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E-book
Author Stern, Orly Maya

Title Gender, Conflict and International Humanitarian Law : a Critique of the 'principle of Distinction'
Published Milton : Routledge, 2018

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Description 1 online resource (253 pages)
Series Routledge Studies in Humanitarian Action Ser
Routledge Studies in Humanitarian Action Ser
Contents Cover; Half Title; Title Page; Copyright Page; Dedication; Table of Contents; List of acronyms; 1 Introduction; Overview of the research; Central arguments; Methodology and approach; Breakdown of chapters; Notes; Bibliography; Books and articles; Cases; Treaties; Other policy documents; Website; 2 The principle of distinction; A brief historical overview; The principle of distinction; The principle of distinction in international armed conflict; Creating the categories: civilians and combatants; The principle of distinction in non-international armed conflict; Organised armed groups; Notes
4 Gender and international humanitarian lawA brief introduction to feminist theory; Masculinity and militarism; Views about women in combat; Feminist critiques of International Humanitarian Law; IHL's gendered origins; Protective provisions for women of limited use; Formal equality in inherently unequal situations; IHL's focus on women as victims or mothers; the dangers of perpetuating stereotypes; A gendered hierarchy implicit in the law; The gendered nature of civilian immunity; Proportionality and military necessity; Feminist challenges to the legal situation; International Criminal Law
Women, peace and securityNotes; Bibliography; Books and articles; Cases; Treaties; Other policy documents; Media articles; 5 The divide between international and non-international armed conflicts: a precursory step to the application of the principle of distinction; History of the divide between international and non-international conflicts; Problems in the regulation of non-international armed conflicts; What are IACs and NIACs in terms of the law?; International armed conflicts; Non-international armed conflicts; The threshold of violence; Distinguishing IACs and NIACs in practice
Internationalised conflictsTransnational conflicts; International terrorism; The merging of the laws of IAC and NIAC; Customary international humanitarian law; International criminal law; International human rights law; Should the IAC/NIAC divide be retained?; IAC/NIAC and the principle of distinction; Notes; Bibliography; Books and articles; Cases; Other policy documents; Media articles; 6 Applying the principle of distinction to women in African war; Women in state armed forces; Women in regular armed forces/armies; Women in irregular armed forces, 'belonging to' a state party
Summary This book conducts a gendered critique of the 'principle of distinction' in international humanitarian law (IHL), with a focus on recent conflicts in Africa. The 'principle of distinction' is core to IHL, and regulates who can and cannot be targeted in armed conflict. It states that civilians may not be targeted in attack, while combatants and those civilians directly participating in hostilities can be. The law defines what it means to be a combatant and a civilian, and sets out what behaviour constitutes direct participation. Close examination of the origins of the principle reveals that IHL was based on a gendered view of conflict, which envisages men as fighters and women as victims of war. Problematically, this view often does not accord with the reality in 'new wars' today in which women are playing increasingly active roles, often forming the backbone of fighting groups, and performing functions on which armed groups are highly reliant. Using women's participation in 'new wars' in Africa as a study, this volume critically examines the principle through a gendered lens, questioning the extent to which the principle serves to protect women in modern conflicts and how it fails them. By doing so, it questions whether the principle of distinction is suitable to effectively regulate the conduct of hostilities in new wars. This book will be of much interest to students of international law, gender studies, African politics, war and conflict studies, and international relations
Bibliography BibliographyBooks and articles; Cases; Treaties; Other policy documents; Websites; 3 Women in conflict in Africa; The diverse landscape of armed conflict in Africa; A brief history; Actors in African conflict; New wars; Women in new wars; IHL in new wars; Women in combat; The scope for female participation in different types of conflicts; Women in combat: the international picture; Women in war in Africa; Female fighters in the post-conflict period; Notes; Bibliography; Books and articles; Cases; Treaties; Other policy documents; Media articles and websites
Notes Women in non-state armed groups
Print version record
Subject War -- Protection of civilians.
Combatants and noncombatants (International law)
Women and war.
Women (International law)
Women and war -- Africa
War -- Protection of civilians -- Africa
LAW -- International.
Combatants and noncombatants (International law)
War -- Protection of civilians
Women and war
Women (International law)
Africa
Form Electronic book
ISBN 9781351391443
1351391445
9781315142517
1315142511
9781351391450
1351391453
9781351391436
1351391437