Gender, Culture and Human Rights: The Tensions and Possibilities of Resolving Them

This paper will argue that while the basic principles enshrined in international human rights conventions appear fairly straightforward, implementing human rights for women within different cultures requires a deeper analysis of cultural norms in order to address violations. Indeed, a more thoughtful and culturally sensitive analysis is required to ensure that one is identifying human rights violations in a way that recognizes the right of women to live their lives across a range of cultural choices. It will be argued that an analysis of agency is an important tool for understanding how to recognize and implement human rights regimes across the globe. Further, it will be argued that to develop a culture of human rights a positive step in the recognition of women's right to decide, to be protected against persecution for making decisions that lie within a reasonable range of human cultural activity, and to have appropriate government programs to redress violations in a manner that rebuilds human dignity.