Gendering the Inter-American Human Rights System

The insertion of feminist ideals in mainstream institutional power has sparked debates within feminist literature. This chapter builds on this debate and explores the insertion of gender in the Inter-American Human Rights System. It describes the complex and gradual process through which feminist ideals find space in institutional organs, discourses, and procedures, discussing the main lessons from the shift toward a more gender-sensitive approach in international human rights governance. By applying a gender perspective, five crucial periods in the history of the Inter-American System have been identified, tracing the key milestones and processes in the insertion of feminist insights. This analysis contributes to the debate about the extent of feminist power in mainstream international institutions and knowledge.