CEDAW & Human Rights

Photo credit: Joy Zhu

The realization of women’s human rights is at the centre of UN Women’s work. Constraints on fundamental freedoms are daily realities for many women in Southeast Asia.

Educational and economic disparities between men and women, inadequate female representation in politics and public life, lack of understanding of women’s human rights by law enforcement and judiciary, and continuation of harmful practices against women in the name of culture and religion legitimise violations of women’s human rights, which perpetuate gender inequality. 

All Governments in the East and Southeast Asia region have made a commitment to advance women’s human rights and remove discrimination against women through ratification or accession to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). 

CEDAW is one of the core international human rights treaties of the United Nations treaty system and is often referred to as the women’s bill of rights. CEDAW was adopted by the UN General Assembly on December 19, 1979, coming into force as a treaty on December 3, 1981. Today, it is one of the most broadly endorsed human rights treaties – it has been ratified or acceded to by 186 countries to date – about 90% of the UN membership.

By signing on to the Convention, Government in the East and Southeast Asia region have pledged to undertake legal obligations to respect, protect, and fulfill human rights of women.

Some of the required actions by States Parties to the Convention include,

 UN Women in Action>>

For more information on CEDAW, please visit the CEDAW in Action web portal.

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