The 54th session of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) is currently meeting in Geneva to consider the progress of countries that have signed the CEDAW Convention in securing equal rights for women and men. The Committee will also hold a general discussion on access to justice. The CEDAW Committee’s sessions are a key opportunity for Governments to be held to account around the world and NGOs such as Soroptimist International are an integral part of this process. Read an introduction to CEDAW.
In December, SI’s lead UN Representative for Geneva, Wilfrida Hendrickx, attended the General Assembly at the CEDAW agency, which evaluated the initiatives and actions endorsed by CSW in 2012 such as promoting Human Rights Edcuation, reducing harmful traditional practices and a consultation with NGOs on violence against women. Wilfrida was able to share the experiences that SI has gathered from its grassroots work at this meeting, distributing copies of the Global Impact Report and building relationships with other agencies.
Wifrida is currently attending the 54th session of CEDAW, along with other SI Representatives to the UN Sina Stiffler and Sabine Kinzer. The following countries’ reports on their progress in achieving women’s rights are being considered:
- Angola
- Austria
- Cyprus
- Greece
- Hungary
- Pakistan
- Solomon Islands
- The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
You can read summaries of the discussions of each country’s report on the web page of the UN Office in Geneva.
For more information about how Soroptimist International’s UN Reps use SI’s experience on the ground to influence UN policy, read Bette Levy’s blog Domestic Violence and Girls – from Grassroots action to International Advocacy.
For more information on the Convention and Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, read Herta Kaschitz’s introduction to CEDAW.