Abstract
This article discusses feminist engagement in the judicial process in the light of the changing constitutional landscape in the U.K. It considers feminist activism in the courts and the potential that third party interventions provide for feminists to influence judicial decision making under the Human Rights Act 1998. The impact of the intervention by women’s groups in the case of R. v. A. (No. 2) is discussed. Despite the disappointing decision, it is argued that the intervention was a worthwhile endeavour. Third party interventions are important if feminists are to hold on to the gains they have made through the legislative process. Interventions also offer an opportunity to build a litigation strategy that will help shape the development of the case law under the Human Rights Act 1998.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Arshi, M. & O’Cinneide, C., “Third Party Intervention: the Public Interest Reaffirmed”, Public Law (2004), 69–77
S. Atkins (1986) “Women’s Rights” J. Cooper R. Dhavan (Eds) Public Interest Law Basil Blackwell Oxford 333–344
J. Bindel K. Cook L. Kelly (1995) ‘‘Justice for Women: A Campaign for the 1990’s’‘ G. Griffin (Eds) Feminist Activism in the 1990s Taylor and Francis London 65–76
D Bouchier (1983) The Feminist Challenge: The Movement for Women’s Liberation in Britain and the US Macmillan Press London
Bradley, A., “Judicial Independence under Attack.’’ Public Law (2003), 397–407
P Cane (2004) Administrative Law Oxford University Press Oxford
Chakrabarti, S., Stephens, J. & Gallagher, C., “Whose Cost the Public Interest”, Public Law (2003), 697–715
L Chappell (2002) ArticleTitle“Feminist Strategies and Political Opportunities” International Feminist Journal of Politics 2 IssueID2 244–275 Occurrence Handle10.1080/14616740050137456
H Charlesworth (1994) “What are ‘Women’s International Human Rights’” R Cook (Eds) Human Rights of Women: National and International Perspectives University of Pennsylvania Press Philadelphia 58–84
Clayton, R., “Judicial Deference and the ‘Democratic Dialogue’: The Legitimacy of Judicial Intervention Under the Human Rights Act 1998”, Public Law (2004), 33–47
J. Conaghan (2000) ArticleTitle“Reassessing the Feminist Theoretical Project in Law” Journal of Law and Society 27 351–85 Occurrence Handle10.1111/1467-6478.00159
A. Coote (2000) “Introduction’‘ A Coote (Eds) New Gender Agenda Institute for Public Policy Research London 1–12
Department for Constitutional Affairs, Increasing Diversity in the Judiciary, 2004
Department for Trade and Industry, Fairness for All: A New Commission for Equality and Human Rights, May 2004
Dyer, C., “Lords Rule Rape Shield Law Unfair”, The Guardian, May 18, 2001
A. Dobrowolsky V. Hart (2003) “Introduction: Women, New Politics and Constitutional Change” A. Dobrowolsky V. Hart (Eds) Women Making Constitutions: New Politics and Comparative Perspectives Palgrave MacMillan Publishers London 1–19
C Epp (1998) The Rights Revolution: Lawyers, Activists, and Supreme Courts in Comparative Perspective, University of Chicago Press Chicago
Ewing, K., “The Futility of the Human Rights Act”, Public Law (2004), 829–852
Fawcett Society, “Where are the Women: Law Lords?” Towards Equality: The Magazine of the Fawcett Society (June 2001), 4
C Gearty (2002) ArticleTitle“Reconciling Parliamentary Democracy and Human Rights” Law Quarterly Review 118 248–269
C Gearty (2003) ArticleTitle“Revisiting Section 3(1) of the Human Rights Act” Law Quarterly Review 119 551–553
J Gelb (1989) Women in Politics: A Comparative Perspective, University of California Press Berkeley
G Griffin (1995) Feminist Activism in the 1990s Taylor and Francis London
Hannett, S., “Third Party Interventions: In the Public Interest?”, Public Law (2003), 128–150
C Harlow R Rawlings (1992) Pressure Through Law Routledge London
C Harlow (2002) ArticleTitle“Public Law and Popular Justice” Modern Law Review 65 1–18 Occurrence Handle10.1111/1468-2230.00363
C Harvey (2000) ArticleTitle“Refugee Law, the Judges and a ‘new’ Human Rights Culture” Immigration and Nationality Law and Practice 14 IssueID1 5
D. Herman (1997) “The Good, the Bad, and the Smugly: Sexual Orientation and Perspectives on the Charter’‘ D. Schneiderman K. Sutherland (Eds) Charting the Consequences: The Impact of the Charter of Rights on Canadian Law and Politics University of Toronto Press Toronto 200–219
J Hickman (1986) “Greenham Common Women Against Cruise Missiles and others v Reagan Ronald and Others” J. Dewar A. Paliwala S. Picotto M. Ruete (Eds) Nuclear Weapons, The Peace Movement and the Law MacMillan London 112–133
Home Office, Rights Brought Home: The Human Rights Bill, Cm.3782 (1997)
Hope, Lord of Craighead, “Mike Tyson Comes to Glasgow”, Public Law (2001), 294–307
Intervention of The Rape Crisis Federation of England and Wales, The Campaign to End Rape, The Child and Abuse Studies Unit and Justice for Women in Regina v Mohammed Nasir Anwar in the House of Lords, 2001 (available from the author)
R Jhappan (2002) “Introduction: Feminist Adventures in Law” R. Jhappan (Eds) Women’s Legal Strategies in Canada University of Toronto Press Toronto 3–41
