International Influence on the Policy and Practice of Post-Conflict Women’s Rights

• In Event: Gender and Violence

Abstract

The end of civil conflict often brings enormous possibilities for political and social transformation, including meaningful gains in women’s rights. However, the exact pathways through which these relatively fleeting openings are translated into gender equality legislation remain unclear. Given the number of contradictions in the literature on international factors, when should we expect international influence to matter for women’s rights? Are there certain strategies that are more effective in motivating domestic policy? This paper investigates the “social” influence exerted by international actors on the domestic policy process in post-conflict states. First, a unique measure of social influence is created using textual analysis of international media coverage focused on women’s rights. The measure is then used to test a novel theoretical argument about the utility of social influence and public actions by international actors after conflict. In addition, a study of post-conflict countries examines the differential impacts of international social influence on domestic women’s rights relative to other types of influence using an original cross-national dataset on the passage of women’s rights legislation. As a multi-level quantitative examination of the social influence exerted by foreign actors after conflict, this study advances our understanding of the complex international factors in domestic policy making and more specifically, the dynamic processes that influence gains in women’s rights globally.

Author

• Sara Fox, University of Pittsburgh