Women’s Rights in the UN

Latella, Luisa Valentina (2. Juli 2025): Women’s Rights in the UN. Norms (and their Content) Matter! A Two-Dimensional Conceptual Framework for Norm Robustness, Illustrated through the Women, Peace and Security Agenda. Bachelorarbeit, Sozialwissenschaftliche Fakultät, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München.

Abstract

This thesis develops a two-dimensional framework for assessing the robustness of international norms, illustrated through the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda of the United Nations. Building on Zimmermann et al.’s (2023) model of norm robustness, it argues that their framework – focused on compliance, implementation, concordance, and reactions to violations – does not capture overall robustness, but rather what this thesis refers to as social validity. To complement this, the thesis introduces a second dimension, normative stringency, assessed through three criteria: (1) the introduction of new normative content, (2) changes in existing normative content, and (3) the omission of previously affirmed normative content. This extension enables the identification of both strengthening and weakening developments that remain analytically invisible when only social validity is considered. The empirical analysis draws on UN Secretary-General reports and all ten WPS resolutions. Findings suggest that while the WPS agenda has retained considerable social validity, its normative stringency has fluctuated: initial strengthening and expansions gave way to subtle weakening, especially regarding legal frameworks, healthcare, and sexual and reproductive rights. The study concludes that overall norm robustness cannot be assessed without considering both dimensions. It demonstrates that norms may remain socially valid while experiencing normative erosion, underscoring the need for a refined conceptual lens to capture how contestation reshapes the substance of international women’s rights norms.

• Dokumententyp: LMU München: Studienabschlussarbeit
• Keywords: Norm Robustness; Norm Contestation; Women; Peace and Security (WPS) Agenda; International Women’s Rights; Constructivist International Relations; International Women’s Rights; Feminist International Relations
• Institut oder Departement: Geschwister-Scholl-Institut für Politikwissenschaft
• Themengebiete: 300 Sozialwissenschaften > 300 Sozialwissenschaft, Soziologie ; 300 Sozialwissenschaften > 320 Politik
• Sprache: Englisch