In lieu of an abstract, here is a brief excerpt of the content:

 Personal Reflection: In Celebrat ion Rachel N . Maya nja , assistant secreta ry-general of the united nations and special adviser on gender issues and a dvancement of women Since the coming into force of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) on September 3, 1981, there has been significant progress in the promotion of the human rights of women. In many countries, constitutions now include provisions guaranteeing equality between women and men. Laws that prohibit discrimination in general—as well as in regard to specific rights such as education, employment, marriage, and divorce—have become standard components of the regulatory framework. Many countries have repealed discriminatory provisions in civil, penal, and personal status codes to bring them into conformity with the Convention. Equal opportunity laws have been aimed at improving women’s legal and de facto status. New legislation has been adopted on gender-based violence, especially domestic violence, to provide protection and remedies for women. Some countries have introduced temporary special measures for the advancement of women to improve women’s political participation and to ensure their representation in decision-making and executive positions at all levels of government. However, obstacles still remain in many countries, and women’s representation in parliament and in public life remains low. Deep-rooted stereotypes, including negative customary and traditional practices, persist. Many women have no access to or control over land, while social security protection, especially for women in the informal sector, is nonexistent. Violence against women—including rape, trafficking in women and girls, and sexual harassment at work—continues to undermine women’s enjoyment of their rights. The persistence of a wide range of discriminatory and criminal practices, including gender-based violence, causes tremendous suffering for individual women and girls, as well as exacting incalculable social costs. In fact, there are fewer women living on earth today than we would expect: Roughly 90 million women who should be alive today are “missing” due to gender-based violence, including battery and sexual assault within the family setting. Sexual violence is being used as a weapon in the context of war and State militarism and in a range of other political, social, and cultural upheavals. Women are more likely to become the victims of trafficking and involuntary prostitution in times of war and upheaval. CEDAW provides all States Parties with comprehensive guidelines for the adoption of antidiscrimination policies. More important, it outlines women’s fundamental rights in the form of a legally binding international treaty. Undoubtedly, ratification of or accession to the Convention by all States would be an important commitment to the goal of full equality between women and men. With the implementation of the Convention usually comes a realization that women who are burdened by discriminatory practices, intended or unintended, will contribute less to the economy, to the community, and to good governance. As a result of the work of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, States Parties are beginning to recognize the breadth of human rights violations women experience in their respective countries. While no State Party denies women’s right to equality in principle, States Parties differ about the specific contents of rights, in particular about practices that constitute violations of rights. In this regard, the Committee’s focus on the content of the Convention and its enforcement is welcomed.  l personal reflection ...

Share