THOMAS JEFFERSON LAW REVIEW

This brief essay addresses the debate over whether victims of domestic violence should be able to claim refugee status. The author notes that the greatest challenge in advancing this type of refugee claim is that domestic violence is private in nature and argues that refugee advocates have failed to clearly articulate the role of the state within domestic violence. The essay examines the particular elements of the refugee definition which are of greatest issue for those seeking refugee status due to domestic violence.

This article discusses the potential of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) to be a powerful tool of gender equality. The author laments, however, the weakening of the Convention when states have the option of holding reservations to provisions that would necessitate substantial changes to their national laws and/or cultural norms. [CEDAW Convention - International]