A Feminist Analysis of Certain Aspects of International Humanitarian Law

This article explores the underlying assumptions on which the rules of armed conflict are based, exposing the myth of gender neutrality. It reviews the changes brought about by the recognition of the legal right of self-determination. The author suggests that recognizing the absence of women's voices in decision-making regarding the use of force and acknowledging the price women pay during armed conflicts could serve as starting points for developing an approach where 1 humanitarian considerations prevail. This would further expose that military necessity is an aspect of the male state which oppresses and victimizes women.