Coomaraswamy, Radhika

Women and Children: The Cutting Edge of International Law

This article discusses the ways in which the rights of women and children have impacted the substance and procedures of international law. First, these rights have influenced how international law is created and developed in relation to state practice. These rights also infringe on the presumption of state sovereignty, the foundation of traditional international law. The inclusion of women's and children's issues within the international framework has redefined the role of non- state actors within international law. Moreover, international criminal

Moving Beijing Forward: Gaps and Challenges: Violence Against Women and Trafficking

This paper was prepared by the former UN Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women, Radhika Coomaraswamy, for a high-level intergovernmental meeting of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific. She begins by discussing the nature of trafficking and the structural factors that push women to migrate. The lack of international consensus on the best approach to trafficking and the relationship between trafficking and prostitution are also examined.