Event Title
Presentation Type
Poster
Start Date
20-4-2023 4:10 PM
End Date
20-4-2023 5:00 PM
Disciplines
International and Area Studies | Legal Studies | Political Science | Public Affairs, Public Policy and Public Administration
Keywords
South America, international organizations, women's rights, Ecuador, human rights, international law, women’s movements
Abstract
In 1979, Ecuador became one of the first Latin American countries to ratify the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). In this paper, I use Ecuador as a case study for analyzing the effectiveness of international human rights treaties on the countries that ratify them, looking specifically into the impact the CEDAW had on Ecuador’s domestic policies and action it has taken to expand women’s rights since 1979. I begin by giving a historical basis for the culture and political organization of the country due to colonization. I then articulate Ecuador as a leader in women’s rights for much of Latin America during the first half of the twentieth century, then examine the transition since the ratification of the CEDAW. I analyze not only the creation of the new Ecuadorian constitution in 2008 but also the strength of institutions intended to uphold the constitution and implement measures to protect women’s rights. I examine correspondence between the government of Ecuador and the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women. To further support my study, I analyze statistical data on women’s safety and ability to navigate society without barriers, such as education, employment, healthcare, ownership of property, economic stability, etc. Finally, I examine the role of political activism within Ecuador to determine if organizations and lobbying groups have progressed their political goals since 1979.
[Poster not supplied by author.]
Faculty Mentor
Franklin, James
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Included in
International and Area Studies Commons, Legal Studies Commons, Political Science Commons, Public Affairs, Public Policy and Public Administration Commons
The Impact of the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women on Ecuador's Domestic Policy
In 1979, Ecuador became one of the first Latin American countries to ratify the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). In this paper, I use Ecuador as a case study for analyzing the effectiveness of international human rights treaties on the countries that ratify them, looking specifically into the impact the CEDAW had on Ecuador’s domestic policies and action it has taken to expand women’s rights since 1979. I begin by giving a historical basis for the culture and political organization of the country due to colonization. I then articulate Ecuador as a leader in women’s rights for much of Latin America during the first half of the twentieth century, then examine the transition since the ratification of the CEDAW. I analyze not only the creation of the new Ecuadorian constitution in 2008 but also the strength of institutions intended to uphold the constitution and implement measures to protect women’s rights. I examine correspondence between the government of Ecuador and the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women. To further support my study, I analyze statistical data on women’s safety and ability to navigate society without barriers, such as education, employment, healthcare, ownership of property, economic stability, etc. Finally, I examine the role of political activism within Ecuador to determine if organizations and lobbying groups have progressed their political goals since 1979.
[Poster not supplied by author.]