Law, women and children were the topics of the hour as Dr. Jenny Kuper, a research fellow at the London School of Economics, spoke to her audience Monday about how the law can be used to create solutions to global problems.
Kuper’s lecture, which was held at the UCLA School of Law, focused on studies regarding Uganda and the European Union.
“She is attempting to use the law more creatively to implement policy change,” said Sondra Hale, a professor of women’s studies and anthropology, in her introduction of Kuper.
With regard to Uganda, Dr. Kuper tackled the complexities of the HIV/AIDS pandemic in Africa, and in particular, on its effects on women and children.
Kuper said there is a disparity in the prevalence of HIV/AIDS between women and men. In 2005, for instance, nearly 8 percent of women had HIV/AIDS, whereas the number was 6 percent for men. A major reason for such a disparity was the customary laws that governed Uganda, such as the allowance of polygamous relationships and wife-inheritance.
In addition to this effect of HIV/AIDS on women, children too were paying a great cost as a result of the pandemic.
“It is fair to say that about a quarter of the population (of Uganda) is looking after orphan children,” Kuper said.
However, Dr. Kuper noted that the law is now being used to improve the situation of women and children.
For example, the 1996 Ugandan constitution was adopted with greater rights for women and children. And though Dr. Kuper agreed that there is still a gap between the theoretical law and its practice, she said she believes the law is now being used to help change the way women and children are being treated.
On the topic of the European Union, Kuper, who is a member of a European Union study group on human security, spoke about the ways in which interventions and peacekeeping operations should be conducted.
One of the ideas she mentioned was a “bottom-up” approach, which advocates talking to people “on the ground,” including women and children, who are affected by the conflict, but underrepresented in decisionmaking.
For Kuper, including youth in the focus of such decisions was very important.
“Young people represent the future. They are the ones that will be carrying the (affected) country forward after conflict,” she said.
For Christine Littleton, chair of the women studies program, and a co-sponsor of the event, Kuper’s work on international law and issues dealing with women and children is important for lawyers, scholars and activists.
“We need to look at the way women and children may be in a different social location within society,” she said.
As Kuper mentioned, this is what is beginning to happen in the context of advocacy for such groups.
“I think what’s really exciting is people are using international law to advocate for new groups, particularly women and children,” Kuper said.