Lessons from Existing International Institutions to Represent Vulnerable Groups

Peter Lawrence; Michael Reder

doi:10.1017/9781009655859.008

5 - Lessons from Existing International Institutions to Represent Vulnerable Groups

from Part II - International Law and Institutions

Published online by Cambridge University Press: 19 September 2025

Peter Lawrence and

Michael Reder

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Peter Lawrence: Affiliation:
University of Tasmania
Michael Reder: Affiliation:
Hochschule fur Philosophie Munchen

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Summary

Chapter 5 traces the history of a number of existing UN mechanisms which represent the interests of particular vulnerable groups in the international system (persons with disabilities, women, and children). The aim of this analysis is to see what types of normative discourses have found traction and led to the development of institutions to represent these vulnerable groups, in order to ascertain the type of normative arguments that would gain support in arguing for international institutions to represent future generations. An important lesson from the case studies is that a normative discourse in which development concerns feature prominently, has been a common thread running through the history of these UN mechanisms. The chapter analyses the differences and similarities between arguments which justify the institutions which have been put in place to represent these vulnerable groups, with arguments used to justify institutions to represent future generations.

Keywords

Vulnerability UN mechanisms persons with disabilities women children future generations climate change

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Type: Chapter
Information: Representing Future Generations
Climate Change and the Global Legal Order
, pp. 116 - 142

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009655859.008 [Opens in a new window]

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Print publication year: 2025

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