Table Of ContentWomen, Poverty, equality
The stark reality is that throughout the world, women disproportionately
live in poverty. This indicates that gender can both cause and perpetuate
poverty, but this is a complex and cross-cutting relationship. The full enjoy-
ment of human rights is routinely denied to women who live in poverty. How
can human rights respond and alleviate gender-based poverty? This mono-
graph closely examines the potential of equality and non-discrimination
at international law to redress gender-based poverty. It offers a sophisti-
cated assessment of how the international human rights treaties, specifi-
cally the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women
(CEDAW), which contains no obligations on poverty, can be interpreted
and used to address gender-based poverty. An interpretation of CEDAW
that incorporates the harms of gender-based poverty can spark a global dia-
logue. The book makes an important contribution to that dialogue, arguing
that the CEDAW should serve as an authoritative international standard
setting exercise that can activate international accountability mechanisms
and inform the domestic interpretation of human rights.
ii
Women, Poverty, Equality
The Role of CEDAW
Meghan Campbell
OXFORD AND PORTLAND, OREGON
2018
Hart Publishing
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First published 2018
© Meghan Campbell 2018
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British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
ISBN: HB: 978-1-50990-974-2
ePDF: 978-1-50990-977-3
ePub: 978-1-50990-972-8
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Campbell, Meghan, 1985- author.
Title: Women, poverty, equality : the role of CEDAW / Meghan Campbell.
Description: Oxford [UK] ; Portland, Oregon : Hart Publishing, 2018. | Includes bibliographical
references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2017048795 (print) | LCCN 2017049126 (ebook) | ISBN 9781509909728 (Epub) |
ISBN 9781509909742 (hardcover : alk. paper)
Subjects: LCSH: United Nations. Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against
Women. | Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women
(1979 December 18) | Women (International law) | Women’s rights. | Sex discrimination against
women—Law and legislation. | Equality before the law. | Poverty—International cooperation.
Classification: LCC K3243.A41979 (ebook) | LCC K3243.A41979 C36 2018 (print) |
DDC 342.08/78—dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2017048795
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Acknowledgements
I am profoundly thankful to Sandra Fredman for her guidance throughout
this project. She has had unwavering patience in helping me form and shape
my ideas. Her perceptive questions and steadfast support have been invalu-
able. I am eternally grateful for all the kindness, challenging questions and
laughter over the years.
I have had the privilege of participating in Sandra Fredman’s weekly
research group. I am sincerely indebted to the time, energy and helpful
guidance of: Shreya Atrey, Jason Brickhill, Max Harris, Barbara H avelková,
Laura Hilly, Miles Jackson, Galina Kostadinova, Jaakko Kuosmanen,
Karl Laird, Fiona de Londras, Tom Lowenthal, Richard Martin, Chris
McConnachie, Yishai Mishor, Victoria Miyandazi, Ndjodi Ndeunyema,
Justice Dhaya Pillay, Nomfundo Ramalekana, Anup Surendranath and
Helen Taylor. These friends and colleagues with infinite patience have read
numerous drafts of this project. They have given me companionship, enthu-
siastic support, encouragement and insightful suggestions. Words cannot
express my appreciation to them.
Thank-you to Nazila Ghanea-Hancock, Denise Réaume, Cathryn
Costello, Catherine Redgwell and Frances Raday who at the earlier stages
provided helpful guidance.
My heartfelt thanks to my parents Gerry and Lori Campbell and my sister
Amy Campbell. At an early age they introduced me to social justice and are
always challenging me to think critically on gender and poverty. Even from
a distance they have given me infallible love and support.
Thank-you to Geoffrey Swenson, Francesca Ward, Jonathan Neve and
Alice Neve who have made me laugh throughout this project and have
offered many words of kindness.
Chantal Boutin and Silvia Pittner have offered unflinching and l oving
support before, during and undoubtedly after this book. Words are
inadequate to capture my appreciation for all these two have done for me.
So I offer my sincere and simple thanks.
