Background Release

WOMEN’S ANTI-DISCRIMINATION COMMITTEE MEETS

 

ON COUNTRY REPORTS, 16 January – 3 February

 

Reports to Be Considered:  Australia , Cambodia , Eritrea ,

Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia , Mali , Thailand , Togo , Venezuela

The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women convenes its thirty-fourth session next week at United Nations Headquarters.

From 16 January to 3 February, it will examine the reports of the following eight States parties:   Australia, Cambodia, Eritrea, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Mali, Thailand, Togo and Venezuela.

The Committee considers reports of States parties to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.  During this session the Committee will provide feedback to the eight reporting countries recognizing their progress in implementing the Convention’s provisions, as well as highlighting concerns and proposing recommendations on how to address challenges in applying the Convention more widely and consistently.

The Committee will also continue its work under the Optional Protocol to the Convention, which provides for a petition and an inquiry procedure regarding violations of the rights of women in States parties to the Convention and the Optional Protocol.

The Convention, which currently has 180 States parties, requires them to eliminate discrimination against women in the enjoyment of all rights -- political, economic, social, cultural, civil and any other field.  Seventy-two of these States are also party to the Optional Protocol establishing a communications and an inquiry procedure, providing a significant incentive to intensify their efforts to eliminate and prevent discrimination against women in law and in practice.

Representatives of non-governmental organizations can submit alternative, or shadow non-governmental organization reports and present information to the Committee members.  Non-governmental organizations will have the opportunity to address the Committee on Monday, 16 January, and on Monday, 23 January.  More information on participation by non-governmental organizations can be found at http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/cedaw/cedaw34/infonote34.pdf.

Members of the Committee are independent experts in the fields covered by the Convention and are elected by States parties to serve a term of four years.

The provisional agenda, other background documents for the thirty-fourth session, including the reports of the eight States parties and information on the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women can be found online at:  www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/cedaw/34sess.

For further information, please contact:  Renata Sivacolundhu, United Nations Department of Public Information, tel.:  +1 212 963 2932, e-mail:  sivacolundhu@un.org; or Oisika Chakrabarti, United Nations Department of Public Information, tel.:  +1 212 963 8264, e-mail:  chakrabarti@un.org.

Committee Schedule

Monday, 16 January:	10 a.m.:  Opening of the session. 3-4 p.m.:  Non-governmental organizations address the Committee.
Wednesday, 18 January:	Togo’s combined initial, second, third, fourth and fifth periodic report considered.
Thursday, 19 January:	Cambodia’s combined initial, second and third periodic report considered.
Friday, 20 January:	Thailand’s combined fourth and fifth periodic report considered.
Monday, 23 January:	3-4 p.m.:  Non-governmental organizations address the Committee.
Tuesday, 24 January:	Eritrea’s combined initial, second and third periodic report considered.
Wednesday, 25 January:	Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia’s combined initial, second and third periodic report considered.
Thursday, 26 January:	Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela’s combined fourth, fifth and sixth periodic report considered.
Monday, 30 January:	Australia’s combined fourth and fifth periodic report considered.
Tuesday, 31 January:	Mali’s combined second, third, fourth and fifth periodic report considered.
Friday, 3 February:	Committee adopts final report on thirty-fourth session.

All open proceedings will take place in Conference Room 1.

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For information media • not an official record