R Johnson (1986) ‘‘Alice Through the Fence: Greenham Women and the Law’‘ J. Dewar A. Paliwala S. Picotto M.M. Ruete (Eds) Nuclear Weapons, The Peace Movement and the Law MacMillan London 112–133
Jowell, J., “Judicial Deference: Servility, Civility or Institutional Capacity?” Public Law (2003), 592–601
Kavanagh, A., “Statutory Interpretation and Human Rights after Anderson: A More Contextual Approach”, Public Law (2003), 537–545
Khaliq, U., “Protocol 12 to the European Convention on Human Rights: A Step Forward or a Step too Far”, Public Law (2001), 457–464
F Klug (2000) Values for a Godless Age: The Story of the United Kingdom’s Bill of Rights Penguin Books London
Klug, F. & O’Brien, C., “‘Fairness for All’? An Analysis of Human Rights Powers in the White Paper on the Proposed Commission for Equality and Human Rights”, Public Law (2003), 712–724
Klug F., “Judicial Deference under the Human Rights Act 1998”, European Human Rights Law Review (2003), 125–133
N. Lieven C. Kilroy (2003) “Access to the Court under the Human Rights Act: Standing, Third Party Intervenors and Legal Assistance” J. Jowell J. Cooper (Eds) Delivering Rights: How the Human Rights Act is Working Hart Publication Oxford 115–146
A Loux (2000) ArticleTitleHearing a ‘Different Voice’: Third Party Intervention in Criminal Appeals Current Legal Problems 53 449–470
I Loveland (2003) Constitutional Law, Administrative Law and Human Rights: A Critical Introduction, Butterworths London
C Manfredi (2004) Feminist Activism and the Supreme Court: Legal Mobilisation and the Women’s Legal Education and Action Fund University of British Columbia Press Vancouver
A McColgan (2000) Women Under the Law: The False Promise of Human Rights Longman London
J. Miles (2003) “Standing in a Multi Layered Constitution” N. Bamforth P. Leyland (Eds) Public Law in a Multi-Layered Constitution Hart Publishing Oxford and Portland Oregon 391–420
S. Millns (1998) “ ‘Bringing Rights Home’: Feminism and the Human Rights Act 1998” S. Millns N. Whitty (Eds) Feminist Perspectives on Public Law Cavendish Publishing London 181–209
S. Millns (2003) “Women’s Rights after the Human Rights Act 1998” A. Dobrowolsky V. Hart (Eds) Women Making Constitutions: New Politics and Comparative Perspectives Palgrave MacMillan Publishers London 142–154
H Mirza (1997) Black British Feminism Routledge London
Morton, F.L., and Allen, A., “Feminist Groups and the Courts: Measuring Success in Interest Group Litigation in Canada,” Canadian Journal of Political Science (2001), 55–84
Nicol, D., “Statutory Interpretation and Human Rights after Anderson”, Public Law (2003), 24–282
D Oliver (2003) Constitutional Reform in the U.K. Oxford University Press Oxford
D. Oliver (2004) “The Modernisation of the United Kingdom Parliament’‘ J. Jowell D. Oliver (Eds) The Changing Constitution Oxford University Press Oxford 256–279
G Philipson (2003) ArticleTitle‘‘(Mis)-Reading Section 3 of the Human Rights Act’‘ Law Quarterly Review 119 183–188
Public Law Project, Third Party Interventions in Judicial Review: An Action Research Project, May 2001
S Razack (1991) Canadian Feminism and the Law: The Women’s Legal Education and Action Fund and the Pursuit of Equality Second Story Press Toronto
H. Siddiqui (2000) ArticleTitle‘‘Black Women’s Activism: Coming of Age’‘ Feminist Review 64 83–96 Occurrence Handle10.1080/014177800338981
J. Small (2003) ArticleTitle‘‘Structure and Substance: Developing a Practical and Effective Prohibition on Discrimination under the European Convention on Human Rights’‘ International Journal of Discrimination and the Law 6 45–68
C Smart (1989) Feminism and the Power of Law Routledge London
C Smart (1995) Law, Crime and Sexuality: Essays in Feminism Routledge London
R Stevens (2004) The English Judges: Their Role in the Changing Constitution Hart Publishing Oxford
Temkin, J., “Sexual History Evidence-Beware the Backlash”, Criminal Law Review (2003), 217–242
Temkin, J. & Ashworth, A., “The Sexual Offences Act 2003: (1) Rape, Sexual Assaults and the Problem of Consent”, Criminal Law Review (2004), 329–346
A Tomkins (2003) Public Law Clarendon Press Oxford
R Vogler (1986) “Anti Nuclear Defences: Aspects of Legality and the Peace Movement in England” J. Dewar A. Paliwala S. Picotto M. Ruete (Eds) Nuclear Weapons, The Peace Movement and the Law MacMillan London 112–133
Wells, C., “The Impact of Feminist Thinking on Criminal Law and Justice: Contradiction, Complexity, Conviction and Connection”, Criminal Law Review (2004), 503–515
Women’s Resource Centre, WRC Briefing on the White Paper “Fairness for All: A New Commission for Equality and Human Rights”, June 2004, Available at http://www.wrc.org.uk
D. Woodhouse (2004) ArticleTitle“The Constitutional and Political Implications of a United Kingdom Supreme Court” Legal Studies 24 134–155
A Young (1990) Femininity in Dissent Routledge London
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Samuels, H. Feminist Activism, Third Party Interventions and the Courts. Feminist Legal Stud 13, 15–42 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10691-005-1454-5
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10691-005-1454-5