Equality in international law: The four-dimensional approach

Abstract

The second part of this paper considers the extent to which a multi-dimensional notion of substantive equality is already reflected in current interpretations of international treaty obligations, and the extent to which there is room for continuing development of these interpretations in order to make further progress towards an international commitment to substantive equality. It will be seen that, while there is little attempt to articulate and apply a consistent framework to evaluate progress towards substantive equality, there is nevertheless a strong, implicit adherence to the aims encapsulated in the concept. It is suggested here that by making these connections explicit and fully articulating the growing consensus at the international level on an understanding of substantive equality that reflects the four dimensions set out above, the extent to which policies can be shaped to address the specific challenges of gendered inequality can be considerably enhanced.