Women’s Human Rights and the Law of Armed Conflict

Abstract

Abstract This chapter examines the extent to which the Law of Armed Conflict (LOAC) has developed in its approach to the protection ofwomen in the post-1993 Vienna Conference era. At that time although the topic ofwomen and human rights law was assuming prominence, there was a vast “silence” on the adequacy ofLOAC to address women’s distinctive experiences of armed conflict. This chapter identifies and analyzes the significant areas of change, namely, the recognition of the gendered impact of armed conflict on women; the developments in the criminalization of sexual violence in armed conflict through international crimi- nal law; the work ofthe United Nations, in particular Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security; and the changing approach of the military establishment of states and the International Committee of the Red Cross to women and LOAC. Finally, the discussion identifies the ongoing challenges for further progress.