“Can we women unite to stem the tide?” Revisiting the history of the creation of genocide theory and law through a feminist lens

The history of the creation of genocide theory and law has predominantly adopted a male-centric narrative. This has side-lined female actors and voices, rendering women and their role in this history virtually invisible. This thesis is a feminist exploration of the creation of the theory of genocide and its codification in international law. Using unpublished archival materials and memoirs, as well as official and personal records and secondary materials, this thesis uses a feminist lens to identify the historical contributions of women and conceptualisations of women. The time period researched extends from the development of the crime of genocide as a theory to the codification the crime in the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (hereafter the Genocide Convention) and its ratification in the post-World War Two world. The core argument posited and explored by this thesis is the existence of an un-researched female history of the creation of the theory of genocide and the Genocide Convention.

First, this thesis explores the male-dominated history of the creation of genocide theory, from its origins in the concept of ‘barbarism’ to the Genocide Convention. By examining this history with a feminist lens, this thesis investigates how gendered harms, such as forced abortion and segregation of the sexes, were conceptualized in acts of genocide. It also assesses how women, and gender as a component of acts of genocide, were understood by the male drafters of the Convention. This first section analyses how women’s vulnerabilities during genocides or women’s experiences of acts of genocide were understood and the extent to which women were viewed as individuals, as opposed to their societally-cast roles as mothers and caregivers. In doing so, this research identifies several ill-defined and arguably gendered euphemisms commonly used throughout the materials, such as moral debasement and obscenity. It also uncovers feminist origins in the history of the creation of the theory of genocide.

Second, this thesis pivots to study the female actors in this history and showcases how women and women’s organisations advocated for the Genocide Convention. This research presents a detailed analysis of female-led anti-genocide activism at local, national and international levels. It highlights the contribution of notable women, such as Shaista Ikramullah, as well as prominent international women’s organisations. These chapters explore the direct and indirect experiences of women during the period of the Holocaust and other genocides in motivating and sustaining this advocacy. This research showcases the successes of this movement, as well as the barriers faced in a male-dominated socio-political environment characterised by dismissive misogyny.

By adopting a feminist theory of research, this thesis offers a complementary history of the theory of genocide and the Genocide Convention. It challenges the historical dominance of male perspectives and personalities and, in keeping with a feminist research theory, seeks to elevate this forgotten global female activism.