Even before the so-called Global War on Terror, the U.S. Department of Defense’s (DOD’s) approach to international human rights law (IHRL) was the subject of substantial criticism, focused on the perception that the U.S. rejects a role for IHRL during military operations. The reality is more nuanced. The department’s Women, Peace and Security (WPS) Strategic Framework, issued last year, is a valuable illustration of this subtlety, and portends a shift in DOD’s relationship with and the interpretation and applicability of IHRL. The framework represents an understanding of IHRL that is baked into the national strategic discourse. Notably, it lays groundwork to change how the United States prepares armed forces to integrate IHRL obligations into military operations.

Read more: Women, Peace, and Security: Is DOD Turning a Human Rights Corner? (www.justsecurity.org)