What is the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW)?

The International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) is an international agreement that aims to protect the rights of women worldwide. The Convention was adopted in 1979 by the United Nations General Assembly and has been widely ratified by countries around the world, including the United States. The Convention covers all aspects of women’s lives, including the right to education, health, work, and to be free from discrimination in public or private life. CEDAW contains a series of legally-binding commitments that require countries who sign on to prevent discrimination against women and take steps to ensure the realization of women’s human rights. This includes the right to sexual and reproductive health, the right to be treated equally before the law, and the right to participate in public life. It also requires countries to eliminate gender-based violence and to ensure equal access to educational and employment opportunities. The United States has signed CEDAW but has yet to ratify it. Ratification would ensure the United States is required to adhere to the Convention’s standards for the protection and promotion of women’s rights, and would put the U.S. in line with the 170 other countries that have already adopted the Convention. In Washington, the state legislature is considering a bill to ratify CEDAW, which would be a major step forward in guaranteeing greater protection for women’s rights.

What is the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW)?

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