Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women
| Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
| Opened for signature | 18 December 1979 in New York City | ||
| Entered into force | 3 September 1981 | ||
| Conditions for entry into force | 20 ratifications | ||
| Parties | 185[1] | ||
The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) is an international convention adopted in 1979 by the United Nations General Assembly. Described as an international bill of rights for women, it came into force on 3 September 1981. The United States is the only developed nation that has not ratified CEDAW.
The Convention
The Convention defines discrimination against women in the following terms:
Any distinction, exclusion or restriction made on the basis of sex which has the effect or purpose of impairing or nullifying the recognition, enjoyment or exercise by women, irrespective of their marital status, on a basis of equality of men and women, of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural, civil or any other field.
It also establishes an agenda of action for putting an end to sex-based discrimination: States ratifying the Convention are required to enshrine male/female equality into their domestic legislation, repeal all discriminatory provisions in their laws, and enact new provisions to guard against discrimination against women. They must also establish tribunals and public institutions to guarantee women effective protection against discrimination, and take steps to eliminate all forms of discrimination practised against women by individuals, organizations, and enterprises.
The Committee
Convention oversight is the task of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, which is made up of 23 experts on women's issues from different UN member states. The Committee meets twice a year to review reports on compliance with the Convention's provisions that the signatory nations are required to submit every four years.
The committee is one of the seven UN-linked Human rights treaty bodies.
The Committee's members, described as "experts of high moral standing and competence in the field covered by the Convention", are elected to serve four-year terms in staggered elections held every two years. Its officers are a chairperson, three vice-chairpersons, and a rapporteur. Efforts are made to ensure balanced geographical representation and the inclusion of the world's different forms of civilization and legal systems.
Optional Protocol
In 1999, the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted the Optional Protocol of CEDAW. The Protocol includes a procedure through which individual women or groups can denounce national violations of CEDAW directly to CEDAW’s committee of experts. As of November 2006, 83 states had ratified the Protocol.
Controversy
The CEDAW has been controversial for statements seen by some as promoting radical feminism. Particularly referenced is a 2000 report which said that in Belarus, "the Committee is concerned by the continuing prevalence of sex-role stereotypes and by the reintroduction of such symbols as a Mothers' Day and a Mothers' Award, which it sees as encouraging women's traditional roles." [2] Other controversial positions of CEDAW include supporting the decriminalization of prostitution, criticizing Slovenia because only 30% of children are in daycare, demanding equal treatment for work of "equal value", and a treaty requirement that nations "embody the principle of the equality of men and women in their national constitution or other appropriate legislation." These requests are seen by Concerned Women for America and other anti-feminist and Christian Right groups as a backdoor to an Equal Rights Amendment or comparable national legislation [3]. Australian and (defunct) New Zealand anti-feminist groups voiced similar concerns in the early eighties.
Cultural bias
Many Islamic countries view the CEDAW as culturally biased towards the Western nations and have consequently placed reservations on the elements that they see as in fundamental contradiction with Islamic Sharia law.
The seven UN member states that have not signed the convention are Iran, Nauru, Palau, Qatar, Somalia, Sudan, and Tonga. These are either Islamic states (Iran, Qatar, Somalia, Sudan) or small Pacific Island nations (Nauru, Palau, Tonga). Niue and the Vatican City have also not signed it. The United States has signed, but not yet ratified.
See also
- Equal Rights Amendment
- Parental leave
ReferencesISBN links support NWE through referral fees
External link
- UN CEDAW site, links to full text of document, country reports, lists of reservations stated by particular countries, etc.
de:Übereinkommen zur Beseitigung jeder Form von Diskriminierung der Frau et:Konventsioon naiste diskrimineerimise kõigi vormide likvideerimise kohta es:Convención sobre la eliminación de todas las formas de discriminación contra la mujer nl:Verdrag inzake de Uitbanning van alle Vormen van Discriminatie van Vrouwen ja:女子に対するあらゆる形態の差別の撤廃に関する条約 war:CEDAW sv:FN:s kvinnokonvention tr:CEDAW zh:消除對婦女一切形式歧視公約
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