Journal Citation:
3(1) BUFFALO JOURNAL OF INTERNATIONAL LAW, 209-34 (1996).
This article provides brief observations on the East/West human rights debate. It discusses the patriarchal and cultural imperial tendencies of the international legal regime, and advocates for a broader perspective within international human rights to take account of the intersections of gender, culture, economic justice and international politics. The author begins by examining the tension between universalism and cultural relativism. She critiques conflicting views on the relevance of Western liberal rights discourse for Asian women facing oppression, marginalization and discrimination. The author acknowledges the usefulness of rights discourse, but maintains that a re-conceptualized interpretation, one that takes a cross-cultural approach to rights, is necessary for human rights discourse to be relevant to all women. The author briefly discusses the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and the Platform of Action adopted by the 1995 Fourth World Conference on Women. She also highlights various regional NGO initiatives that promote women's rights.