Chapter 1 explores the development of modern semiotics, while referring to decodification semiotics, interpretation semiotics and notably to Saussure, Peirce and Rossi-Landi. It offers a definition of legal semiotics and introduces the work of Kevelson and Tiefenbrun. It presents Welby’s Significs theory and The Meaning Triad, allowing for an analysis of the sense, meaning and significance of legal terminology. In this context, it examines the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties (1969) general rules of treaty interpretation under a legal semiotics lens. It thereafter presents semioethics, which explores avenues to modify problematic signs. The chapter explains how significs and semioethics are applied as methodologies to ‘decode’ the content of international treaties to analyze whether they sufficiently protect the girl child, in light of the intersectional discrimination she encounters. It also discusses the challenges of conducting a semiotic analysis in English, one of the authentic languages of the treaties examined.

Chapter 5 applies Welby’s Meaning Triad to analyze the definition of ‘child’ in international law, especially in the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC 1989) as concerns the girl child. It explores the sense of ‘silence’ in terms of gender neutrality and the absence of any reference to the girl child or violations specific to her. It studies the meaning-intention of the CRC drafters and thus the travaux préparatoires. Finally, it examines the significance of the wording of CRC provisions, and how it impacts the protection, implementation and monitoring of girl child rights. In this context, Chapter 5 discusses Peirce’s immediate, dynamical and final interpretants, and studies reservations to the CRC and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW 1979). It employs semioethics to propose an amended definition that would undoubtedly include the girl child and thereby guarantee her visibility, both legally and symbolically.

Chapter 8 employs Welby’s Meaning Triad to examine the boundary separating girlhood and womanhood under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), and its repercussions on the protection of the girl child. It examines the definition of ‘woman’ in international law and the English language, and the life-cycle approach. It notes that the CEDAW fails to provide a parameter for the beginning of womanhood, thus it is not clear whether girls of all ages – young girls and adolescent girls – are covered by this treaty. It observes that female human beings located at the intersection of girlhood and womanhood may fall short of the protection of both the CRC and many provisions of the CEDAW. It applies semioethics theory and considers revising the CEDAW to undoubtedly ensure that girls are covered under this treaty, save for provisions allocating ‘adult rights’.