- 9. Global Governance

###### Topic Summary

In this seminar we examine feminist approaches to the structure and activities of international organisations or, more broadly, global governance. We will consider both feminist IR critiques of the gendered politics of international organisations and their activities, and feminist activist efforts to engage and transform them, looking particularly at the UN and at its creation and institutionalisation of international human rights law. We begin by discussing in broad terms feminist critiques of the gendered marginalisations in/of international organisations and global governance and the effort, in response, to 'mainstream' gender in these international institutional structures and policies. We will then narrow our gaze to the UN and examine feminist lobbying efforts and institutional mechanisms within it, before examining the achievements and limitations of the transnational feminist campaign to centre women's rights within international human rights law.

###### Seminar Questions

- • what ways are international organisations and global governance gendered? • what ways are international organisations and global governance gendered?
- • what extent should we welcome gender mainstreaming in global governance? • what extent should we welcome gender mainstreaming in global governance?
- • are the main mechanisms for feminist influence within the UN? • are the main mechanisms for feminist influence within the UN?
- • what ways and to what extent have feminists reshaped global human rights law? • what ways and to what extent have feminists reshaped global human rights law?

###### Seminar Reading

## Friedman, Elisabeth Jay (1995) 'Women's Human Rights: The Emergence of a Movement', in Julie Peters and Andrea Wolper (eds) Women's Rights, Human Rights: International Feminist Perspectives, London: Routledge, pp.18-35. Scan available here. Hannan, Carolyn (2013) 'Feminist Strategies in International Organizations: The United Nations Context' in Gulay Caglar et al (eds) Feminist Strategies in International Governance, London and New York: Routledge, pp.74-91. Ebook via library website,

True, Jacqui (2015) 'Mainstreaming Gender in International Institutions', in Laura J. Shepherd (ed) Gender Matters in Global Politics: A Feminist Introduction to International Relations, nd 2 edition, London and New York: Routledge, pp.227-239. .Ebook via library website

###### Beyond the Reading List

Check out the historical development, institutional structure and policy initiatives of 'UN Women' at the agency's website: http://www.unwomen.org/en

###### Further Reading

####### Feminist Analyses of International Organizations and Global Governance

Bedford , Kate (2007) 'The Imperative of M ale Inclusion: How Institutional Context Influences World Bank Gender Policy', International Feminist Journal of Politics , 9 (3), 289-311 Bedford, Kate (2008) 'Governing Intimacy in the World Bank' in Shirin M. Rai and Georgina Waylen (eds) Global Governance: Feminist Perspectives. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 84-106. Friedman, E lisabeth Jay. (2003). ' Gendering the Agenda: The Impact of the Transnational Women's Rights Movement at the UN Conferences Of The 1990s ', Women's Studies International Forum 26 (4) 313-331.

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