil society
- The challenges of how questions of women, development and human rights are addressed in contexts of conflict/peace building
- The challenges of how questions of women, development and human rights are addressed in contexts of transnational labour regimes.
Intended learning outcomes
A student who has successfully completed this subject will have:
- An advanced and integrated understanding of the key international human rights instruments and development policies and programs that have sought to promote women’s equality since 1945
- A critical and applied understanding of the interrelationship between women’s enjoyment of human rights and their equal participation in, and benefiting from, economic development
- A sophisticated appreciation of the theoretical debates about how best to conceptualise sex/gender [in]equality, the different legal conceptions of sex/gender equality, and the problems associated with measuring and assessing substantive equality
- Detailed knowledge and appreciation of the contributions by postcolonial legal scholars to understanding the diversity of women’s experiences of inequality and the role played by customary and colonial laws as well as international economic institutions
- The critical skills required to examine and assess the contributions of women’s movements and nongovernmental organisations to advancing women’s equality
- The skills to analyse policies and programs aimed at promoting women’s advancement in the human rights and development fields
- A sophisticated understanding of how issues of women, development and human rights translate in particular arenas that will be the focus of in-depth study, including contexts of conflict/peace building and contexts of transnational labour regimes.
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
Melbourne Law Masters Students: None
JD Students: Successful completion of the below subject:
| Code | Name | Teaching period | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| LAWS50049 | International Human Rights Law | Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
Corequisites
None
Non-allowed subjects
None
Recommended background knowledge
Applicants without legal qualifications should note that subjects are offered in the discipline of law at an advanced graduate level. While every effort will be made to meet the needs of students trained in other fields, concessions will not be made in the general level of instruction or assessment. Most subjects assume the knowledge usually acquired in a degree in law (LLB, JD or equivalent). Applicants should note that admission to some subjects in the Melbourne Law Masters will be dependent upon the individual applicant’s educational background and professional experience.
Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)
The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.
Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Assessment
Additional details
- Take-home examination (5,000 - 6,000 words) (100%)
or - 8,000 - 10,000 word research paper (100%) on a topic approved by the subject coordinator
A minimum of 75% attendance is a hurdle requirement.
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Quotas apply to this subject
Dates & times
Not available in 2019
Time commitment details
136-150 hours The pre-teaching period commences four weeks before the subject commencement date. From this time, students are expected to access and review the Reading Guide that will be available from the LMS subject page and the subject materials provided by the subject coordinator, which will be available from Melbourne Law School. Refer to the Reading Guide for confirmation of which resources need to be read and what other preparation is required before the teaching period commences.
Additional delivery details
This subject has a quota of 30 students. Please refer to the Melbourne Law Masters website for further information about the management of subject quotas and waitlists.
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Further information
- Texts
Prescribed texts
Specialist printed materials will be made available free of charge from the Melbourne Law School prior to the pre-teaching period.
- Related Handbook entries
This subject contributes to the following:
- Links to additional information
law.unimelb.edu.au
- Available through the Community Access Program
About the Community Access Program (CAP)
This subject is available through the Community Access Program (also called Single Subject Studies) which allows you to enrol in single subjects offered by the University of Melbourne, without the commitment required to complete a whole degree.
Entry requirements including prerequisites may apply. Please refer to the CAP applications page for further information.
Additional information for this subject
If required, please contact law-admissions@unimelb.edu.au for subject coordinator approval.
- Available to Study Abroad and/or Study Exchange Students
This subject is available to students studying at the University from eligible overseas institutions on exchange and study abroad. Students are required to satisfy any listed requirements, such as pre- and co-requisites, for enrolment in the subject.
Last updated: 3 November 2022