This presentation proposes to understand how political disputes and power relations shaped, enhanced, and constrained the negotiations of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW or the Convention) from 1974 to 1979.
The literature has widely studied how political and power structures profoundly intertwined with the women’s agenda at the United Nations during the 1970s. However, there is an overwhelming silence regarding the drafting history of CEDAW. In a quest for cultural hegemony in the context of the Cold War, the United States and the Soviet Union relied on the status of women as a measure of progress and national superiority. It is then surprising that the literature has approached so superficially the impact of political and power tensions on the negotiations of CEDAW. Focusing on the experience of the United States, I propose to (i) identify the main governmental and non-governmental actors involved in the drafting process of the Convention; (ii) understand how they interacted with each other inside the UN structure and with the government and organisations back home; and (iii) discuss the complex – domestic and international – political tensions and power disputes that influenced negotiations.
About the speaker
Natali Cinelli Moreira is a Ph.D. candidate in International Relations at the University of São Paulo and Junior Visiting Fellow at the Gender Centre of the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva. She holds a M.Sc. in International Relations from the University of São Paulo (2019), a LL.M. in International and Comparative Dispute Resolution from Queen Mary, University of London (2012), a B.A. in Law from Mackenzie Presbyterian University (São Paulo, 2010), and a B.A. in International Relations from the Pontifical Catholic University of São Paulo (2007).
PART OF THE GENDER SEMINAR SERIES
The Gender Centre has developed this series of research seminars in order to offer a platform for exchange for students, doctoral students in particular, and researchers whose work includes a gender perspective. During this monthly series, researchers have the opportunity to discuss their work, meet peers from different disciplines at the Graduate Institute, as well as interact with other students, guest speakers and faculty members.
See the programme of this semester's Gender Seminar Series here.
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