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ndltd-OhioLink-oai-etd.ohiolink.edu-muhonors11109183832021-08-03T05:41:59Z Protecting the Innocents: The Inter-American System and Securing the Girl-Child’s Rights Lawall, Kathryn Although the international community has improved its advocacy and protection of women’s and children’s rights in international law, the girl-child remains at risk and unprotected. The girl-child is the most vulnerable, disenfranchised category, deriving from her status as both a female and a child. Although an investment in the girl child is an investment in humanity and the future, all too often girls’ needs go unmet. Her basic rights are denied through her need of food, shelter, clothing, health care, education, safety, and freedom from harassment and exploitation. There is a lack of international, regional, and national law recognizing the girl-child as a social category, leading to a lack of recognition and obligation to the girl-child. This lack of obligation is evident in the deficiency of legislative and judicial mechanisms and ultimately a lack of protection. The disparity in international, regional, and national law between the girl-child’s natural rights and her afforded rights leads to overall neglect in the form of ineffective protection and enforcement. The lack of effective implementation and/or enforcement mechanisms accompanying law has led to widespread disregard on the public and private level. I contend that the international community, as well as regional organizations and nations, perpetuate, and in some cases commit, human rights abuses against the girl-child through their neglect. Protection for women, children, and the girl-child is especially ineffective as abuses are unofficially condoned through the widespread inattention by authorities to human rights issues and violations. The evidence of abuse against these sectors of society has been overwhelmingly undocumented. First, I will describe the human rights afforded on the international and regional arena. I will next examine the situation of the girl-child, documenting the status of women and children in the world. Then, I turn to Latin America. Finally, I conclude that there is a gap between afforded rights and protection of these rights. Examining this gap, I contend it is a result of not recognizing an important social group: the girl-child. I will then focus on a case study of the OAS and Latin American region to document its efforts and shortcomings toward this group. In conclusion, I will offer recommendations. 2003 English text Miami University Honors Theses / OhioLINK http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=muhonors1110918383 http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=muhonors1110918383 unrestricted This thesis or dissertation is protected by copyright: all rights reserved. It may not be copied or redistributed beyond the terms of applicable copyright laws.
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