Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW)

Basic facts about the CEDAW
Stages of monitoring states’ obligation with the CEDAW
Guidance for NGO submissions to the CEDAW
Useful guides & links

Basic facts about CEDAW

• The Convention is monitored by the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW)
• The CEDAW was ratified by the UK in 1986
• Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women: Introduction
• Governments submit state reports roughly every four years
• The UK’s last state report was made in 2017, and concluding observations made in 2019
• The UK made a follow up report in May 2021
• The next monitoring round for the UK will be in March 2023

Stages of monitoring states’ obligation with the CEDAW

1. State reporting
2. Shadow reports by organisations
3. Pre-session working group
   • A list of issues and questions, for the states whose report will be considered two sessions later, is created.
4. State reply and dialogue with the committee
5. Concluding observations
6. Follow-up procedure
   

Guidance for NGO submissions on the CEDAW

• Submissions should be sent by email and by post (30 hard copies), at least two weeks prior to the beginning of each session
• Submissions should:
  • highlight priority concerns
  • suggest possible country-specific recommendations
  • be a maximum of ten pages long
• NGOs are also encouraged to provide reports or other state-specific information to the pre-session working group  
  • Submissions should be sent by email and by post (10 hard copies), at least two weeks prior to the beginning of the pre-session working group
• The submission should include:
  • the full name of the NGO
  • the State party scheduled for consideration to which the information relates
  • whether or not the submission can be posted on the CEDAW website for public information purposes
• Submission should be sent to:
  • Via email: cedaw@ohchr.org
  • Hard copy submissions to:
    CEDAW Secretariat
    OHCHR Palais Wilson
    52, rue des Pâquis
    CH-1201 Geneva 10 Switzerland

Useful guides & links

• Most recent state party report submitted on 16/11/2017.
• Most recent list of issues submitted on 31/07/2018.
• Concluding observations on the eighth periodic report of the United Kingdom of great Britain and Northern Ireland adopted at the 72^nd session of the CEDAW in March 2019
• UK follow up report submitted in May 2021
• Reporting status of the UK and submitted documents.
• Basic Information on the work of CEDAW.
• Information note prepared by OHCHR for NGO participation.
• Simple guide to the UN treaty Bodies.
• A handbook for civil society by the United Nations High Commissioner for human rights