CEDAW

Country Reports

Every ratifying or acceding nation is obliged to report to the Committee on its effort to meet CEDAW's goals within one year of signing the Convention, and then to follow up with progress reports every four years.

The Committee has adopted guidelines to help states prepare these reports. According to these guidelines, the initial report is intended to be a detailed and comprehensive description of the position of women in that country at the time of submission. It is meant to provide a benchmark against which subsequent progress can be measured. Second and subsequent national reports are intended to update the previous report, detailing significant developments that have occurred over the last four years, noting key trends, and identifying obstacles to the full achievement of the Convention.

Initial reports are considered by the Committee in the presence of a representative of the reporting country, who may make a supplementary presentation. Individual members are free to ask for clarification or elaboration of any issue related to the report, the presentation, or to CEDAW's goals. Typically, the country representative returns a day or so later to respond to those questions; answers or supporting materials are often presented in writing.

Since 1990, second and subsequent reports have been reviewed by a pre-session working group of five Committee members. The working group draws up questions to guide the full Committee's examination of the report. These questions are submitted to the country's representative in advance. The representative then meets with the Committee to respond to these questions and any others that members may wish to ask.

Below is a list of Country Reports submitted by CEDAW SEAP countries.

Cambodia