vi
Contents
Acknowledgements ...................................................................................v
Part I
1. Mapping the Problem .........................................................................3
I. Defining Gender-Based Poverty ..................................................8
A. A New Conception of Poverty .............................................8
B. Recognising and Defining Gender-Based Poverty ...............10
II. Gender-Based Poverty as an Obstacle to Human Rights ...........16
III. The Gap in the International Human Rights Framework .........19
IV. The Promise of CEDAW in Addressing Gender-Based
Poverty .....................................................................................21
V. Mapping the Solution: An Evolutionary Interpretation
of CEDAW ...............................................................................24
VI. Conclusion ...............................................................................28
2. The Drafting of CEDAW ..................................................................29
I. Understanding the Past .............................................................30
II. The History of CEDAW ...........................................................34
III. Mapping Gender-Based Poverty in the Travaux
Préparatoires ����������������������������������������������������������������������������37
IV. Explaining CEDAW’s Silence ....................................................41
A. Gender-Based Poverty Separate from Gender Equality ......42
(i) Gender-Based Poverty as Politics ..............................42
(ii) Gender-Based Poverty as Development .....................44
B. The Politics of the Cold War .............................................48
C. The Expense of Gender-Based Poverty ..............................53
V. Conclusion ...............................................................................54
3. Strategies for Interpreting CEDAW ...................................................56
I. The Art of Interpretation ..........................................................58
A. Articles 31–33 of the VCLT ...............................................58
B. As Time Goes By: Evolutionary Interpretation ..................60
C. Apples and Oranges: Comparative Interpretation .............62
II. The Interpretative Role of UN Human Rights Bodies ...............65
A. Treaty Bodies ....................................................................66
B. Charter-Based Bodies ........................................................68
III. Gender-Based Poverty and the UN Human Rights Bodies ........70
A. An Incomplete Approach: Treaty-Based Bodies .................70
viii Contents
(i) Gender-Based Poverty in ICCPR and ICESCR ..........71
(ii) Poverty in ICCPR and ICESCR ................................72
B. The Indivisibility of Rights: Gender-Based Poverty
and the UN Charter Bodies ...............................................75
IV. Conclusion ...............................................................................78
4. Interpreting Gender-Based Poverty into CEDAW ..............................79
I. Potential Interpretations of CEDAW ........................................80
A. The Limits of the Specific Right Approach ........................80
B. Gender-Based Violence and CEDAW .................................83
II. A Comprehensive Interpretation: Equality and
Non-Discrimination in CEDAW ...............................................88
A. The Role of Equality and Non-Discrimination
in CEDAW ........................................................................88
B. Applying the VCLT Framework to Equality and
Non-Discrimination in CEDAW ........................................89
(i) The Ordinary Meaning ............................................90
(ii) Context ....................................................................97
(iii) The Object and Purpose .........................................114
(iv) A New Interpretation of CEDAW ..........................118
III. Nature of the State’s Obligations ............................................119
A. The Obligation to Realise Socioeconomic Rights ............120
B. The Obligation to Eliminate Discrimination
and Achieve Gender Equality in CEDAW ........................123
C. A Duty to Cooperate to Tackle Gender-Based
Poverty? ..........................................................................131
IV. Conclusion .............................................................................133
Part II
5. The Committee and Gender-Based Poverty.....................................137
I. CEDAW’s Accountability Structure ........................................139
II. Mapping the Committee’s Approach to Gender-Based
Poverty ...................................................................................140
A. The Disadvantage Dimension ..........................................142
(i) Gender-Based Poverty & Economic
and Social Life ........................................................143
(ii) Trafficking and Prostitution ...................................145
(iii) Civil and Political Rights ........................................147
(iv) Economic and Social Rights ...................................148
(v) Family Life .............................................................152
B. The Recognition Dimension ............................................153
(i) Gender-Based Poverty & Economic
and Social Life ........................................................154
Contents ix
(ii) Gender-Based Violence ...........................................156
(iii) Cultural Attitudes and Stereotypes .........................157
(iv) Prostitution ............................................................158
(v) Economic and Social Rights ...................................158
(vi) Access to Justice .....................................................160
(vii) Family Life .............................................................161
C. The Structural Dimension ...............................................162
(i) Gender-Based Poverty & Economic
and Social Life ........................................................162
(ii) Civil and Political Rights ........................................163
(iii) Economic and Social Rights ...................................164
(iv) Access to Justice .....................................................165
(v) Family Life .............................................................166
D. The Participation Dimension ...........................................167
(i) Gender-Based Poverty & Economic
and Social Life ........................................................167
(ii) Civil and Political Rights ........................................168
(iii) Economic and Social Rights ...................................168
E. The Interaction between the Four Dimensions
of Transformative Equality ..............................................169
(i) Rural Women .........................................................170
(ii) Health ....................................................................172
III. Evaluative Discussion .............................................................174
IV. Conclusion .............................................................................176
6. The Working Methods of the Committee .......................................177
I. Mapping Gender-Based Poverty and the Committee ...............180
II. A Case Study on the Committee’s Working Methods
and Gender-Based Poverty ......................................................183
A. Working Methods of the Periodic Reporting Process .......184
B. Analysis of Material in the Periodic Reporting Process ....186
(i) Common Core Document ......................................186
(ii) The State Report ....................................................187
(iii) CSO Reports ..........................................................192
(iv) List of Issues ...........................................................196
(v) State Reply ............................................................199
(vi) UN Agencies ..........................................................200
(vii) Summary Records ..................................................200
C. Conclusions .....................................................................201
III. Reforming the Periodic Reporting Process ..............................202
A. Analysis of the CEDAW Reporting Guidelines ................203
B. Reforming the CEDAW Reporting Guidelines .................206
IV. Conclusion .............................................................................207
