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About Susanne Zwingel

Susanne Zwingel, Lecturer, Faculty for Social Sciences, University of Bochum, Germany, has recently completed her Ph.D. on the impact of the CEDAW Convention. The summary of her research findings appeared in the autumn edition of the International Feminist Journal of Politics 2005.

Articles by Susanne Zwingel

Sunday 8th May

Susanne Zwingle

Susanne Zwingel, 8 May 2011
What a beautiful thing to imagine!
The single most important shift is twofold: that those in positions of domination understand that their privilege is not a good thing for the planet, and that the disempowered - who know already that their vulnerability is not good for the planet - gain voice. In other words, a re-structuring of who has a say and is heard based on the collective well-being of humankind and the planet as a whole. This realization may come in many forms, for example: no investment in projects that harm the environment (or: profits can only result from sustainable economic action - and this profit will not land in the hands of only a few); the living standard in developed countries will radically alter (say: remove all petroleum-based products; cut energy consumption in half); the living standard in developing countries also change, but on a new, less wasteful development path. Such radical rethinking is democratically possible - if the marginalized voices around the globe are heard. The uprisings in the Middle East are inspiring in this sense: the unheard voices do not necessarily need violence to be heard.
Democracy Dominoes/Bryant Arnold/CartoonADay.com
Wednesday 2nd November

CEDAW: the women formula

Susanne Zwingel, 2 November 2005

Adopted in 1979 by the General Assembly of the United Nations, the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) – the most far-reaching international commitment of governments working for gender equality – was the first international human-rights instrument to explicitly define all forms of discrimination against women as fundamental human-rights violations. As of April 2005, 180 states have ratified CEDAW, interpreting their treaty obligations in diverse ways ranging from reluctance to active incorporation.

In part one, ‘The birth of gender vision’, Susanne Zwingel told the story of CEDAW’s development and its interpretation by different countries.

Tuesday 1st November

The birth of gender vision

Susanne Zwingel, 1 November 2005

Adopted in 1979 by the General Assembly of the United Nations, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) – the most far-reaching international commitment of governments working for gender equality – was the first international human-rights instrument to explicitly define all forms of discrimination against women as fundamental human-rights violations. As of April 2005, 180 states have ratified CEDAW, interpreting their treaty obligations in diverse ways ranging from reluctance to active incorporation.


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The birth of a Convention

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