Erdman, Joanna N.

International Human Rights and the Mistreatment of Women during Childbirth

This article focuses on the mistreatment of women during childbirth and identifies this area of international law as underdeveloped. The author conducts a comprehensive review of the human rights standards in international law pertaining to the mistreatment of women during childbirth.

Constitutionalizing Abortion Rights in Canada

This article explores the Canadian feminist activism which led to constitutional abortion rights established in the SCC case R v Morgentaler in 1988. Part 1 describes covert “back-alley” abortion practices prior and immediately after the 1969 criminal reform. Part II studies how judicial reasoning resulted in the constitutional decisions. Part III explores how Morgentaler 1988 de-radicalized abortion rights.

Theorizing Time in Abortion Law and Human Rights

This article looks at the issue of time in abortion laws. Time is a very important factor in abortion laws because the laws often relate or refer to gestational age and length or pregnancy.

Talking about Women: The Iterative and Dialogic Process of Creating Guidelines for Gender-Based Refugee Claims

This article focuses on the process by which guidelines on interpreting refugee law with regard to gender have developed. The focus is upon the means of communication between states, individuals, international groups and non-governmental organizations which have facilitated the development of guidelines recognizing gender-based persecution as a valid ground for claiming asylum. The second part of the article discusses how this process leads to culturally-biased norms and the general considerations of cultural relativism and women's rights.