WUNRN
IWRAW AP would like to remind you about the amendment to Article 20(1) to the
CEDAW Convention, which determines the meeting time of the
CEDAW Committee. As you know, there are now 185 states parties of the
Convention; which means that the task of reviewing States parties reports
requires more time and resources for the Committee.
What is the Amendment to
Article 20(1)?
The Meeting time of the CEDAW Committee is governed by
Article 20(1) of the Convention. That article currently allows the Committee to
meet "normally... for a
period of not more than 2 weeks annually ...to consider the reports submitted..."
In 1995, a resolution was passed by the General Assembly for
an amendment to this article. The text of this resolution (enclosed) reads:
1.
Decide to replace article 20, paragraph 1, of the Convention on the Elimination
of Discrimination against Women with the following text: "The Committee
shall normally meet annually in order to consider the reports submitted in
accordance with article 18 of the present Convention. The duration of the
meetings of the Committee shall be determined by a
meeting of the States parties to the present
Convention, subject to the approval of the General Assembly.";
2. Recommend that the General Assembly, at its fiftieth
session, take note with approval of the amendment.
3. Decide that the amendment
shall enter into force following consideration by the
General Assembly and when it has been accepted by a two
thirds majority of States parties which
shall have so notified the Secretary-General as depositary of the Convention.
How has the Committee
been extending its meeting time in the interim?
In the interim, pending the coming into force of this
amendment, the Committee has been requesting for additional extensions to the
review sessions and pre-session working groups to handle the backlog of
reports. There has been many additional or exceptional sessions and additional
weeks added to the sessions, including the recent extensions granted to the
Committee for the period of 2008-2009.
In 2007 the General Assembly reminded member states that
they should ratify the amendment of 1995 and also recognised the Committee's
need for more time and thus allowed for a one time allowance during the
2008-2009 sessions for increased sessions and dual chamber sessions. (document
A/RES/62/218 and enclosed) The relevant texts are here:
9. Also
recalls its resolution 50/202 of 22 December 1995, in which it took note with
approval of the amendment to article 20, paragraph 1, of the Convention, which
has yet to enter into force;
10. Strongly urges States parties to the Convention to take
appropriate measures so that acceptance of the amendment to article 20,
paragraph 1, of the Convention by a two-thirds majority of States parties can
be reached as soon as possible and the amendment can enter into force;
12. Notes decision 39/I of
the Committee,16 in which it requested the General Assembly to authorize an
extension of its meeting time;
13. Also notes that a
backlog of reports of thirty-four States parties to be considered by the
Committee persists;
14. Decides to authorize the Committee to
hold three annual sessions of three weeks each, with a one-week pre-sessional
working group for each session, for an interim period effective from January
2010, pending the entry into force of the amendment to article 20, paragraph 1,
of the Convention, and to authorize three annual sessions of the Working Group
on Communications under the Optional Protocol to the Convention;
15. Also decides to
authorize the Committee to meet on an exceptional and temporary basis in the
biennium 2008–2009 in a total of five sessions, of which three would occur in
parallel chambers, taking due account of equitable geographical distribution,
for the purpose of considering reports of States parties submitted under
article 18 of the Convention; and further decides that two of the five sessions
shall be held at United Nations Headquarters in New York;
16. Urges the Committee
to evaluate progress, and decides to assess the situation with regard to the
location of the sessions of the Committee after two years, also taking into
account the wider context of treaty body reform;
Status of ratification of
the amendment
So far, there has been only 52 ratifications as of March 2008. There
needs to be 2/3 ratification of all member states or 123
ratifications before the amendment can come into force and be legally binding.
The status of ratification of this 1995 proposed amendment can be found
here. http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/ratification/8_a.htm
The full list of states parties to this amendment are:
Andorra Australia Austria Bahamas
Bangladesh Brazil Canada Chile China
Cook Islands Croatia Cuba Cyprus Denmark
Egypt Finland France Georgia Germany
Grenada Guatemala Iceland Ireland Italy
Japan Jordan Lesotho Liberia
Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg
Madagascar Maldives Mali Malta
Mauritius Mexico Mongolia Netherlands New
Zealand Niger Norway Panama Philippines
Portugal Republic of Korea Republic of Moldova
Slovenia Sweden Switzerland Turkey United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Northern Ireland Uruguay.
If your country is not on this list,
please take action.
Why Take Action now?
States parties to the CEDAW Convention will be meeting this
30th June 2008. We urge you to remind
your governments that they should ratify this amendment.
Acceptance of this amendment will demonstrate their political will on promoting
and protecting women's human rights and give the Committee more freedom
and flexibility to do their job, that is to monitor implementation of the
treaty and to help our governments clarify their duties & obligations
under the Convention.
You should also note that the election of eleven CEDAW
Committee members (to fill the vacancies that will expire on 31 December 2008)
will be held at the States parties meeting on 30 July 2008. Nominations are due by 30 April 2008. For
more information, see the website of the OHCHR at: http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cedaw/elections.htm. A
separate action alert on this is forthcoming.
With best regards,
Audrey and Wei San
IWRAW Asia Pacific
Tel: (603) 2282 2255;
Fax: (603) 2283 2552
E-mail: iwraw-ap@iwraw-ap.org
Website: http://www.iwraw-ap.org/
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