AMERICAN SOCIETY OF INTERNATIONAL LAW PROCEEDINGS

This article offers a critique of the approach in international law to issues relating to sexuality and makes the case for the recognition of a universal human right to sexuality. It is argued that such a rights approach would mean that other human rights principles such as non-discrimination would be applicable and governments would necessarily have to meet a higher burden in justifying limitations on sexuality. Various obstacles to the adoption of a sexuality rights approach are also discussed.

This presentation discusses current efforts to develop and enforce a human rights norm with regards to preventable maternal death. The author begins by presenting statistical data regarding pregnancy-related deaths, which shows that rates vary starkly with the wealth of the country. Wealthy countries are no longer as vulnerable to pregnancy-related deaths as poor countries, which indicates that dying during pregnancy is preventable. The author argues that the continuation of high maternal death rates is due to a failure of government will. The author calls for the

This article is the published record of an American Society of International Law panel discussion held in April 1997. The panelists were Marsha Freeman (International Women's Rights Action Watch), Andrew Byrnes (University of Hong Kong), and Christine Brautigam (United Nations Division for the Advancement of Women), with remarks from Theresa Loar (U.S. Department of State). They addressed compliance under the CEDAW Convention, the development of an Optional Protocol to the Convention, and mainstreaming a gender perspective in the work of the United Nations treaty bodies.