During the 85th session of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, Commission Member and Washington College of Law Professor Claudio Grossman was appointed Special Rapporteur to study whether member states' legislation conforms with the rights of women under the Inter-American Declaration of the Rights and Duties of Man and the American Convention on Human Rights. "It is a dramatic problem," says Grossman, who proposed that the Commission devote more time to women's issues. "Women's rights, in spite of statements of equality in the American Convention and Declaration, have not been fully realized."
In recent years, gender issues have come to the fore in debates in many countries and international organizations. The recent UN Cairo Population Conference and The Washington College of Law Reproductive Rights Conference are but two examples of a growing awareness among governmental and institutional actors of the important concerns which women currently face. Nonetheless, Grossman reports that violations of women's human rights are still ignored or seriously marginalized in the Americas. "In almost every reality," he states, "women are still under-represented although they make up half of the population." Much of this condition, Grossman believes, is due to "male dominated agendas" which pervade much of this hemisphere. Grossman also pointed to the more brutal forms of violations inflicted against women, including domestic violence and rape, as examples of the lack of awareness of the plight of women.
In his role as Special Rapporteur, Grossman plans to organize fact-finding projects to survey the degree to which state practices comply with regional human rights instruments. Grossman hopes that his efforts will result in constructive recommendations for improving the status of women as well as for increasing awareness of women's positive role in society. "First we have to correct the abuses that are present," states Grossman. "Then we have to go towards the realization of formal equality. And third, we need to create a reality where women's concerns are reflected in our discourse."
Towards that end, the Washington College of Law has proposed a
joint effort whereby the law school will provide facilities,
research assistants, and other needs. Established by two women,
the school has a noteworthy history of promoting gender equality.
Grossman also added that in the past, WCL has been a very
important contributor to the activities of the Commission. "I
don't say this in a boastful way, but in terms of the Inter-American system of the protection of
human rights, there is no
school which has done more."
© Copyright 1994The Human Rights Brief
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