Human Rights, Institutions and Social Change
This paper presents a conceptual framework on rights, institutions and social change which can be used to assess how gendered aspects of institutions, both ‘formal’ and ‘informal’, explain patterns of rights achievement, and more importantly, to identify institutional change strategies that challenge and transform power relationships to enable the realization of women’s rights. To deepen strategic thinking on transforming power relations, the authors argue for understanding the confluence of the opportunity structure provided by the state, the empowerment of women and their organizations, and formal and informal institutions which mediate both access and benefits.
