Women as Constitution-Makers
Case Studies from the New Democratic Era

Offers case studies of women as constitution-makers in nine countries, clarifying the gender aspects of participatory constitutionalism.

Ruth Rubio-Marín (Edited by), Helen Irving (Edited by)

9781108492775, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 28 March 2019

394 pages, 1 table
23.5 x 15.7 x 2.5 cm, 0.67 kg

That a constitution should express the will of 'the people' is a long-standing principle, but the identity of 'the people' has historically been narrow. Women, in particular, were not included. A shift, however, has recently occurred. Women's participation in constitution-making is now recognised as a democratic right. Women's demands to have their voices heard in both the processes of constitution-making and the text of their country's constitution, are gaining recognition. Campaigning for inclusion in their country's constitution-making, women have adopted innovative strategies to express their constitutional aspirations. This collection offers, for the first time, comprehensive case studies of women's campaigns for constitutional equality in nine different countries that have undergone constitutional transformations in the 'participatory era'. Against a richly-contextualised historical and political background, each charts the actions and strategies of women participants, both formal and informal, and records their successes, failures and continuing hopes for constitutional equality.

Introduction Ruth Rubio-Marín and Helen Irving
1. Women's movements and the recognition of gender equality in the constitution-making process in Morocco and Tunisia (2011–14) Sara Borrillo
2. Women and constitution-making in post-Communist Romania Elena Brodeala and Silvia Suteu
3. Re-living yesterday's battles: women and constitution-making in post-Saddam Iraq Noga Efrati
4. Women's participation in peace-building and constitution-making in Somalia Sakuntala Kadirgamar
5. Feminist legalism: Colombian constitution-making in the 1990s Julieta Lemaitre
6. Women and constitution-making in Turkey: from Ottoman modernism to a constitutionalism of women's platform Bertil Emrah Oder
7. Egypt's tale of two constitutions: diverging gendered processes and outcomes Mariz Tadros
8. Dialogic democracy, feminist theory, and women's participation in constitution-making Susan H. Williams.

Subject Areas: Constitutional & administrative law [LND], Political science & theory [JPA], Gender studies, gender groups [JFSJ], Social & political philosophy [HPS]