Text Version of a presentation:

What the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women Contains

Presentation by UN ESCAP

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WHAT THE CEDAW CONVENTION CONTAINS

(Adopted by the UN General Assembly on 18 December 1979)

THE PARTS 1 TO 1V ARE THE SUBSTANTIVE PROVISIONS OF CEDAW

Article 1- Definition of "Discrimination against women" as:

" 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 the basis of equality of men and women, of human rights and fundamental freedoms, in the political, economic, social, cultural, civil or any other field."

PART I: (ARTICLES 1-6)

States Parties agree to take all appropriate measures to bring about the advancement of women. The actions may be legal, administrative or other measures, including temporary special measures of affirmative action, modification of social and cultural patterns of conduct and suppression of traffic in women and the exploitation of prostitution of women.

PART II: (ARTICLES 7-9)

States undertake to protect women's rights in political and public life. They agree to grant women the right to vote and be elected on a basis of equality with men, to participate in government as officials and policy makers, to participate in non-governmental organizations and to represent their countries internationally. They also agree to grant women equal nationality rights and equal rights with respect to their children's nationality.

PART III: (ARTICLES 10-14)

Governments make various commitments to eliminate discrimination in education, employment, health, economic, social and cultural life. Governments bind themselves to take into account the particular problems faced by rural women, to eliminate discrimination against them and ensure that they participate in and benefit from rural development on the same basis as men.

PART IV: (ARTICLES 15-16)

States Parties agree to afford women equality with men before the law, in the exercise of legal rights and in marriage and family law.

PART V: (ARTICLES 17-22)

Provides for the establishment of the CEDAW committee and the reporting procedure by States Parties to the Convention. This section deals with the election of twenty-three members of the Committee and their conduct of the reporting process.

PART VI: (ARTICLES 23-30)

Deals with other procedural issues such as the signing, ratification, and accession of States Parties to the Convention. Article 24 provides that States parties undertake to adopt all necessary measures at the national level aimed at achieving the full realization of the rights recognized in the Convention.

OPTIONAL PROTOCOL TO THE CEDAW CONVENTION

(Adopted by the General Assembly of the UN on 6 October 1999)

A Communications Procedure - that allows individual women or groups of women to submit claims of violations of rights protected under the CEDAW Convention to the CEDAW Committee.
An Inquiry Procedure - enabling the CEDAW Committee to initiate inquiries into situations of grave or systematic violations of women's rights.

SPECIFIC SUBSTANTIVE ARTICLES OF CEDAW

Article 1: definition of discrimination against women

Article 2: obligations to eliminate discrimination

Article 3: the development and advancement of women

Article 4: acceleration of equality between men and women

Article 5: sex roles and stereotyping

Article 6: suppression of exploitation of women

Article 7: political and public life

Article 8: international representation and participation

SPECIFIC SUBSTANTIVE ARTICLES OF CEDAW

Article 9: nationality

Article 10: education

Article 11: employment

Article 12: equality in access to health care

Article 13: social and economic benefits

Article 14: rural women

Article 15: equality before the law and in civil matters

Article 16: equality in marriage and family law

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