Mission Statement:
Established in the fall of 2025
Translating feminism into the vernacular and mechanisms of international law, International Law for Women embraces the premise that women’s human rights ought to be promoted and protected under the law and in effect. By facilitating the interpretation of international obligations, which differ according to the treaties of each State, we aim to empower feminists and women’s human rights defenders with the legal arguments necessary to hold their own nation States accountable for infringements on human rights and fundamental freedoms. Although international law shapes human rights norms, States are afforded a certain margin of appreciation in its implementation through domestic policies. Therefore we also attempt to navigate the difficult terrain between State sovereignty and international law.
Recognizing the inextricable link between democracy and women’s rights, we advocate for the protection of democracy itself. Without democracy, women’s rights face an existential threat!
Like feminism itself, this site is a work in progress. Written from an intersectional feminist Canadian perspective and always in good faith, we use journalistic methods of research, analysis and dissemination of information found to be in the public interest, with a specific focus on the interests of women. Primary sources of international law, including international human rights instruments created collectively by the United Nations, will be referenced extensively. We encourage women’s human rights defenders and NGOs to consider how international law acting on one State might be used as a template to apply to their own State, with research on the applicable differences.
The scope of International Law for Women is on international human rights law, including civil, political, economic and social rights through an intersectional feminist lens / gendered perspective. Although all human rights are interrelated and interdependent, we do not focus on humanitarian or asylum and refugee law, at least for now.
International Law for Women features articles that highlight the legal implications of current political and legal events, by State and non-State actors alike, as well as online movements that spread misogyny, threats, harms and gender-based violence. Women’s rights advocates, including parliamentarians and journalists, are increasingly met with detractors through repression, harassment and violence – thus, our objective is to be proactive in finding legal solutions, using the collective power of international law.
It is in this vein that we will consider collaborations with women’s advocacy groups around the world and guest editorials by women’s human rights defenders.
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