Goncharova Y. The role and place of the gender equality principle in modern International Law

The thesis is devoted to the theoretical and practical aspects in the formation and development of the gender equality principle, starting from the 1791 Great French Revolution and the creation of the first document for feminism 'Declaration of the rights of women and citizens' by Olympia de Guizh. Gender equality is a complex social phenomenon, which includes some separate structural elements, for instance, equal rights and responsibilitits, equal opportunities and equal conditions for the self development. Gender equality can be achieved through the understanding of the social roles that are played by every individual in the society. The international relations institutionalization process in the field of human rights protection, which started in the beginning of the 20th century, fostered the international community to develop interanational legal mechanisms for protection of womens' rights and establishment of the gender equality principle. The thesis has analysed the official documents of the United Nations, regional acts, in particular, acts of the Council of Europe and the European Union, in which the principle of the gender equality is enshrined. It puts the emphasis on the analysis of the UN activity in the sphere of gender equality protection. The thesis gives the characteristsics of the same activities by the international non-governmental organizations in this sphere. Moreover, it has observed a set of issues related to the monitoring of the implementation of the convention obligations by the states in the sphere of gender equality.