International and Regional Standards for Protecting Victims of Domestic Violence

This article examines major international and regional human rights documents that can be invoked to protect victims of domestic violence and discusses the major problem of lack of adequate enforcement. The article begins with a discussion on the definition of domestic violence and international efforts to combat domestic violence, focusing particularly on the actions of the United Nations. It assesses the potential and limitations of major international and regional human rights documents to protect women's human rights in situations involving domestic violence. It concludes by highlighting weaknesses such as lack of enforcement and reservations made by state parties. [Descriptors: Violence Against Women, International]