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Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women

‹ Committee on the Rights of the ChildhautThe Special Rapporteurs ›
remit Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW)
  • · periodic reports every 4 years after initial report
  • · individual complaints (Ireland only) - see making a complaint under the optional protocols
type of issues considered
  • · discrimination against women (Articles 1 - 4)
  • · sex roles and stereotyping (Article 5)
  • · trafficking in women and exploitation of prostitution (Article 6)
  • · women’s rights to participate in public and political life (Articles 7 and 8) and social and economic life (Article 13)
  • · nationality rights, especially on marriage (Article 9)
  • · equal rights in education (Article 10), employment (Article 11), and health care (Article 12)
  • · rights of rural women (Article 14)
  • · marriage and family rights (Article 16)
number of members 23 “experts of high moral standing and competence in the field covered by the Convention” serving in a personal capacity.
how nominated by States parties to CEDAW
how elected ditto; for 4 year periods; can stand again; no more than one member per country; regard must be had to: geographical distribution, form of civilisation, type of legal system; half committee stands down every 2 years
reports to General Assembly, via ECOSOC
reports when Initial report due within one year of ratification or accession and then every four years, or whenever the Committee requests.
outline procedure Procedure differs according to whether the report is initial or periodic. Initial report:
  • · government submits report
  • · NGOs make submissions
  • · at hearing, government presents report
  • · Committee make general comments on report
  • · Committee asks questions re individual articles in CEDAW
  • · government replies some days later
  • · final comments by Committee members Periodic report:
  • · NGOs must provide submissions prior to pre-session working group
  • · NGOs make submissions in written and oral form at pre-session working group
  • · questions drawn up by pre-session working group of committee
  • · questions sent to government three to four months in advance of hearing
  • · governments reply in writing (in time for responses to be translated into all UN languages)
  • · government presents report at hearing
  • · Committee asks questions re individual articles in CEDAW
  • · government replies
  • · final comments by Committee members
current members (name, country of origin, date mandate expires)
  • Ms Charlotte ABAKA (Ghana 2002)
  • Ms Ayse Feride ACAR (Turkey 2002)
  • Ms Sjamsiah ACHMAD (Indonesia 2004)
  • Ms Emna AOUIJ (Tunisia 2002)
  • Ms Ivanka CORTI (Italy 2002)
  • Ms Feng CUI (China 2002)
  • Ms Françoise GASPARD (France 2004)
  • Ms Yolanda FERRER GOMEZ (Cuba 2002)
  • Ms Naela GABR (Egypt 2002)
  • Ms Aída GONZÁLEZ (Mexico 2002)
  • Ms Savitri GOONESEKERE (Sri Lanka 2002)
  • Ms Rosalyn HAZELLE (St Kitts & Nevis 2002)
  • Ms Fatima KWAKU (Nigeria 2004)
  • Mr Göran MELANDER (Sweden 2004)
  • Ms Asha Rose MTENGETI-MIGIRO (Tanzania 2004)
  • Ms Heisoo SHIN (South Korea 2004)
  • Ms Rosario MANALO (Philippines 2002)
  • Ms Mavivi MAYAKAYAKA- MANZINI (South Africa 2002)
  • Ms Zelmira REGAZZOLI (Argentina 2002)
  • Ms Hanna SCHÖPP-SCHILLING (Germany 2002)
  • Dr Carmel SHALEV (Israel 20020)
  • Ms Maria Regina TAVARES de SILVA (Portugal 2004)
  • Ms Chikako TAYA (Japan 2002)
un address Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women Division for the Advancement of Women, Room DC2-1220 P.O. Box 20 United Nations New York NY 10017 USA
submissions by 3 or 4 months prior to date set for discussion of periodic report
secretary Ms Jane CONNORS
telephone 00 1 212 963 3162
fax 00 1 212 963 3463
e-mail connorsj@un.org
relevant un leaflet(s) Discrimination against Women: the Convention and the Committee Fact Sheet No. 22
established 1981
meets twice yearly, in New York
caMe into force uk 1986
last uk report 1999
next uk report 2003
came into force Ireland 1986
last Ireland report 1999
next Ireland report 2003
other remarks See also special rapporteur on violence against women commission on the status of women and http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/cedaw
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