PHR’s “10,000 in 10” Campaign officially launches on December 1st—help us ensure the US ratifies CEDAW in 2010.
Why CEDAW? Why now?
- Suggestions that the US is a leader in human rights is questionable when the country is not a party to the main human rights treaties, including CEDAW;
- US calls for other countries to fulfill women’s human rights lack credibility when the US has not ratified the main women’s human rights treaty;
- Successive administrations would be under a legal human rights obligation to submit periodic reports on its implementation of the rights contained in CEDAW;
- US civil society could monitor and report on what the US government is doing to implement the human rights of women in this country. Called a ‘Shadow Report’, this report is submitted to the Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (the Committee). The Committee welcomes this information to ensure that it is as well informed as possible;
- Individuals and groups can make complaints against the government to the Committee;
- The Committee on its own initiative can investigate grave or systemic in-country violations of women’s human rights.
The latter two procedures are only available when a country has accepted them. Hence, this would require the US ratifying the Optional Protocol to CEDAW.
If the US ratifies CEDAW, fulfillment of women’s human rights in the US would no longer be at the whim of different administrations. As the U.S. would be a party to CEDAW, people within the US could demand that any US administration fulfill the rights contained in the treaty.
Posted in: 10000 in 10, aids, CEDAW, convention on the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women, General Human Rights, Health, Health Rights Advocate, Take Action, Women
Discussion: Comment Here »
Between World AIDS Day (December 1) and International Human Rights Day (December 10), PHR is launching the 10,000 in 10 Campaign. We’re mobilizing 10,000 Americans, including students nationwide, to ask their US Senators to support US ratification of the Convention to Eliminate All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) in 2010.
We need your help to meet our goal. It will take 2 minutes:
Why CEDAW?
Women all over the world are facing discrimination, abuse and systematic inequities that make them especially vulnerable to some of the most severe global health challenges. Until we promote and protect women’s rights, the most severe diseases and health complications will continue to disproportionately affect women world wide.
Why Now?
The US remains one of only 7 countries in the world who have yet to ratify this critical treaty, along with Sudan and Somalia.
Since the treaty was adopted by United Nations in 1979, efforts for US ratification have come up repeatedly in the Senate but faced significant obstacles by CEDAW opponents, crushing potential for ratification. Now, CEDAW has strong support within the Foreign Relations Committee and is listed by the Obama administration as one of the top three treaties to ratify.
Things are looking a lot brighter: Let’s make the most of this new opportunity to protect women’s rights and support women’s health worldwide by finally ratifying CEDAW!
Let your Senator know that it’s time for the United States to ratify CEDAW and get serious about women’s rights worldwide.
Posted in: 10000 in 10, aids, CEDAW, convention to eliminate all forms of discrimination, General Human Rights, Health, Health Rights Advocate, international human rights day, petition, somalia, sudan, UN, united nations, us senate, Women, World AIDS Day
Discussion: Comment Here »
