WUNRN
Declarations,
Reservations and Objections to CEDAW
________________________________________________________________________
FIDH - International Federation for
Human Rights
6/03/2008
Women’s Rights / League of Arab States / CEDAW
Campaign for “Equality Without Reservation” in the Arab world The Campaign
Follow-up Committee with the support of the International Federation for Human
Rights - FIDH
Call on the League of Arab States to Reinforce Efforts to End
Discrimination Against Women
On the eve of International Women’s Day, a delegation of the regional campaign for “Equality Without Reservation!”, composed of human rights and women’s rights organisations from the Middle East, North Africa and the Gulf, supported by FIDH, called upon the League of Arab States to take a strong role in the promotion of women’s rights in Arab countries.
At a meeting with the Director of the Human Rights Department, Mr Mahmoud Rasheed, the delegation welcomed the fact that almost all Arab states have ratified the UN Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), but expressed their dismay that the vast majority have entered reservations to core provisions of the convention, thereby manifesting their refusal to respect full gender equality and, in many cases emptying their commitments of any meaning.
Indeed, in the overwhelming majority of countries in region, legislation, in particular in the domain of the family, violates the most basic rights and the most fundamental freedoms of women and girls. Moreover, laws protecting women from discrimination and violence are generally absent. The reservations entered to CEDAW reflect these discriminatory legal frameworks and constitute major obstacles to reform. The delegation urged the Arab League to engage Arab states in dialogue with a view to the complete withdrawal of reservations.
“Ending discrimination against women is above all a matter of political will. This is why we consider that the Arab League could have an important role to play in advancing the cause of equality without reservation”, underlined the delegation.
At the conclusion of the meeting, both parties agreed to continue dialogue on women’s rights, reservations to CEDAW and overcoming barriers to gender equality in the region.
“This year as we mark the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, it is time, now more than ever, to affirm the principle that, ‘All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights’”, said Souhayr Belhassen, FIDH President. “Today we call on the Arab League to take a leading role in reaffirming the universality of human rights and that women’s rights are human rights”.
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